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Book Reviews of She's Not There

She's Not There
She's Not There
Author: Joy Fielding
ISBN-13: 9781101966877
ISBN-10: 1101966874
Publication Date: 2/23/2016
Pages: 272
Rating:
  • Currently 3.6/5 Stars.
 11

3.6 stars, based on 11 ratings
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Book Type: Hardcover
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

3 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

donkeycheese avatar reviewed She's Not There on + 1255 more book reviews
She's Not There is a light psychological thriller about a toddler who is kidnapped while vacationing in Mexico. The book flips back and forth from the present to the past over a span of fifteen years. It's not heavy into the past, but just certain glimpses of moments that impacted Caroline Shipley's life.

Her daughter Samantha is taken one night while she and her husband on in Mexico celebrating their anniversary. Her other daughter, Michelle, is fine but the story also shows how the loss of her sister and the media attention affected her life, not to mention that her parent's marriage and they themselves are forever changed.

When Caroline gets a phone call from a young teen who thinks she may be her long long daughter, Caroline jumps a plane to get to her, even though she knows that the odds are nil. There have been many con artists over the years taking advantage of her and her family's vulnerable state.

I really enjoyed She's Not There. I read it in two days - it's just so hard to put down. I was really invested in the Shipley's story and although usually I can figure out who did it, I didn't in this case until Fielding wrote it out for me. I enjoyed how the family dynamics were portrayed from several aspects, things I just don't think of in cases like this. Although this is my first Fielding novel, I am anxious to read more of her work. Great suspense!
junie avatar reviewed She's Not There on + 630 more book reviews
I enjoyed this book, read it in two sittings. It's a light psychological suspense story about Hunter and Caroline leaving their two young children in a hotel room they were celebrating their anniversary, taking turns checking on them every half hour.

Well, darling husband was busy having an affair with one of their friends and didn't check when it was his turn and the two year old was kidnapped.

The story unfolds as a marriage breaks up, the now teen age daughter is mean and does everything to go against her mother's wishes and Caroline still mourns her lost now 15 year old daughter.

One day someone calls and claims she may be her daughter and they finally meet against her family's wishes.

Who Done It" caught me by surprise, I didn't see it coming. Good twist to the story.

I loved the ending, I had a smile on my face and tears in my eyes.

Good book.
reviewed She's Not There on + 1528 more book reviews
I was really looking forward to Joy Fielding's She's Not There. I love suspense novels, but this novel had no suspense nor a real mystery. Caroline Shipley and her husband, Hunter went on a vacation to Rosarito, Mexico fifteen years previously for their anniversary. Caroline would not leave the kids with her mother or brother, so they brought five-year-old, Michelle, and two-year-old, Samantha with them. On the last night the babysitter failed to show up. The hotel said that someone had canceled the sitter. Since they were going to be eating just outside (they could see the window from the table), they went to dinner (Hunter insisted because he had a surprise for Caroline). They took turns checking on the sleeping girls. When they go back after dinner, Samantha is gone. Who took her and why?

Fifteen years later Caroline gets a call from a young girl stating she might be Samantha. Could this be her long lost daughter? We get to see how this kidnapping affected the family and if this young woman is really Samantha. Will Caroline finally get the truth?

I found She's Not There to be a slow novel with no suspense. It was so easy to figure out who took Samantha and why. We are subjected to a lot of Caroline thinking (and over thinking) and disagreements between Michelle and Caroline. Michelle was a difficult child before the kidnapping and she has not improved over the last fifteen years (I got very tired of their arguments). I did not like any of the characters in the book. Caroline plays the blame game and has issues controlling her temper. The writing is okay (satisfactory). I kept hoping that there would be a twist at the end. I give She's Not There 3 out of 5 stars (which mean it was okay).

I received a complimentary copy of She's Not There from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review of the novel.