#Bookvent – Celebrating my top reads of 2020
You know when a book just clicks? When it has that special blend of jist whatever it is you are needing to read? That was my day sixteen #bookvent choice when I sat down with it at the start of the year. Part mystery, part suspense – a blend of crime with something a touch more … well just, more. It really did tap into my favourite kind of reads and I sailed through it in no time. I’ve read and loved the author’s earlier titles, a little touch of the Stephen King about them that kept me coming back for more. It’s probably not a massive shock to find out that my sixteenth choice is …
The Other People by CJ Tudor
Driving home one night, Gabe sees the face of a little girl he knows in the rear window of the car in front.
She mouths one word – ‘Daddy’. It’s his five-year old daughter, Izzy.
He never sees her again.
The police believe she’s dead. But three years later, Gabe still drives the roads, searching for the car that took Izzy, never giving up hope . . .
Meanwhile Fran and her daughter, Alice, aren’t searching – but running.
Always one step ahead of the people who want to hurt them.
Because Fran knows the truth about Gabe’s daughter.
And she knows what the people chasing her will do if they ever catch them . . .
Oh what an opener – that’s how to do it. Slowly reel the reader in and then bam … Hit us with a real bombshell. Although this initially reads like your average missing person thriller, this is absolutely not your average missing person thriller. Under suspicion of murdering his wife and chile, Gabe is a character I really felt for and one who CJ Tudor has written perfectly. His obsession with finding his child, his unwavering belief that she is alive, that fact that he is just so … broken. It just really caught hold of me and I was completely invested in his story. Add into this the mystery of Fran, a woman on the run for inexplicable reasons adds another layer to the story that kept me intrigued and glued to the page. What is she running from and what secrets is she hiding? And of course, this would not be a CJ Tudor book if there wasn’t something just a little bit … different about the story. It’s hard to say too much without giving too much away, but let’s just say that if you are looking for something with a beautiful little twist, this story does not disappoint. It’s perhaps not as overt as in other books, but the mystery, the suspense, is there, along with a undulating tension that really drives the story along. How far is Gabe willing to go for his family? Well you’ll need to read to find out. A beautifully dark tale that is full of atmosphere and intensity and I loved it.
You can read my full review here.
Happy #bookvent reading all
Jen
Jen Med's Book Reviews 