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Jane Casey
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Book
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Publisher | Ebury | ||
ISBN | 978-009193599 | ||
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Reviewer
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Deborah
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Synopsis
Jenny Shepherd is twelve years old and missing...Her teacher, Sarah Finch, knows better than most that the chances of finding her alive are diminishing with every day she is gone. As a little girl her older brother had gone out to play one day and never returned. The strain of never knowing what has happened to Charlie had ripped Sarah's family apart. Now in her early twenties, she is back living at home, trapped with a mother who drinks too much and keeps her brother's bedroom as a shrine to his memory. Then, horrifically, it is Sarah who finds Jenny's body, beaten and abandoned in the woods near her home. As she's drawn into the police investigation and the heart of a media storm, Sarah's presence arouses suspicion too. But it not just the police who are watching her...
Review
As the cover says, this is a story about a boy and girl who go missing 16 years apart. The common link is Sarah Finch and we first meet Sarah as a child when her brother disappears. Looking at the story through her childish eyes, and with the use of flashbacks throughout this book we begin to understand the devastation and destruction that such a tragedy can cause to an ordinary family - particularly to Sarah's mother who is a horrible character, but very well written so that you feel great sympathy for her.
We meet school teacher Sarah again 16 years later when one of her pupils, Jenny Shepherd, disappears - Sarah becomes embroiled in this disappearance as she is the one to find Jenny's body when she is out jogging, and she begins to assist the Police in their investigation. Sarah's affair with one of the Police Officers complicates matters; as does the obsessive love held for her by one of the other characters. Sarah isn't the most likeable of people and the build up of suspense through this story is very clever with the ‘did she, didn't she' thread continually playing throughout the book.... but you never know what goes on behind closed doors......!
The story concludes brilliantly, with Sarah helping to solve both disappearances. I loved this book - once I started reading, I just couldn't put it down (which was a bit of a pain as I was in France skiing for the week!) A great first novel, thank goodness Jane is writing her next one. I can't wait!
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