Book Description
THE NEW TWISTY, GRIPPING READ FROM B. A. PARIS, THE AUTHOR OF THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLING NOVELS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS AND THE BREAKDOWN
“We’re in a new Golden Age of suspense writing now, because of amazing books like Bring Me Back, and I for one am loving it.” —Lee Child
“[An] outstanding Hitchcockian thriller.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
She went missing. He moved on. A whole world of secrets remained—until now.
Finn and Layla are young, in love, and on vacation. They’re driving along the highway when Finn decides to stop at a service station to use the restroom. He hops out of the car, locks the doors behind him, and goes inside. When he returns Layla is gone—never to be seen again. That is the story Finn told to the police. But it is not the whole story.
Ten years later Finn is engaged to Layla’s sister, Ellen. Their shared grief over what happened to Layla drew them close and now they intend to remain together. Still, there’s something about Ellen that Finn has never fully understood. His heart wants to believe that she is the one for him…even though a sixth sense tells him not to trust her.
Then, not long before he and Ellen are to be married, Finn gets a phone call. Someone from his past has seen Layla—hiding in plain sight. There are other odd occurrences: Long-lost items from Layla’s past that keep turning up around Finn and Ellen’s house. Emails from strangers who seem to know too much. Secret messages, clues, warnings. If Layla is alive—and on Finn’s trail—what does she want? And how much does she know?
A tour de force of psychological suspense, Bring Me Back will have you questioning everything and everyone until its stunning climax.
Finn and Layla were in a relationship in 2006. Everything was going well (or was it?) and one night while on holiday, they stop at a rest area, and she disappears. After months of not being able to find her or resolve whatever happened, she is presumed dead.
Finn moves on, finds comfort in Layla’s sister, and the two become engaged. They move in together and things start to settle down. But suddenly, little things begin to start happening that may suggest that Layla is still alive. Little Russian dolls begin to show up in places that only Finn would have noticed, and they have particular significance to Layla. Ellen, his fiance, believes she sees Layla in town. Finn begins to question if Layla did die, or is it possible that she could still be alive? And if she is, what does that mean for him now? And then the emails start coming…
The story jumps between 2006 and present day, which provides some great background when events start to happen that don’t really make sense yet. And the characters themselves are very well explained and complex, yet likable.
I found this story to be a little slow, and not as ambitious as the last book I read from B. A. Paris, which was “Behind Closed Doors”, but it was still very interesting. Indeed, a different concept, but I felt the ending wasn’t as believable as I had hoped.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own and I appreciate the opportunity to receive an advanced reader copy to do so. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Freshly Printed 