This book was previously called Now You See Her
Harriet is a stay at home mom living with her husband, Brian, and her 4 year old daughter Alice. Her only friend is Charlotte, a mother of three who is separated from her husband, Tom.
The two are polar opposites, with Harriet being shy and reserved and Charlotte a social butterfly who befriended the other moms from her kids' schools and participates in many events in which Harriet didn't fit. Her other friends don't understand why Harriet and Charlotte are so close, but they do have a special bond, although Harriet never shares much about her past and home life.
Harriet has never left Alice with anyone. However, one day she asks Charlotte to look after Alice while she attends a bookkeeping class. Charlotte takes Harriet's daughter and her own children to a school fair. While the kids are playing, Charlotte is distracted scrolling through social media and loses sight of Alice. When Charlotte realizes it, she starts looking for her in the whole area but can't find the little girl. Soon the police is involved, the case is on the news and Charlotte has to deal with harsh judgement from strangers and her own friends.
Harriet can't face her too and Charlotte struggles to deal with the guilt. Days pass and still no sign of Alice. But what really happened that day?
This book is a fast-paced psychological thriller with surprising and unpredictable twists. It's told by an omniscient narrator and from the perspectives of both women and it goes back and forth to the day of the disappearance and the present. The book's subject is quite unsettling and the discoveries later on are even more. I couldn't help but feel bad for all that has happened to Harriet.
I absolutely hated Brian's character from the beginning, for reasons you have to find out for yourself. But overall I think this a good read and I will definitely check more books by this author.
Rate: 4.5/5
