THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERIn her enthralling debut, Gilly Macmillan explores a mother’s search for her missing son, weaving a taut psychological thriller as gripping and skillful as The Girl on the Train and The Guilty One.In a heartbeat, everything changes… son, Ben, when he asks if he can run ahead. It’s an ordinary request on an ordinary Sunday afternoon, and Rachel has no reason to worry—until Ben vanishes.
Police are called, search parties go out, and Rachel, already insecure after her recent divorce, feels herself coming undone. As hours and then days pass without a sign of Ben, everyone who knew him is called into question, from Rachel’s newly married ex-husband to her mother-of-the-year sister. Inevitably, media attention focuses on Rachel too, and the public’s attitude toward her begins to shift from sympathy to suspicion.
As she desperately pieces together the threadbare clues, Rachel realizes that nothing is quite as she imagined it to be, not even her own judgment. And the greatest dangers may lie not in the anonymous strangers of every parent’s nightmares, but behind the familiar smiles of those she trusts the most.
Where is Ben? The clock is ticking…
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This was my first book to read by this author. The story held my interest and I was surprised to find out “who-dunnit”! I was drawn in by the mother’s character and the lead detective was interesting as well. I will read more by this author!
A woman is out for a Sunday walk with her 8 year old son when he disappears; social media begins to crucify her for being a “bad mother” without any understanding or factual information; The story seems to be about the havoc that the ‘net can raise with social media & blogs that do not rely on factual information.
This is definitely Every parents nightmare. As Gilly MacMillan’s debut it’s Very well written and hard to put down! Count me in as a Fan…
Great book….didnt want to put it down. Liked how it was told from each of the main characters’ perspectives. Well written, easy to read and fast-paced. Really enjoyed it!
Very well done !
I didn’t see the ending coming
This was a fast read, but it kept my attention.
Well-written novel with twists and turns that kept me turning pages late into the night. Love finding new writers that can do that.
When Ben goes missing during a walk in a park, the mother is the recipient of much support and commiseration. But all too soon she is viciously attacked in the blogosphere and becomes guilty of not being a “good” mother, perhaps even killing her son. This nuanced presentation fills the reader with anxiety and empathy for the mother and the resolution is satisfying, both logically and emotionally. Good writing and a very good read.
It was a pretty good book
Great mystery book. Loved the plot and the characters. Loved that alternating chapters were from each side of the story.
I was surprised by the ending and am so glad I read it.
A gripping story, enjoyable to read, just suspenseful enough without being too gory or horrific.
The truth sometimes gets lost in the world of social media. What starts out as someone’s opinion, can quickly become twisted and perceived as the facts.
I thought this book dragged a while but half way through it started moving along more, maybe I’m just used to crime dramas on tv and obviously they move fast they only have an hour to tell a story. I did like the way the story was told from two narrators. Overall good read.
The book was okay. I found the insertion of the psychologist’s feed back distracting. I’m not sure I would read another by this author but the price was right so I bought it. I wouldn’t call it a page turner.
Incredibily heart-breaking. It is such an emotional journey for everyone involved in this story. But there were so many twists and turns, that you couldn’t put What She Knew down until the end.
I enjoyed the way the story was told through the thoughts and feelings of a few significant characters, however sometimes the emotions were elaborated using so many metaphors that it became more about the cliche than the person. The story was enjoyable, but predictable.
The suspense was real in this page-turner, the author keeps you interested in all the right characters and doesn’t give away too much of anything too quickly.
While the middle of the book does drag a bit, it was eye opening to think of how social media can further hurt people when they are already experiencing the worst moments of life. Definitely made me more aware of that aspect in the real world, so I think it’s worth a read for that alone! Also, enough twists that it is hard to figure out the culprit, something I always appreciate.