What She Knew audiobook

This book has two titles Burnt Paper Sky and What She Knew. It has caused some confusion as many (including me) thought it was two different books by the same author. Anyhow, I don't care if it has 67,562 names, I am just glad I came across it and that I read it. It was a phenomenal read that I read in just a few sittings. Rachel Jenner and her eight-year-old son, Ben and their dog are taking a walk though Bristol Park. This is something they often do together. Ben asks if he can go ahead a bit on his own, Rachel says yes and off he goes. After a short time Rachel calls for Ben and he doesn't answer. As she searches for him she starts to panic, in only moments her worst fear, any parents worst fear has happened....Ben has vanished.Immediately everyone begins to search for Ben but to no avail. Police are called in and search parties are sent out. When the dog comes back alone and there's still no sign of Ben everyone starts to realize that Ben has not just gotten lost somewhere in the woods. Where is Ben?A press conference is organized where Rachel is to appeal for help in finding Ben. However, Rachel doesn't follow the script she's been given. It's meant to be non-threatening, to humanize the situation. She feels that the words are too tame and submissive. She tries to read the script but then suddenly changes her mind. Instead she speaks aggressively and threatens that she will hunt down whomever has taken Ben and make them pay. Rachel assumed that people watching would understand that she was a mother who just wanted her child back. Unfortunately the public doesn't see the terrified and worried mother. "They see a freak show. I frightened people because I was someone to whom the worst was happening, and they turned on me like a pack of dogs."After the press conference, Rachel is treated horribly both by the public and the press. Many indicate that she must have had something to do with Ben's disappearance. It's awful how judgemental we can be when something like this happens, although of course in some cases judgement is well deserved. But it seems that we often judge a parent for being either overprotective and too controlling or too easy and/or uninvolved.The story is told from alternating points of view. Rachel's and Detective Jim Clemo. As well there are therapists reports, blogs, online identities and comments, facts from missing children guides, newspaper articles etc. interspersed throughout the novel. Some are fictitious but some are from real resources from papers and websites. For example www.missingkids.com, "When Your Child Is Missing: A Family Survival Guide" and many more. There was a whole lot more going on in this novel, all of it kept me very interested. A lot of good characters that were not only part of the case but had their own interesting story-lines. Detective James Clemo, the family liaison Officer Emma Zhang, Rachel's sister Nicky and more. I thought that the author did a fantastic job of portraying how differently people could react in this situation. I may have done some of the same things that a few of the characters did. Emotional and gripping I couldn't stop reading. I wanted to know what happened to Ben. When my daughter was younger I had nightmares about something like this happening. Paranoid of all kinds of things. Who am I kidding? I am still paranoid and hover over her in my helicopter. Joking aside I know she can't live in a bubble and has to gain independence in order for her to have a successful life. But as I watch her grow it's still scary! When you hear these stories both real and fiction about a parent looking away for a moment and their child disappearing it makes you want to put your kids back in the bubble.In my opinion this was an amazing debut psychological thriller. I am absolutely looking forward to more from Gilly Macmillan. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars!  What an absolutely thrilling and emotional ride this book took me on!  I am in awe that this was GILLY MACMILLAN's debut novel as I thought this was even better than THE PERFECT GIRL. WHAT SHE KNEW by GILLY MACMILLAN is a beautiful and cleverly written psychological thriller that takes you on a very emotional and apprehensive tale here of every parent’s worst fear...... their missing child. GILLY MACMILLAN delivers an impressive and descriptive story that was interesting, believable, suspenseful, heartbreaking, and compelling.  The story is about a missing child, Ben who vanishes during a walk in the woods with his mother, Rachel who allows him to run ahead to the swings and the search for Ben as the clock is ticking to find him before it is too late.  This story was interestingly told in alternating points of view of Rachel and DI Jim Clemo along with therapists reports, blogs, and various different accounts online through social media. What I particularly loved about this book was that you could really feel Rachel's pain and devastation through the detailed descriptive telling of this story.I have read quite a few novels about missing children but this one really resonated with me. When one of my sons was much younger he decided to go on a little adventure while visiting family in a big city without us knowing.  He was gone for a couple of hours with the whole neighbourhood and police looking for him. We were devastated and didn't know where he was or what could have happened to him. Was I a bad mother because I let him go to the washroom on his own in the house?  MY SON was found safe and sound but boy I sure connected with Rachel and the rawness of her emotions and her state of mind.  The conclusion was done so well with no loose ends and was wrapped up so nicely to give me a complete feeling of gratification.   To sum it all up it was a gripping, steady-paced, and an easy read with a very satisfying ending. Would recommend!!Review can also be found on blog:https://twosisterslostinacouleereadin...

Rachel lets her son Ben run ahead when they are out for a walk and he disappears. Usually mystery or thrillers aren't very good, even when I try to be more generous about the writing and the characters but wow I really enjoyed this one. The writing was good and the characters were sympathetic. I actually related to the characters and was rooting for Rachel through out the book. I didn't see the ending coming and the way the story is developed it excellent because my excitement kept building up all the way to the climax, I felt so much anxiety about not knowing what was going to happen to Ben. Definitely one of the better mystery books I've read.

What She Knew by Gilly Macmillian is a 2016 William Morrow Paperbacks publication. This is one of those harrowing stories in which a child is abducted, as the clock tick tocks along, and each moment that passes makes the situation more hopeless. In this case, Rachel Jenner’s son, Ben, is abducted while they are out walking their dog. Once the critical missing is reported, Rachel’s life is upended in ways she never could have imagined and the repercussions will haunt her for a long time to come. This is a fine example of what happens when a case like this one catches the attention of the press. Rachel is blamed for taking her eye off her son for a short time, her family and friends endure a shocking invasion of privacy, buried secrets are revealed, and the investigation winds up in turmoil. The story alternates between Rachel’s POV and the head investigator, DI Jim Clemo's perspective, which is an interesting set up, since Jim’s personal demons have landed him in the psychologist's office. The novel is partly a police procedural, and follows Jim’s investigation and all the interviews conducted, the leads that come through, and the legwork involved. The toll the case takes on Jim is apparent and he becomes obsessed with finding Ben and bringing him home to his frantic mother. The novel also highlights Rachel’s journey, as she faces public scrutiny, absorbs shocking revelations, and has all her solid relationships slip and slide away from her, while she finds strength from a few unlikely sources. But, what stood out to me in this novel, was the portrait of a mother’s will, her strength, and incredible grit, as she faces every parent's worse nightmare. She never gives up hope, even when she’s feeling like she may shatter into a million pieces. While Rachel initially had that ‘deer in the headlights’ vibe going on, she rises to the occasion, becoming quite a fighter, learning invaluable life lessons along the way, and winning my deepest admiration. Racing against the clock setups always have that taut, edgy feel to them, and this book is no exception to that rule, but the story is deep on many levels, examining the toll a case like this one takes on all parties involved. The author doesn’t hold back here and the characters are flawed, damaged, and fragile, but also human and so real, they remain in your mind long after you finish the book. Overall, this is a terrific crime drama, and mystery thriller, and again, I continue on my trend this week, by discovering another incredible new talent, who makes a strong impression with this debut novel. Well done!

"In the eyes of others, we're often not who we imagine ourselves to be."As a mother, this was a very tough read, so I had to force myself to keep going. I don't do well emotionally, reading about kids in danger, missing, hurt, abused, or really anything other than perfectly healthy and happy. So this book was hard on my heart, but it ended up being a really good page turner.It's told in three points of view. The chapters switch between Rachel, the mother of the missing child, Jim Clemo, the main detective assigned to the case, and the psychiatrist Jim is assigned to a year after the case takes place. Honestly the civilian characters were a little bland, and I don't think the psychiatrist's POV was really necessary, but I did really like the cops. Rachel was portrayed as the perfect mom, yet still being shunned by society for being newly single. I did feel a little sorry for her, but that's about it. You can only feel so bad for someone who wallows in their own pity. Her husband and his new wife were nothing special, cliche even. He was a pediatric surgeon and she was super young and looked like a super model. Her sister was the classic type A with secrets, and the need to control all aspects of her life. So with the civilian characters lacking, the detectives were the ones I really found interesting, at least that was the case with Jim and his supervisor. They were the main ones I actually cared about anyway. I liked their determination and how much they cared about finding the child. I also liked seeing how given the circumstances, the civilians really came together in the end, to function as a family.This book was easy to read, but it was hard on the heart. I might've done a few things differently, but I still read it pretty quickly. I just didn't want to put it down. On a side note, it is set in England, so if you are not British, you might have to look some things up. To me that was a plus because I learned a few things in the process. Ultimately though, I think if you can handle reading about a missing child, you like mysteries, crime procedurals, or stories set in England, you should give this one a go. If you are more weak of heart, I would leave this one be."And that is all anybody needs to know."

Dang this was good.

What is it with these novels about abducted children? I have read at least five novels in the last year that somehow feature abducted children or teenagers -- most were thrillers, but not all of them. I swear that I don't seek them out. I just follow the path that leads to me to what might be a good read: a particular author (Chevy Stevens Those Girls) and Joy Fielding's She's Not There), an enthusiastic review by another GR friend (What Was Mine), a chance on a new mystery writer (The Girls She Left Behind), an intriguing literary novel set in an interesting place (The Expatriates), etc... And the worst part is that despite this gut wrenching plot element -- or maybe because of it -- these have all been great reads. And to that list I'll add What She Knew, which is a gripping page turner of a debut novel. What She Knew covers 9 days following 8 year old Ben's abduction from a park in Bristol, England. The story is told from the perspective of his mother and one of the investigators. It also contains some contemporaneous blog posts, emails and news articles. It is a very tightly constructed narrative. It conveys emotions that feel real. And it conveys in real time the sense of helplessness that comes from following any number of leads without any real insight into whether they are blind alleys or worth pursuing, and all the while feeling like the clock is ticking. It conveys how quickly such a cataclysmic event can change family dynamics. And it conveys the harsh toll this type of difficult case can take on the investigative team -- although to me some of this aspect of the book was a bit over the top and its only real weakness. The story is told without any physical violence -- I couldn't have read it if there was any graphic physical violence -- but the emotions nevertheless feel physical. I swear I don't seek out books about child abduction, but if it's a story line you can stomach, What She Knew is a strong addition to the list and definitely worth reading. Thank you to a few GR friends for their enthusiasm in pointing me toward this book. And thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for giving me access to a copy.

Rachel Jenner lets her son run ahead of her in the park and in that brief moment he disappears. What happens next is a disturbing portrait of how theses cases are handled by law enforcement, the media and the public using social media outlets with the family caught in the middle. It soon became obvious to me that this story was less about a mystery and more about the psychological examination of those involved in child disappearances, from family and friends to the police charged with finding the child on through those on the perimeter (media, citizenry and those just interested). It wasn't pretty but unfortunately rang true to life. The outcome wasn't as predictable as I thought it might be and I was left with a sense of uneasiness and discomfort. Kudos to the author for a thought provoking exploration of our social system on so many levels. The speed in which the mother is vilified in this story was heartbreaking, primarily because we get her point of view. We can thank our bad experiences with other high profile cases for the current public cynicism and rush to judgment, when outrage should have been properly directed to the mothers but we bought their innocence. The audio performance was outstanding with two narrators used to present the points of view of Rachel and the lead investigator. They set the tone for the story perfectly. This isn't a whodunit or a suspenseful mystery so be prepared to just observe and reflect. I found it a very interesting story.

Rachel Jenner and her son Ben are enjoying a frequent tradition: spending time in the park with their dog, Skittle, when things take a turn. Ben asks to run ahead to the rope swing, and Rachel agrees. That's the last she sees of her son. It's as if Ben has vanished into thin air, and Rachel feels her world cleave into two. The police are called, and the investigation is handed over to DI James Clemo. This is Jim's first major investigation as lead, and he's determined to do it right. Meanwhile Rachel is reeling from her decision to allow Ben to run ahead--one that's quickly questioned by her ex-husband and soon, the media. As days pass by without a break in the case, the media quickly turns its harsh glare directly onto Rachel. Rachel, meanwhile, starts questioning herself--and those around her. I absolutely adored Gilly Macmillan's mystery The Perfect Girl, so when I saw she had a new book coming out, I knew I had to read it. I didn't realize it was part of a series (apparently featuring Jim Clemo), so I decided to read this one first. It's Macmillan's first book, but, of course, you can barely tell, because she's an amazing writer. She's going to be one of my favorite mystery writers going forward. The format of the novel is unique -- we get Jim and Rachel's point of view, broken down by Day 1, 2, 3, etc. of Ben's disappearance. But we also get transcript pieces of Clemo's meetings with a psychologist, whom he is meeting with a good year after Ben's disappearance. The gist is that Ben's case has so clearly affected Clemo and his job performance that meeting with this woman--in hopes of getting a good report--is the only way he may be able to remain on the job. It's an effective format and certainly ratchets up the suspense and tension as we wonder exactly what happened to Ben: who took him? Will he return home safely to his mother and father? Is anyone in this novel telling the truth? It's a slow-burning book, with no major sudden twists and turns, but deftly written, with each character superbly fleshed out. Our cast is small, but well-done: Ben's mother and father, his teachers and schoolmates, his troubled aunt, and those investigating his case. The standouts, of course, though are Rachel and Jim--our storytellers. Rachel is reeling from her divorce, telling us her story directly, and delving into her own flaws. It allows Macmillan to illustrate the power (not always positive) of modern day society's relentless media focus and what those anonymous people in social forums can do to real, actual people. Rachel isn't always a sympathetic character, though my heart often went out to her, but she's real--a flawed, authentic mother.And, speaking of flaws, Jim is a fascinating character. We get bits and pieces of how he's formed by his past. He's not a one-dimensional, stereotypical policeman, but a very intricate character. He's driven, but honestly, he's really quite a mess. As a result, he's intriguing but also frustrating in many ways. I'll be quite interested to see where he is in Macmillan's second novel in the series. So, while this novel is filled with complicated characters, it is also a mystery at its core. Our intricate cast slows things down a bit, but luckily the plot keeps you guessing and wanting to turn the pages. I had various suspicions, throughout, but the ending completely surprised me (something that's hard to do). The novel takes a lot of unexpected turns. At the halfway point, I was completely befuddled, but invested. Overall, this one is pretty captivating. I actually found myself keeping my daughters closer to me while reading and feeling nervous when they ran off. The night after I finished it, I had creepy dreams about a child being kidnapped--I rarely, if ever, dream about the books I'm reading! Sweet Ben really touched me and, as I mentioned, while I didn't always like Rachel, I very much empathized with her. Macmillan is a wonderful writer, and I'm very excited to be starting ODD CHILD OUT in the next couple of days. You can read my review of Macmillan's THE PERFECT GIRL here.Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Google+ ~ Instagram

This is the second police procedural/psychological drama that I have read just lately that has been set at least partly in Bristol (in this case completely) and all I can think is that there must be something in the air because I really loved them both. This is a heart breaking story, following the disappearance of eight year old Ben Finch and told from the perspectives of his mother Rachel and Jim Clemo, the detective leading the investigation.It is a story full of raw emotion. As you can expect, Rachel is devastated and the author really does a fantastic job of showing her emotions. Both characters are telling their story twelve months on from the events, which have also left Jim broken emotionally and part of his narration is told in the form of sessions with a therapist.In addition the book also includes emails and extracts from blogs and forums. Following a disastrous press conference, the public’s perception of Rachel is not good. She is faced with a barrage of vitriolic online abuse with people convinced that she must know what has happened to Ben.It is a story that really drew me in, keeping me glued to the pages, wanting to know what had happened to Ben and whether he was going to be OK. The police investigation is shown in great detail every step of the way and it felt extremely realistic and I really shared the frustrations of the police as they strived to get to the bottom of what had happened. As the story moved to its conclusion there were a number of suspects and I was constantly trying to work out which of them was the real abductor. A thoroughly good read which is highly recommended. Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.

4.5 Stars.Stunning ! ! ! !A pure psychological thriller, I'd like the pace of story.Huge wishes for Writer.I've really enjoyed it alot.Writer exceptionally derived the story with her intellects and fiction.That was mixing story line in which emotions as well Life's importance truly revealed as far as when it concerned among Mother and her Child.Highly recommended one.