What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan

What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks, December 2015

Genre: Fiction

Pages: Paperback, 512 pages

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary (from goodreads.com):

In a heartbeat, everything changes…

Rachel Jenner is walking in a Bristol park with her eight-year-old 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...

Review:

As with all books, especially mystery themed ones, I picked up this book only knowing the hype surrounding it an not really knowing what the plot actually was. When I found out that it was about the abduction of an 8-year-old boy, I was hit a little to close to home as I have a 9-year-old and because of that, I found that I was distracted and also a little uncomfortable reading it. However, even with that said, I found myself gripping the pages to find out what exactly happened and who dun it!!

This was my first go with author Gilly Macmillan and I really found her writing style to be right up my alley. I loved the fact that, while having many characters throughout the story, she focused the points of view on only two (or three if you count the psychologist). For some reason, I think that books with alternate points of view to be perfect when reading mysteries, yet if you have too many, it gets confusing... so two is perfect. Not only does it give you a different perspective with which to hear what's happening but it makes you read that much faster... the need to find out what's happening is real.

Now, even though I like the fact that the book was written from different characters perspectives, I didn't love them both equally. I really did feel for Rachel and was insanely disappointed with the way the public treated her... I mean what parent doesn't loosen the leash on their child a little as they get older?? Was she a fantastic character? No, but she was definitely relatable and I can see myself, or any other mother, being exactly as she was should they ever find myself in that same position - god forbid. Jim, on the other hand ... actually the entire of the police force... I could not stand. Why was he so affected with the outcome of the trial? I am still baffled by this. I was also extremely disappointed with the way each of the officers treated Rachel every time she called or came by. I would hope that, in real life, the police would treat the family of the victim with more class and dignity.

Overall, I found this story very well written, the characters well developed and it really kept me guessing to the very last second. As an avid mystery fan, I love when an author can leave me thinking I know how it's going to turn out only to pull the rug out from under me at the last minute.