This book crept under my skin, messed with my head, and stole my sleep.
Twelve-year-old Lydia vanishes without a trace, leaving her sister Annabel and their mother Wendy shattered. Soon after, Annabel’s father walks out, and the family fractures completely. Six years later, Lydia suddenly comes home, alive, older, and with significant gaps in her memory. Wendy is overjoyed. Annabel is not. Even the family dog doesn’t recognize her. As Annabel grows increasingly convinced that this girl is not her sister, the story spirals into a tense psychological game where nothing, and no one, feels entirely reliable.
This is a slow-burn psychological thriller that rewards patience. The suspense builds gradually, tightening chapter by chapter, until it becomes genuinely head-spinning. I loved how Rosie Walker keeps the reader constantly off-balance; I went back and forth repeatedly on who was unraveling faster: Annabel, Wendy, Lydia… or possibly all three. That uncertainty is the hook, and it’s executed beautifully. I lost sleep with this one and found myself irritated when real life (rude) interfered with my reading time.
Content-wise, readers should be aware of themes involving child disappearance, family trauma, abandonment, and psychological manipulation. None are handled gratuitously, but they are central to the story. My only minor critique is that the pacing may feel a touch slow for readers who prefer nonstop action, but for me, the creeping dread was exactly what made it so effective. I think fans of Gillian Flynn and Freida McFadden will feel right at home here. This was a compulsive, unsettling, and very satisfying read, and an easy five stars.
A special thank you to Bookouture for providing this book for review consideration via NetGallery. All opinions are my own.
