“A twisty, hair-raising tale.”– Newsweek “A fast-paced psychological drama.” – GMA.com “Compulsively readable.” – PopSugar “Reinforces Walker’s place at the top of the genre.” – Publishers Weekly (starred review) “Addictive.” – A.J. Finn, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window “Gripping.” – Adrian McGinty, New York Times bestselling author of The Chain They said she walked … bestselling author of The Woman in the Window
“Gripping.” – Adrian McGinty, New York Times bestselling author of The Chain
They said she walked away. But what really happened to Molly Clarke?
From the bestselling author of All Is Not Forgotten comes a compelling and emotionally powerful story of a daughter’s desperate search to find her mother before it’s too late.
They called it a “walk away.” The car abandoned miles from home. The note found at a nearby hotel. The shattered family. It happens all the time. Women disappear, desperate to start over. But what really happened to Molly Clarke?
The night Molly disappeared began with a storm, running out of gas, and a man offering her a ride to safety. But when the doors lock shut, Molly begins to suspect she has made a terrible mistake.
A new lead brings Molly’s daughter, Nicole, back to the small, desolate town where her mother was last seen to renew the desperate search. The locals are sympathetic and eager to help. The innkeeper. The bartender. Even the police. Until secrets begin to reveal themselves and Nicole comes closer to the truth about that night—and the danger surrounding her.
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Molly Clarke is married to John and mother to Evan, a student at a boarding school and terrific football player, and Nicole, 21. Her family was shattered 5 years ago when her daughter Annie, 9, was killed. She had run into the road in from of Molly’s car and she killed her. Grief has destroyed this family. Molly quit her job as a science teacher, Nicole quit school in her senior year and now just stays out all night drinking and hooking up with losers. John can’t be bothered to give her the time of day and ignores her. She knows he is having an affair. Molly faithfully drives to Evan’s football games – 4 hours each way – to watch him play ball. But he just ignores her presence.
Driving home from a game, Molly knows there is a hurricane coming and it was foolish of her to go to the game. She is running low on gas and plans to stop at the station up ahead, but her car runs out just before she gets there. She runs up to the station only to find it boarded up due to the storm. What does she do now? With her family’s disgust with her, why not just keep going?
Molly has now been missing for nearly two weeks. John has a large reward out for her return. Nothing has come from it as yet.
This story is so compelling. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. It’s scary to think that things like this actually happen and probably more often than we think. I still have creepy shivers going down my spine. Well done, Wendy Walker.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Molly Clarke should have heeded the hurricane warnings and not driven to see her son at his boarding school. She was adamant about taking the trip on the anniversary of her younger daughter’s death. With stores closing early that evening, her car runs out of gas on the side of the road. Molly didn’t make it to her destination and nobody can find her.
A note is found in a hotel room telling Molly’s family not to look for her. While the police investigation stalls, her oldest daughter, Nicole, does not believe her mother would walk away from the family. When a tip finally arrives, Nicole decides to investigate her mother’s disappearance and won’t stop until she finds her.
Don’t Look For Me is one of the scariest books that I have read. This story is a suspenseful novel with sinister characters that will make you cringe. This page-turner by Wendy Walker is also an addictive read. I cannot wait to see what this author writes next!
Chilling, menacing, and incredibly riveting!
Don’t Look for Me is a character-driven, thrill ride that takes you to Hastings, Connecticut and into the lives of Molly Clarke, a mother consumed with grief who ran out of gas two weeks ago and has yet to be been seen from again, and her twenty-one-year-old daughter Nicole, who after receiving what seems to be a viable tip decides to investigate and search for her missing mother herself.
The writing is complex and taut. The characterization is spot on with a cast of characters that are raw, distressed, and consumed. And the plot told from dual perspectives and using a back-and-forth style ratchets up the tension and suspense as it quickly unravels into an eerie tale of familial drama, obsession, kidnapping, desperation, guilt, tragedy, violence, murder, and the messy, complex bonds that exist between family members.
Overall, Don’t Look for Me is a without a doubt a masterfully plotted, clever, twisty page-turner that keeps you on the edge of your seat from the very first page and ultimately leaves you surprised, shocked, and thoroughly entertained.
This twisted, scary, gripping book fits into multiple genres. It is a thriller, psychological suspense and mystery all rolled into the pages of a book that grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. The story is a complicated one about a family that has suffered a tragedy and lost themselves in the midst of it. Molly Clarke’s daughter Annie was killed in a terrible accident, and Molly and Nicole both blame themselves. Molly’s husband becomes distant, her son ignores her and Nicole withdraws. One night, Molly leaves her son’s football game and goes for a drive. Like in all of the Snoopy novels, “it was a dark and stormy night.” It is unimaginable what happens to Molly! She runs out of gas and gets a ride with a truck driver and his daughter Alice. Then, she just disappears. There is a note left in a hotel that she booked and the note tells her family, “Don’t look for me.” Nicole is not satisfied with that and is determined to find her mom, thus endangering her own life since Molly was actually kidnapped by a seriously deranged man. The emotions that I felt as I read this creepy book were terror, hatred, hope, and awe. I think that these were the same emotions that the narrators, Molly and Nicole, were feeling as they traversed the journey to find each other again. Action packed and filled with family drama, this was a really original look at what happens when you decide to walk away from your old life and try to start a new one. The surprising twists kept me absorbed in the stories of Nicole and Molly as I gasped at each new turn in this strange roller coaster ride. Fans of psychological suspense, mystery and thrillers will really enjoy this book but will need to set aside time to read it in one setting because it will be hard to put down!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Wow, what a fabulously creepy, scary twisted book. I mean that in the best way. Molly was moving through life until that fateful moment when her world and that of her family was inexorably changed. Of course she unnecessarily blamed herself and was mired in guilt, but her family was worse and not for one teeny tiny second let her have any peace. They were truly awful, mean and mercilessly unforgiving. Her husband, emotionally absent, her daughter using every moment to tell her how much she hates her and her son won’t even acknowledge her existence when she treks to see his football games. She thinks about just disappearing. And then it happens only not by her choice. The police call her a walk-away and stop looking. And so begins the twisted, smart, well crafted psychological thriller. It is told from alternating POVs of Molly and her daughter Nicole (Nic), who cannot believe that her mother just left them all even though she gave her no reason to stay and did all she could to push her away, but knows deep in her heart that her mother would never leave them so she begins looking. And looking and looking. Seriously creepy and yet I couldn’t put it down. Do yourself a favor, turn on all the lights pull up a chair and start reading. So very worthy of your time. Now I am off to get more of her books!!
You know those books that are so thrilling, so suspenseful you can’t put them down, can’t wait to find out how it all ends, but at the same time your heart is racing so fast that you have to stop every once in a while and just breathe, step away for a minute? Well, author Wendy Walker could teach a class on that, because Don’t Look for Me is one of the most exciting books I’ve ever read. Stressful, nail biting suspense start to finish. But what a great story.
Don’t Look for Me is written from two vastly different points of view: Mom Molly, who caused the accident that killed her youngest daughter five years ago, and Daughter Nicole, who was babysitting little Annie that horrible, devastating day. She blames Molly and hates her, won’t forgive her. But when Molly disappears and a note saying “don’t look for me” is found Nicole isn’t quite so sure anymore. She might not want anything to do with her mother, but she wants to know what happened, that she really did decide to walk away, that she’s safe. A new clue surfaces, a clue that Nicole’s father John and the police seem to ignore. But Nicole can’t ignore it. She is determined to find out what’s true, find Molly if she is out there to be found, or learn the worst if that’s what really happened. She doesn’t know who to turn to, who to confide in, so she talks to some people and keeps secrets from others. But has she chosen the right people? And as if the suspense isn’t already almost unbearable, as the POVs change, so do the number of days, counting up or down, depending on the perspective. When will this end? How will it end?
There are so many aspects to this story: the heartbreak, the cruelty, the unrelenting sadness of losing a child, the accusations, the guilt, the inability to forgive. In her desperation, stranded in the storm, Molly did have a moment of wanting to just walk away. But then the man and the child showed up and offered her a ride. Perhaps if Molly was not already so numb she would have seen the evil and felt the fear right away. But she’s been numb for five years now, and evil isn’t straightforward, it twists and turns and has secret identities. It doesn’t behave in any normal way, no way that you can figure out and anticipate.
Neither is aware of what the other is doing, but both Molly and Nicole are working desperately to figure this out, to take action before it’s too late. As the days pass by and their stories switch back and forth parts start to merge, more and more similarities and discrepancies and clues are discovered. Near the end of the book I thought I had it figured out several times, but I didn’t want to be right, because that option was so unbelievably horrible. Then another horrible possibility would come to mind.
Thanks to author Wendy Walker and St. Martin’s Press for providing an advance copy of Don’t Look for Me via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This was one creepy story, but totally satisfying. I recommend it without hesitation.
5 stars
I have just spent every spare minute the past two days reading Don’t Look For Me by Wendy Walker. She is a new author for me. Molly Clarke’s family is dealing with a tragedy in their lives. On the return home from visiting her son at his school, she runs out of gas and the gas station close by is closed due to the hurricane. Molly disappears. Her family does not know what happened.
The story alternates between two narrators Molly and her daughter Nicole. Each are just trying to survive and have not recovered from the tragedy in their lives. The reader is introduced to several characters, and we slowly need to figure out what has happened to Molly. There is so much suspense that made me ask myself many times “What just happened?” I found myself talking to the characters. This is a quick read, and I thought the ending was perfect. Now to find the other Wendy Walker books to read. Thank you St. Martin’s and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What just happened? This was a great thriller. I don’t normally read alot of thrillers so I tend to think everyone is guilty so when one of the characters was ‘revealed’ I said out loud – WHAT??? The author hooks you right in from the first page and it’s a fast-paced can’t put down kind of book. I highly recommend it!
Wow this book is so full of twists and turns, this is one of my favorite genres and this one certainly didn’t disappoint. From the beginning until the end of the book, it kept me on my toes and turning pages to see what would happen next. Tragedy can destroy a family, or it can also bring a family back together. I really thought I knew whom the culprit was about half way into the book, yet it proved me wrong. This was a very well written book, and one that I definitely would recommend to those that enjoy psychological thrillers.
I received a ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press and was under no obligation to leave a favorable review, all opinions expressed here are my own.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This is a suspense with more twists and turns than a roller coaster! Somewhat verbose with appropriately flawed characters, this book will glue you to your seat from beginning until the end. Have you ever wanted to “walk away” from your life……………………….? Enjoy!
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review. Wow! This was a great book. There are so many things that are going on in this book. I loved the alternating narrators of Molly and Nicole. There was a general sense of hopelessness in the characters with small glimpses of hope….hope for change….hope for home….hope for family. It was a book that made me think. There were lots of characters all keeping secrets, which made it difficult to figure out who was behind it all and why. There was quite a twist to the ending too! The book was paced well and once started, I wanted to find out more keeping me reading.
I was definitely caught by surprise by who the villains were and I think you will be too. The story is eerie and filled with suspense. When Molly disappears, her daughter Nicole goes searching for her. It is a twisted plot told from several point of views that retraces the steps that brings the characters to this point in time. The author does an especially great job with Alice’s character which makes her seem almost surreal.
Wendy Walker’s Don’t Look for Me is a book that broke my heart, kept my pulse pounding, and literally made me gasp out loud; it doesn’t get much better than that!!!
Realistic, flawed characters, a tight plot, escalating suspense and a cheer them on story will keep readers engaged from the first page to the last. Kudos on another good read, Wendy!!! Keep them coming!!!
My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions stated here are indeed my own.
This was my first Wendy Walker book and I really didn’t know what to expect, but I am pleased to say this was an intriguing read and I was totally invested in this story.
Told in part from the point of view of Molly Walker, initially I wasn’t sure if she was going to be a reliable narrator, particularly with her state of mind right out of the gate, but she actually was a very strong woman, despite all that had happened to her in the last five years. I really liked the way Ms. Walker kept little tidbits of information back, only having Molly reveal them at key moments.
The other point of view we get in this story comes from Molly’s daughter, Nicole. She is tied to her mother in a very deep way but hates it for it, so it was fascinating to watch how she dealt with the tragedy the family faced all those years ago. She was a very flawed person, but underneath had strength and courage that she herself wasn’t even away of.
There were plenty of twists in this story, the reader being led in multiple directions which kept me guessing as to who had taken her and for what reason. The introduction to the secondary characters all kept the story muddled as to who was good or not, and Nic really had her work cut out for her in trying to find her mother.
I admit I was not expecting the way this story ended, and I was hoping for a little more “happy” than what is given, but that’s just my soft heart and everything played out the way it was meant to. If you’re looking for a good page-turning mystery, this book is perfect for you!
What a fantastic thriller! Great twists, lots of emotions, full of suspense, and a shocking ending. I could not put this down or wait to see how it was all going to play out. This story keeps you guessing and glued to the pages until the end.
Five years after the death of her daughter Annie, Molly and her family are still hurting from the loss. Molly feels like her son and daughter don’t forgive her for Annie, and she suspects her husband is cheating. So when she disappears, it’s almost the perfect situation. But Nicole isn’t ready to let her mother go just yet. Told in alternating viewpoints from Molly and Nicole, Don’t Look for Me tells the story of Molly’s disappearance, a family that needs healing, and a daughter’s determination to find her mother.
Everything from the way Molly disappears to the town setting has this creep factor. Something always feels off, but everyone is ignoring the warning signs. This one was really hard to put down, so I didn’t make as many notes as I usually do when I’m reading because I didn’t want to stop reading. It’s fast-paced, and it’s captivating, and you don’t know who to trust. Loved the twists and the elements of surprise; very well done! Thank you, St. Martin’s for sending this one along.
Excellent book! I normally don’t go for books that flip back and forth between time periods and POV, but this author made it effortless to read and contributed to the story to be told in that manner. Molly Clarke goes to visit her son’s college football game and doesn’t return home. Her family doesn’t even notice for awhile because this family is so broken. They suffered a devastating loss a few years before and even with some therapy this previously loving family was disintegrating as time wore on. I won’t say more because I do not want to ruin the slow and perfectly timed reveal of what happened then and what was happening now that Molly is missing. I would like to say something about one of the characters but it would spoil some of the story, so I’m refraining.
A spellboundingly fantastic book! This book kept me riveted to my seat until I finished it. Molly Clark is returning from watching her son’s sporting event at college when she runs out of gas near Hastings. It is during the middle of a tropical storm and she flags down a pickup truck and then disappears. After a search that yields nothing, per the local police, the search is called off. Troubled daughter Nicole returns to Hastings to try and tie up some loose ends. All sorts of strange things happen and lies are uncovered as she tries to find her mother.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this unputdownable book in exchange for an honest review.
Losing a child is never easy. For Molly – the pain of losing a child is magnified by the knowledge of how her daughter’s death occurred. The guilt from the loss is devastating, and Molly is certainly punishing herself for the tragedy. Not only does Molly feel at a loss, but her family is breaking apart. Molly’s husband is possibly having an affair, her daughter is not speaking to her, and her son acts as though Molly doesn’t even exist. Some days, Molly doesn’t even know how to go on.
With the weight of the world on her shoulders, Molly wanders off the beaten path during a storm. As she runs out of gas, Molly finds herself walking down the highway reflecting on her life. With rain pelting Molly at every step, there is relief when a passing vehicle stops to offer assistance. What Molly doesn’t realize is just how crucial that decision would become.
Don’t Look For Me is a thriller from author Wendy Walker. I have to admit, this is the first time I have read Walker’s writing. Rest assured, it will not be the last. This plot twisting thriller kept me invested in Molly and her circumstances. What I didn’t expect was to become invested in Nicole – Molly’s daughter – as she tries to navigate the murky waters surrounding her mother’s decisions that fateful night. With so many twists and turns, I couldn’t put this book down. I was fully engulfed in the mystery, controversy and ultimate end of Molly’s journey. How does it all end? Well ….that is the question! One thing is certain….you will find yourself joining the hunt all the way until the end.
Once again Wendy Walker delivered a psychological thriller that immediately grabbed me and kept me in suspense all the way through the final page.
During a dark and stormy night, Molly Clarke seems to have suddenly just walked away from her family, from her life. Her car is found along the side of a road, but Molly can’t be found. But two days later there is a charge on her credit card. And a note from Molly is found explaining her disappearance and telling them “Don’t look for me!”. But her daughter Nicole does not believe her mother would just walk away.
The story is masterfully told from two perspectives – Molly’s and Nic’s. I did figure out who the “bad guy” in the story was about halfway through. But there was still much more that I didn’t know until the end. However, there was one aspect of the story that seemed contrived which caused me to give a 4-stars rating versus 5-stars. It was still a well-written book with mostly well-developed characters – some really twisted.
The book is dramatic and suspenseful – a real page-turner.
I received an advance e-galley from St. Martin’s Press. Opinions expressed here are my own.