Expected publication: September 15th, 2020 by St. Martin’s Press
A phenomenal psychological suspense novel!
I am a huge Wendy Walker fan. I’ve enjoyed all of her previous novels. After reading the description for “Don’t Look For Me”, I was even more excited to start reading.
Molly Clarke is driving home thinking about her particularly awful day. She needs to stop for gas as the light has been on for a little while now and home is still two hours away. A Gas n’ Go station is up ahead.
Molly figures her husband, John and her daughter; Nicole will both be out for the evening. John will likely be out having drinks with friends. Nicole having just turned twenty-one has many new options of places to go. These options keep Molly up at night, watching the clock and worrying. Molly knows Nicole avoids her and John pretends to be asleep when she gets into bed. Even her son Evan has changed. Evan attends a boarding school off the road she travels now. Molly makes this four hour trip every second Thursday to watch his football games. Her heart twists as she remembers how Evan acted after the game.
A dismissive husband, an angry daughter, and a cruel son….
Molly thinks about Nicole’s final words to her after their argument the other day…words that gutted her.
Five years ago a horrible tragedy tore this family apart.
Molly sees the dark clouds above. A hurricane is coming. A category four they say. Molly has driven right into its path. She stops the car on the side of the road and when she tries to start it again, it won’t turn over. She’s out of gas. The entrance to Gas n’ Go is just about thirty feet away. She runs towards the gas station and her tears fall.
When she gets to the entrance of Gas n’ Go she sees there are no cars and no lights inside the store. There is a cardboard sign. She stares at the words…
Closed for the storm!
Again she thinks about Evan, Nicole, and John. How they stopped loving her five years ago.
“I am a bad mother”
Words in her head like a prayer.
“Walk away. Just walk away”
Headlights come her way. A truck stops. A friendly voice tells her she shouldn’t be out with the storm coming.
What will happen to Molly Clarke?
Another thrilling read from Wendy Walker!
After the impactful opening chapter, I was hooked. This was an unputdownable read with terrific twists and turns that I flew through in just one day. The story is told from Molly and her daughter, Nicole’s point of view, which I really enjoyed. The characters were well fleshed out and intriguing.
An unforgettable psychological thriller that deals with the relationships between parent and child, and husband and wife. A story about grief, anger, loss, blame, and forgiveness.
Wendy Walker has yet to let me down and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!
I’d like to thank the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.
Throwback Thursday is a meme created by Renee at It’s Book Talk to share old favorite books rather than just the new shiny ones. This is a great idea to bring back to life some much-loved books. Please feel free to join in.
My choice for this week is:
What We Keep by Elizabeth Berg
Published May 25, 1998 by Ballantine Books
Goodreads Description:
Do you ever really know your mother, your daughter, the people in your family? In this rich and rewarding new novel by the beloved bestselling author of Talk Before Sleep and The Pull of the Moon, a reunion between two sisters and their mother reveals how the secrets and complexities of the past have shaped the lives of the women in a family.
Ginny Young is on a plane, en route to see her mother, whom she hasn’t seen or spoken to for thirty-five years. She thinks back to the summer of 1958, when she and her sister, Sharla, were young girls. At that time, a series of dramatic events–beginning with the arrival of a mysterious and sensual next-door neighbor–divided the family, separating the sisters from their mother. Moving back and forth in time between the girl she once was and the woman she’s become, Ginny at last confronts painful choices that occur in almost any woman’s life, and learns surprising truths about the people she thought she knew best.
Emotional honesty and a true understanding of people and relationships are combined in this moving and deeply satisfying new book by the novelist who “writes with humor and a big heart about resilience, love and hope. And the transcendence that redeems.
My Thoughts:
I read my first novel from Elizabeth Berg almost twenty years ago. The book was “Talk Before Sleep” and it was a fantastic read.
One of the next books I read was this one. The description for “What We Keep” pulled me in and I couldn’t wait to read it. I love books that involve mother-daughter relationships, secrets, and family drama. This one hit all the right notes.
Though it’s been many years since I read this, I still have good feelings when I think of it. It’s another book on my to re-read list. Elizabeth Berg writes about women, family, love, and loss in a wonderful way.
I highly recommend this novel.
Have you read this? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
A book written by a Billie Eilish fan for other Billie Eilish fans!
My daughter and I are both fans of Billie Eilish’s music so we were curious to see what “Be Bad Be Bold Be Billie” was all about. It’s made clear from the start that this book isn’t officially endorsed by Billie, but “pays homage to the multi-talented icon that she is.”
Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell released her debut studio album, “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?” in 2019. Just seventeen years old at the time, the record was a huge hit. With her deep, sultry voice, baggy clothing, and turquoise dyed hair, Billie Eilish was “less pop princess, more Eminem”. She was booked to play the big festivals (Coachella and Glastonbury) and early this year she won five Grammy’s. It was also announced that she would be recording the theme song for the new James Bond movie, “No Time to Die”. All this at only eighteen years old.
“Billie isn’t for conforming to others’ expectations of what a young woman should look and sound like”.
This book is definitely geared towards Billie’s young fans. It’s filled with many Billie facts, (about her life, career, and style), plus quizzes and other activities. Chapters like “Billie Says Do You” and “Billie’s lessons in self-acceptance” offer helpful tips on setting goals, how to make a vision board, self-love, as well as advice on choosing your career, and speaking up for yourself. Many young people could benefit from the tips on dealing with difficult people and criticism, and the powers and dangers of social media.
Billie is an advocate for openness about mental health and has been very open about her own struggles with depression. It talks about knowing when to ask for help. Billie is also passionate about climate change and sustainability so there are also suggestions on how young people can make a difference.
The chapter “Billie’s Tracks for the Soul” suggests which Billie song to listen to when falling in or out of love, feeling insecure or heartbroken, etc. Quizzes like “What Billie Eilish song are you?” and “How Billie Are you?” as well as other fun activities fill the last chapter of the book.
Billie Eilish is vibrant and so is this book with its eye-catching cover, and thick pages filled with full-color illustrations. My twelve-year-old niece is a big Billie Eilish fan and she loved it.
A great book for young Billie Eilish fans!
I’d like to thank the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.
Dee's Rad Reads and Reviews 