Can You See Me?

This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
Buy on Amazon Buy on BN.com Buy on Bookshop.org
*This page contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.
Send NetGalley books directly to your Kindle or Kindle app

1
To read on a Kindle or Kindle app, please add kindle@netgalley.com as an approved email address to receive files in your Amazon account. Click here for step-by-step instructions.
2
Also find your Kindle email address within your Amazon account, and enter it here.
Pub Date Jan 01 2020 | Archive Date Jan 15 2020
Amazon Publishing UK | Thomas & Mercer

Talking about this book? Use #CanYouSeeMe #NetGalley. More hashtag tips!


Description

Would you know if someone was watching you?

In the dark days since the sudden death of her surgeon husband, Julia’s main worry has always been Tash. Her student daughter was broken—she worshipped her father. But six months on, Julia thinks the light is returning. She is about to find out that she’s wrong.

When she saves the life of a boy who’s been hanging around her beach cottage, the questions start. All she has to go on is the butterfly tattoo on his wrist, but who is he? What was he doing there? And why was her late husband’s watch in his bag? Julia wants to believe it’s a casual theft, but an ominous arrival in the post confirms her suspicion that there is more to it than meets the eye.

As Tash remembers a string of strange incidents she had previously brushed off, Julia realises they are both being watched. Someone’s been toying with them, trying to frighten them, but why?

Determined to protect her daughter, Julia races to discover the boy’s identity. But what she doesn’t realise is that the truth is right in front of her. Will she see it before it’s too late?

Would you know if someone was watching you?

In the dark days since the sudden death of her surgeon husband, Julia’s main worry has always been Tash. Her student daughter was broken—she worshipped her...


A Note From the Publisher

Lynne Lee was born in London and began her writing career as a teenager. She has been a full-time author since the mid-1990s, writing romantic novels, short stories and ghostwriting bestselling books. Can You See Me is her first psychological thriller and is written under a pseudonym.

Lynne Lee was born in London and began her writing career as a teenager. She has been a full-time author since the mid-1990s, writing romantic novels, short stories and ghostwriting bestselling...


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9781542014939
PRICE $15.95 (USD)

Average rating from 83 members


Featured Reviews

After her husband died, Julia not only had to contend with her own grief, but also that of her daughter, Tash. After six months, the two women think they may finally be able to move on, but the arrival of a strange young man changes all that. Julia saves the boy’s life, but she’s shocked to discover her late husband’s watch among the boy’s things. Tash begins to recall odd incidents that she had not given much thought to at the time they occurred, but now seem ominous. Julia and her daughter have to uncover the truth about what really happened, even if they may regret it later.

Was this review helpful?

Julia, mom to a teenage daughter Tash, is surfing when she sees a boy near her home. As she goes near him, he takes off running and seriously injuring himself. Julia, being a physician, saves him until they are rescued by helicopter. Julia has no idea who the boy is, and why he is near her home. The only identifier on him is a butterfly tattoo on his wrist. Things get even stranger for Julia when she find's her late husband's watch in the boy;s bag. Tash and Julia then realize a series of strange events, and realize they are being watched. But why? Are they in danger?

I enjoyed this book. It started a little slow, but then really picked up and pulled me in. I thought Julia was a refreshing female protagonist. She's smart, strong, and successful, which makes the reader root for her. The inclusion of the moths and their scientific classification also added some originality to this story. The ending is twisty and not predictable.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the chance to review and read.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you NetGalley. Amazon Publishing UK and Lynne Lee for the chance to read this book. Julia is coming back from surfing when she sees a young man by her cottage. She approaches and he takes off running, falling over a cliff and seriously injuring himself. She saves his life and what follows is a twisted tale that Julia can’t seem to grasp. This book has wonderful characters with Julia being my favourite. She is strong and determined and will do anything to find out the truth while protecting her daughter. The book alternates chapters with one being a cryptic chapter about moths which is seen from the villains eyes. Although I realized what the significance of the moths are it detracted from the story and made those chapters boring and irrelevant. I loved the twists but it became a bit far fetched with who the villain was. It was a good book and suspenseful but the moth chapters and the identity of the villain made it a bit disappointing.

Was this review helpful?

Julia, who has just recently lost her husband David, is surfing one morning when she spots a young boy snooping outside her beach cottage. When the boy suffers a serious injury, Julia manages to get help and save him. But who is he and why was he spying on her home?

When her daughter Tash - heartbroken by her fathers' death remembers a string of strange incidents, Julia realises they are being watched. Desperate to uncover the truth, Julia wants to discover the boys' identity and who has eyes on them.

I enjoyed this one but it took me around 70ish pages before I clicked with the story. It was well written and well-paced but it was just ok. I found the book a little tedious at times and found my attention slipping but it was worth a read.

Was this review helpful?

Julia, a doctor who recently lost her husband to a stroke, finds a boy standing outside her house at the start of this book. She chases him off only to watch him fall into a jagged rock pile. She saves his life and keeps tase on his recovery. What she doesn't realize is that the boy is connected to her late husband. As the story progresses Julia realizes that her husband kept a major secret from her. She also suspects that someone is watching her and her daughter. The story was slow in parts but built up to a solid climax. I would read another book by this author.

Was this review helpful?

I knew there would be a twist, and I can usually guess it, but I was surprised. An engrossing thriller that will keep you guessing.

Was this review helpful?

A seemingly familiar trope of love, lies and betrayal. As the protagonist uncovers deep seated secrets, she finds herself and her daughter in the midst of formidable danger. What Lynne Lee does though to push her narrative past the familiar is add an alternative perspective. One that, once the reader can look past what is being handed over at surface level, digs deep into a dark side of character development. Lee has used another level of creativity to express perspective here and it brings so much to the book.. Love when authors force a bit of deep thinking on the reader.


Thank you to #NetGalley for this ARC of #CanYouSeeMe. It was read and reviewed voluntarily by Tarrah Marie (@wayward_readers)

Was this review helpful?

I hate the cover of Can You See Me but the book is fantastic! But seriously the cover doesn’t appeal to me at all and it does the story no justice!

The first thing I loved was the Moth chapters, the illustrations are small and really added to the madness of the antagonist, the way these chapters get darker and more chilling is absolutely a work of art. The antagonist twist was extremely intelligent and I was completely surprised. I thought I ad the plot all figured out....well clearly I didn’t!

I do believe this book could be shortened without losing any of the plot but I love a story with lots of detail so Can You See Me was perfect!

A 5/5 thriller full of suspense. It just needs a better cover.

Was this review helpful?

I really wanted to connect and enjoy this book and the storyline sounded like it would be a great read. I just found this long and just didn't grab me unfortunately. I just found it missing that spark however it's still an overall ok read

Was this review helpful?

A decent story although I did feel it dragged a bit at times. Could do with less chapters. Has amazing potential if cut down a bit

Was this review helpful?

I had been looking forward to reading this one. But was left disappointed. A lot was hard to read and left me feeling like I did t want to pick it back up. It was tedious and uninteresting sadly

Was this review helpful?

Can you see me if you don't know I exist?? Shouldn't you know since you are miss worldly and smart? I will just take matters I to my own hand and THEN you will SURELY see, feel and hear me! Pay attention, this book will catch you off gaurd. Excellent read!

Was this review helpful?

Thanks Netgalley and to the publisher for the advance ecopy. Julie is a strong woman. She is determined to find out the truth while protecting her daughter Tash. There's a few surprises throughout and twists. Julia saves a boy that was hanging around her cottage, he ran and fell off a cliff and her being a doctor helped him. She found her late husband's watch in his bag and things get even more weird for them. The boy she noticed had a butterfly tattoo on his wrist. Julia and Tash realize they are being watched but they don't understand why.

Was this review helpful?

I am torn about this review.

I loved so many things about this book:
I loved the writing style, which really drew me in
I loved the way that the story was going in one direction, and then suddenly there were some surprises
I loved how this was different from anything I've read in a while
I loved the main characters and their stories

So why am I torn?
There was a big "twist" that I saw coming a mile away. There was too much foreshadowing. But maybe it wasn't supposed to be a twist?

There were a few other things about the characters that kind of annoyed me. However, I can't detail them without giving anything away.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I want to thank the publisher and Net Galley for the advance copy, which did not impact my review. I'm really glad I read this, and will look for more books from this author.

Was this review helpful?

This book is addictive and suspenseful, once I started I was glued to the story to the very end.

We meet Julia who is morning the loss of her husband, and she is also the mother to Tash her teenage daughter.
One day while surfing, Julia saw a boy near her home, when she approached him he fled injuring himself in the process and Julia had to rescue him. There is no way to tell who the boy is or what was he doing near Julia's house, he only has a butterfly tattoo.

Then Julia discovers her late husband's watch in the boy's possession without a clear explanation. From thereafter strange events start happening, and soon Julia and Tash realize that they are being watched, but by who and why?

We set on a journey with Julia that is filled with riveting twists, turns, surprises, and secrets, but will she be ready to face the truth? A clever, pacy, and engaging take on the classical theme of realizing that we may never really know those closest to us.

Thanks Netgalley, the publisher, and author for a complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

This book was a slow start for me and I was unsure if I was going to stick with it. I did and it seemed to be well written but it didn't grab my attention like I was hoping. Julia lost her husband recently and rescues a teenager that she had found spying on her. Her daughter Tash is gravitating to him but Julia needs to know more, especially why he was spying on him and who he is really is. The ending is something I guessed but wasn't sure of. While it wasn't the most fast paced or engaging read for me it is still worth a read.

Was this review helpful?

I'm not 100% sure what to do with this. It kept me interested. It kept me guessing, in some ways, but now that I'm done I'm left with no impression whatsoever.

Was this review helpful?

Julia, a doctor, had recently lost her husband, David (also a doctor) in an accident. Now, at Julia's summer home, she catches a "kid" looking into her window and then running away. She finds him on the cliffs where he is bleeding out. However, a good Samaritan hears Julia's cries for help and a helicopter rushes both Julia and the "kid" (identity still unknown) to the hospital in Cardiff.

The "kid" survives surgery but is placed into an induced coma. The reader also senses that there may be a link between Julia's daughter, Tasha (a student at uni), and the unidentified boy.

Butterflies and moths introduce an unknown character who remains anonymous - yet you keep trying to figure out who, if anyone already in the story, is THEIR identity, also.

An interesting, fast-paced book - Recommend.

Many Thanks to Amazon UK, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for a good read!

Was this review helpful?

In the gloomy six months since Julia suddenly lost her husband her main worry has been her daughter, Tash. She was devastated to lose her father but to Julia it finally seems that a little bit of her daughter's gloomy clouds may be dissipating. Their worlds are turned upside down after Julia valiantly saves the life of a young man who was loitering outside her beach cottage. When she returns home she begins to attempt to work her mind around why he was there, who is he - he remains unidentified recovering at the hospital, and why did he have her late husband's watch in his backpack? Julia is wildly hoping it's a random theft from their cottage but with a mysterious package delivered in the mail along with some incidents Tash previously dismissed while at university it seems not only unlikely but also appears someone has been keeping tabs on them. Julia and Tash attempt to puzzle out who this young man is - they just don't realize what they're looking for is looking back at them.

Whooooo boy, I really didn't see the end of this one coming to be completely honest. This book was a solid read; interesting, suspenseful and a little bit creepy. The moth chapters are a very unique way of learning not only about the moths themselves but about our antagonist. This book was a study in just how convoluted and terrifying real life can be, especially when you're wading through attempting to find answers (this is true for both sides of this story). I also have a fondness for reading British writers - their word use is sometimes entirely different from what I normally see and I love it.

It's kind of funny that moths play a part in this novel because I actually don't like moths. Oh they're fine from a distance but I severely dislike their erratic light seeking fluttering. I live in an area where we are usually swarmed with moths (specifically the Army Cutworm aka to locals as just miller moths or millers) during the summer months and sometimes later in the fall. Some years are infinitely worse than others as well as different areas, my parents house which is further East than mine is usually worse. That isn't to say that they moths aren't interesting just insects in force are not my forte. I actually saw several White-lined Sphinx this year and they are so COOL - you'd think they're a hummingbird until you get close to them.

Can You See Me? was an overall somewhat fast paced novel to read for me. I never really struggled to read it other than just being busy this time of year. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy thrillers, suspense and psychological novels. A very big thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for providing me with a copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

The main character Julia, who recently lost her husband, was surfing one day when she saw a boy snooping outside her beach house. She tried to call after him but the boy got injured. Luckily she knew what to do and managed to get help and save him but, who was he? And why was he around her house? The only thing she knows is that he has a butterfly tattoo.

After that, her daughter Tash remembered a series of strange things happening and Julia realised they were being watched. That made Julia even more desperate to know the identity of the boy and get to the end of it.
____________________________________________________________

Lee did an amazing job here. It took me a few tries to get into the book but then I couldn't put it down. At the beginning it felt like it was dragging and a bit slow but trust me, once you're past that it's so so gripping and you'll understand how necessary it was.
The story and the characters are great, I loved Julia as a protagonist. It's quite refreshing seeing a strong female character without feeling like it's forced into that role just to please the people. Their development, the mysteries and secrets made me want to read more and I was happy with the ending. Something I usually struggle with when I finish a book.

Was this review helpful?

Filled with secrets, lies and betrayal!
I enjoyed how the book moved between Julia’s search to seek the truth about the boy with the butterfly tattoo and the cryptic moth titled chapters written by someone who has been damaged by the world around them. Julia was a wonderful lead character extremely strong and determined to find the truth and protect her daughter.

Was this review helpful?

The writing style of this book was a bit prosey, if that is a word. The language and sentence structure were a bit poetic and at first it was a bit off putting. However, I got used to it quickly and actually enjoyed how it was written. Additionally, I loved how the chapters alternated between the mom/wife/main character Julie and the antagonist, whose chapters were written based on a variety of different moths. You know how I love a little education snuck into my fictional reading! The book had plenty of action and suspense but I wish I could have gotten to know a few of the characters, beyond Julie and the antagonist, better. Overall, it was a very enjoyable read!

Was this review helpful?

An okay book that didn’t deliver after loving the description and cover. The excitement ended after reading the first page.

Was this review helpful?

This was just "okay" for me. I didn't like the alternate chapters about moths - I skipped a lot of them until close to the end. The end was good, and made it worth the read.

Was this review helpful?

No spoilers! Julia's husband David died, leaving her shocked and her daughter Tash adrift. Things change, however, when Julia finds a young man (the "kid") after he is injured and then discovers that he's got her husband's watch in his pack. Hmm. He's also got a tattoo of a butterfly. Butterflies and moths are something of a theme in this suspenseful novel where you might think you know what's happening but, trust me, you probably do not. Tash and Julia realize quickly that some of the creepy things that they've discounted over the last months have root in something they should be concerned about. This is about how they sort things out and find a way to move forward in their lives. And, oh, then there's the kid. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Was this review helpful?

This is a really good read. I did not guess the twist at the end at all. The whole story is very cleverly written. The details about the moths I felt added to the story. I felt involved with the characters and the short chapters kept me reading.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Was this review helpful?

2 stars

It might be just me since almost everyone on this website gave more than 3 stars to Can You See Me. However, to me, it was boring, too pretentious with all the metaphorical talk, and none was engaging enough for me to keep reading it.

I lost my interest right after 10% mark. The alternating POVs didn't work to me as well and I'm tired of an antagonist with evil thoughts explained extendedly (insert muahahahahaha evil laugh here). The pace was slow, so slow that at 40ish% I thought I was at least reading 70ish%, but alas, I still had a long way to go, a lot of things to uncover.

Oh, God, what a bad way to start my year.

Was this review helpful?

This was a very slow read and not what I expected. I didn't understand the whole science of moths between the chapters. Very disappointed

Was this review helpful?

Can You See Me? by Lynne Barrett-Lee is a psychological thriller that has a bit of a twist on it’s style. The story is mainly told from the point of view of the main character, Julia, however there are also little chapters told from the point of view of the antagonist in the unique way of comparing themselves to different species of moths.

Julia is now a single mother after the sudden passing of her husband six months before and is not only recovering from the sudden loss herself but concerned for her teenage daughter. When visiting their beach house Julia sees a young man watching in the distance but before she knows it he falls and Julia has to help administer first aid waiting for an ambulance. After the boy is rushed to the hospital Julia begins looking into who he is and why he would have been near her home when a watch that belonged to her husband is found in his things.

First, the author did a great job making this one unique in the style with the moth chapters giving a new take on the “mysterious voice” in the story. The book was one that kept me engaged throughout and was also full of twists and turns to keep a reader guessing. And while I thought I knew of a few twists it actually kept me on my toes for the biggest part of the outcome to the story which is nice for the amount I read.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Was this review helpful?

This book was an OK read but sadly didn't live up to the description. I did skip a lot of the bits about the science of moths. Just OK !!

Was this review helpful?

I recieved a copy from netgalley!
I loved this book, great story!
was the first book I read by this author!
hope to get to read more!

Was this review helpful?

Even though I enjoyed this book it was rather slow at times and I didn't find it as easy to stay with as other books in this genre. I got through it and liked the story. However I found a lot of it to be predictable. I thought the chapters about the moths were interesting and added a bit of mystery. All in all it was a good read.

Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

*thanks to amazon publishing + netgalley for the arc!*

okay so... familiar saga of postmortem lies and major revelations. it took me a while to get into this one, and i enjoyed it but it's not one that i feel like i'll be talking about months from now.

Was this review helpful?

David never thought that his helping out two friends would cause so much grief for his wife and daughter. But it does. When he was a young doctor two women friends that were a couple wanted a child. He donated sperm for the cause. Through this a daughter and son came to be.
When he married and had a daughter, he never thought of disclosing the information. He has now died of a stroke. The peril his wife and daughter will now endure could cost them their lives. Because, one of his other children is deranged and seeking recompense for a life they believe they were cheated of
This book weaves drama, psychology and the science of moths. All women together to make an excellent read!!

Was this review helpful?

Can You See Me is a fast paced, intelligently plotted story that kept me guessing until the end. There were plenty of twists and turns and I though the character of Julia was interesting and well developed. Recommended!

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer Paperback for allowing me an ARC of this book in exchange for my unbiased review. Can You See Me is an intriguing thriller (3.5/5 stars)! The book starts off with a bang and you must weave your way through the tales and deceptions to find the truth.

Julia and her daughter Tash are presented with a problem. A young man was caught by Julie peeking into their cottage. Through an accident, he is unable to tell them who he is and why he was there. The two must do some detective work to uncover the truths and their lives are different than they may seem. Who is the boy that was by the cottage? Why did he run? Are we in danger? This is a very intricately woven thriller where even the answers bring only more questions. This book is filled with twists and turns, and I can honestly say I was unable to predict the ending.

The one issue I had with the book was with the "Moth" chapters. I understand why they were included, but I wish they were included a little bit later in the book. It ruined some of the surprise for me in the beginning. Some parts of the book were a little more predictable than others, but overall there was a good amount of mystery.

This novel builds as it goes, and while the first few chapters have suspense, Lynne Lee really propelled it forward at the end! I finished the last third of the book in 1 sitting. I just had to know how it ended!

Was this review helpful?

First off I would like to thank @netgalley and the Author for generously providing me an ARC copy In Exchange for an honest review.

I throughly enjoyed this book, it was a psychological thriller and I thought it had great pacing. The characters are likeable and it was very well written.

I thought I had the book all summed up but was quickly proven wrong so that was good.

The story is told mainly from the POV of Julia but every over chapter very cleverly gives you some insight into the mysterious villains mind and also provided some very interesting facts about Moths.

All in all this was a great and quick read that kept me on my toes.

Was this review helpful?

A good read, but it took me a long time to get into. Most of the action took place in the latter part of the book. The moth references seemed too detailed initially, although made more sense as it went along. Everything tied up neatly in the end, except for why her husband had never told her (can’t say more than that for fear of giving anything away!).

Was this review helpful?

This one definitely started out a bit slow but then pulled me in after about fifty or so pages. From that point on, it was suspenseful all the way through, with a protagonist you want to root for. I would read more books from this author.

Was this review helpful?

This was a great read! It started out slow for me but started to pick up towards the middle. I loved the main character, I was totally able to identify with her and her decisions!

Was this review helpful?

Can You See Me by Lynne Lee was a brilliant read and I was hooked from the very first few pages. This book is a psychological thriller that has lots of twists and turns throughout which I love in a book. I loved the way Lynne threw in a few red herrings within the book Very Clever! Didn't see them coming!!!

Can You See Me is beautifully written and is very addictive that will have you glued to your kindle or book.

I highly recommend this book. Its Just Brilliant!

Big Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.

Was this review helpful?

I loved this book!! Great story!! 1st book I have read by this author!! Received this book from Amazon uk from netgally!!

Was this review helpful?

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview this ARC of Can You See Me by Lynne Lee.

Right when Julia and David were on the cusp of ending their long term marriage, David has a stroke and dies. This is devastating to their daughter Tash and confusing for Julia to process. But life is going to go from sad to strange when Julia finds a young man on her property who ends up in the hospital after a nasty fall that injures him severely. Who is he, why was he in their home, and are they in danger.

Written in two different voices, secrets are slowly uncovered about these seemingly simple family. It seems that there are strangers that are very familiar with them, and do not wish them well.

I enjoyed the atmosphere and foreboding of the story, as well as the subtlety. The characters were written well and the story was compelling. My biggest complaint is probably the speed, it moved just a bit too slow, it was easy to fade out and then pick right back up without missing much. The ending didn't quite stick like I was hoping either, but it was still worth the ride.

Was this review helpful?

Twists and turns aplenty in this entertaining a quite dark read. Enjoyed to plot and have to admit did not see the ending coming, no spoilers here. Well worth a read, I recommend it!

Was this review helpful?

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It took me a little while to get into this book. I didn't love it at the beginning. It did start to catch my attention towards the middle. The twists were good, and I did enjoy them a lot. Some of the events are REALLY creepy! The moth chapters were really weird.. They gave me the heebyjeebys.

I really wish we had gotten to know Julia (the main character) a little bit more. I think that is why I had such an issue getting into this book. I like to relate to the main characters and I just didn't feel connected with her at all.

Overall, this was a good and creepy thriller. Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this review copy.

Was this review helpful?

This was a fascinating thriller that kept me up past my bedtime. Excellent character development along with a twisty story. Highly recommended.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for this advanced reader copy. I had a difficult time coming up with my rating for this review. Can You See Me did have some great thriller moments and finally when I was about 60% through I felt the urge to keep reading, but I really struggled to connect with this one.

Can You See Me is about a women named Julia who notices a stranger hanging around her cottage. As she goes to confront him he takes off, ending up in a near fatal accident. This mysterious boy has many secrets and when Julia notices that he has her late husbands watch, she knows that things are just beginning and that her husband is some how connected to this boy.

I gave this one 3/5 stars since I had such a tough time getting into this novel. There were some good twists like you’d expect from any thriller, but I did find the ending pretty predictable once some information was revealed. Maybe I’ve just been reading too many thrillers lately 🤷🏻‍♀️ If you’re someone who doesn’t read a ton of thrillers and can hang on through some slower chapters this may be a good read for you!

Was this review helpful?

Julia Young is a doctor and is staying for a few days at her beach home in Wales. Her professor husband, David, died from a stroke about six months ago. Shortly before his death, they had been planning to get a divorce. However, their daughter, Tash, is now a freshman at university and they didn’t want to upset her so they had been holding off telling her.

Coming up from the beach, Julia sees a young boy hanging around her cottage. When he spots her, he starts running and she chases him. She wants to know what he is doing on her property. At the top of a cliff, he falls and tears his femoral artery. Julia stops the bleeding and is soon rescued by a helicopter to take the boy to the hospital. The boy is in critical condition for severals days as they try to locate his family.

The police finally find that the young boy is Kane whose single mother has multiple sclerosis and will have difficulty caring for him. But Julia remains concerned for Kane and can’t stop wondering why he was hanging around her house.

When some creepy events occur, Julia is unsure if someone is playing games with her or truly trying to frighten her.

The book has separate chapters written by an unknown person or thing about moths. This totally gave me the creeps because I cannot stand moths! They freak me out! Of course, I’m sure it was written to that way to frighten the reader. Well done at that, author.

As creepy as it was for me, the moth chapters seemed to be the most compelling and informative parts of the book which is why it earned 4 stars. Julia didn’t necessarily appeal to me and I found a lot of the book to be not that great. Crazy people do crazy things.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Was this review helpful?

This book was just OK for me. It centers around Julie, a doctor and recent widow who sees someone suspiciously hanging around her cottage, chases him, and ends up saving his life when he falls off a cliff during the pursuit. She wants to make sure he is OK, but other events occur to make her realize that there is more to the story than she initially thought. Julia's daughter Tash is a secondary character in the story, and I liked the interactions between them,

I couldn't really get into this book for a couple reasons. One was that I never felt like I really got to know Julia- for example, she alludes to issues in her marriage before her husband dies but doesn't go deep enough into them for me to get a feel about where she is coming from. Secondly, there are chapters written from the perspective of the unknown villain throughout the book that focused on different types of moths- while an original concept, I could not get into those chapters, having no real interest in moths and also not really knowing what the person was talking about in some of the verbiage within those chapters. I felt like this diluted the overall story a bit, and slowed it down. And thirdly, while I didn't see the twist coming in terms of who the villain was, I feel like it's because it was implausible that this person would be the villain, and I was left not really understanding why this person had focused their hatred on Julia to begin with, as well as why there were no hints given throughout the book to make this make sense.

Overall, this is an original story and there is some mystery involved, but it wasn't my favorite read. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Can You See Me opens like a familiar scent of cookies wafting through empty halls of your childhood home. A bittersweet memory of something lost, and the acknowledgement of moving on. Julia has recently lost her husband and she and her daughter Tash are moving on, tragically interrupted by a sudden turn of events when a strange young man need saving.

It is a brilliant book which managed to throw a good few red herrings at me - not at all an easy task. Lynne Lee opens a whole new world of introspective into a mind of a person broken by the world around them and a series of awful mishaps in the system, fluttering by the reader like the soft wings of a moth. It's always there and comes together in a lovely conclusion.

Was this review helpful?

This was a pretty good twisty thriller that I liked. It was am enjoyable read and I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in a good thriller you can be surprised by.

Was this review helpful?

This is the story of a strong, well rounded and intelligent doctor grieving for her dead husband while maintaining a loving and optimistic relationship with her daughter. Julia, in Wales in her solitude, saves a young mans life who fell while running from watching her home. The story is told from two points of view, Julia and that of a moth. Yes, a moth. The moth, gives us some indication and misdirection on their real identity. The good doctor and her daughter are in danger. Suspicious after finding a connection between the young man and her husband, she knows she needs to unravel the knots in the past. I really didn’t guess the outcome so the ending was powerful and suspenseful.

Was this review helpful?

Three stars for the book that kept me going, I really wanted to finish it. However, at the end of each chapter from Julia's point of view there was a chapter about moths. These two storylines were confusing, and the addition of every second chapter rather annoying.

Add to that the twist at the end of the book revealing the storyteller that is obsessed with these creatures... this storyteller being referred to as being mentally unstable, I'm not very happy with this. I think of the mentally ill as instigators behind plots of whodunnits, thrillers, mysteries as being passé.


Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.

Was this review helpful?

What a terrific read! I was hooked from the beginning. Julia, the main character, is a physician who lost her husband. She comes upon a boy who is near her home, injured and saves him. What happens after is a lot of lies, love and betrayal. And I couldn't be happier! Throw in a few twists and call it a day! Loved it!

Was this review helpful?

This story was slow in the middle and hard to get sucked into. Once the twist was revealed, it was easier to grow fond of the boy! Overall it was good but not a book I would recommend,

Was this review helpful?

A gripping psychological thriller that had me guessing and second guessing for most of the book.
I had no preconceptions or expectations from this book but absolutely loved it. I’m now on the look out for more from this author.

Was this review helpful?

The twists kept coming for this book! I enjoyed the way it kept me guessing... but it quickly became a bit of a joke and I found myself totally disbelieving anything that was happening. It was fun and twisty but not a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination.

Was this review helpful?

Julia's husband is dead. It was unexpected, leaving her reeling and her daughter, Tash, broken. She had always been a daddy's girl. What the daughter doesn't know is that Julia and her husband had planned on divorcing before his untimely death.

Beginning to see the light, the two spend some time at their beach cottage. That's when things begin to happen.

Julia spots a young boy peeking into their cottage. When she approaches him, he takes off running, and falls leaving him with serious injuries. Being a doctor, she saves his life. But what she discovers leads to a lot of questions.

Why was he watching them? Why does he have her husband's watch in his bag? Julia wants to believe it must have been a simple theft .... but an ominous arrival in the post confirms her suspicion that there is more to it than meets the eye.

The storyline is mysterious, a little scary, with deftly drawn characters. There are chapters told by an unknown person, leaving one to wonder what was really happening.

Many thanks to the author / Amazon Publishing UK / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Was this review helpful?

Would you know if someone was watching you?
When she saves the life of a boy who’s been hanging around her beach cottage, the questions start. All she has to go on is the butterfly tattoo on his wrist, but who is he? What was he doing there? And why was her late husband’s watch in his bag?
Julia races to discover the boy’s identity. But what she doesn’t realise is that the truth is right in front of her. Will she see it before it’s too late?
I find it little bit creepy and strange but very interesting and exciting. The writing was very good.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book

Was this review helpful?

This is about a woman that lost her husband and her only concern now is about protecting her child. When she thought she didn't have to worry about anything other than her child things started happening. One day she met this boy hanging around her cottage and she chased after him and he ended up in an accident falling over the cliff and she saved his life and she realized that the boy had her husband's watch which led her to discovering things about her husband. Realising that she she was being watched and the answers was basically right in front of her eyes.

I gave this book 3 stars because to me it was a good story but there was a lack of connection to the characters. The characters was just not reachable enough to form a humanly connection and the reveal coming down to the end was not really surprising. It all made sense it was kind of creepy the way the mysterious person was into Mott's and the way the main character which is a mother knew the different types of moths also.
It was really hard to get through with this book I pushed through in other to give this review instead of dnf'n it but in all it was a good story but not a story for me.

Was this review helpful?

Thanks to Lynne Lee and Amazon Publishing UK for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Would you know if someone was watching you?

In the dark days since the sudden death of her surgeon husband, Julia’s main worry has always been Tash. Her student daughter was broken—she worshipped her father. But six months on, Julia thinks the light is returning. She is about to find out that she’s wrong.

When she saves the life of a boy who’s been hanging around her beach cottage, the questions start. All she has to go on is the butterfly tattoo on his wrist, but who is he? What was he doing there? And why was her late husband’s watch in his bag? Julia wants to believe it’s a casual theft, but an ominous arrival in the post confirms her suspicion that there is more to it than meets the eye.

As Tash remembers a string of strange incidents she had previously brushed off, Julia realises they are both being watched. Someone’s been toying with them, trying to frighten them, but why?

Determined to protect her daughter, Julia races to discover the boy’s identity. But what she doesn’t realise is that the truth is right in front of her. Will she see it before it’s too late?

This one was very enjoyable and I couldn't put it down!

Was this review helpful?

Overall this book was good but the writing style was different to books I ever read but I will recommend this book

Was this review helpful?

Although I enjoyed this book as far as the suspense level and the way that it left you hanging I dont think there was any resolution as to what her issues were. It left way too much hanging.
I did like her style of storytelling though.

Was this review helpful?

Lots of mystery and twists and turns. I did find it highly unbelievable as the story unfolded... This isn't necessarily a bad thing but I do like to be engrossed in a thriller and this one just didn't do that for me. I'd be happy to give the author another chance to grip me though!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

Was this review helpful?

Loved this. I will be reading more of her books (written under the name Lynne Barrett-Lee). I liked every character in this book. And I did not see the red herring. Very clever. 5/5.

Was this review helpful?

Really enjoyed reading this book. Enjoyed the way the relationships of the characters was highlighted by the end passages about the moths. Who knew there were so many different moths. I didn't see the end coming and ended up staying up very late so that I could finish it. Excellent.

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed this book, the first from this author that I had read. The way the story unfolded was good, characters were relatable, the storyline kept me questing until the end.

Many thanks to netgalley and Lynne Lee for the advanced copy of this book. I agreed to give my unbiased opinion voluntarily.

Was this review helpful?

I ended up not being able to finish this one due to the strangeness of the novel. It has nothing to do with the story and I will gladly recommend this book to readers who enjoy nontraditional plots. For me, the plot was a little to fantastical and unbelievable to wrap my mind around. I plan to try to finish this one again in the future and see if the ending explains some things. Thank you for opportunity to read this one!

Was this review helpful?

I did not like this book that much. The story felt a bit unbelievable to me and the characters were way too blah.

Was this review helpful?

The storyline in this book is mysterious and scary.
The characters were well developed.
I liked this book

Was this review helpful?

I love the cover of this novel and the inside. "Can You See Me" is an suspenseful novel by Lynne Lee. A page turner for sure.

Was this review helpful?

An interesting read and a twist wasn't expecting. Good characters, well written, interesting storyline. I would like to read more of Lynne's books. Recommended.

Was this review helpful?

So gripping! A little weird at times with the moth references but that builds nicely. Kept me guessing all the way through and some good twists.

Was this review helpful?

Julia is a single mom raising her daughter after the unexpected death of her husband. One day, Julia notices a boy nosing around her beach cottage and suddenly after a twisted turn of events, she has his life in her hands.
'
Suddenly strange things begin happening around Julia and her daughter and the race is on to discover the boy's identity and figure out how it's all connected.

This was a semi fast paced read that kept my attention as I was trying to determine how everything was connected and why Julia and her daughter were being targeted. I was able to guess the ending a bit earlier than I had hoped, but yet was still entertained throughout.

Was this review helpful?

Fabulous plot which I could not put down. Brilliant characters, and twists and turns. Highly recommend to other fans of this genre!!

Was this review helpful?

A great, thrilling read, which will keep you entertained throughout. A good one sitting read, get the nibbles ready, close the door, and read!

Was this review helpful?

Readers who liked this book also liked: