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Thursday, October 10, 2019

She's Not There - Joy Fielding

She's Not There by Joy Fielding

First Paragraph(s):

It was barely eight A.M. and the phone was already ringing.  Caroline could make out the distinctive three-ring chime that signaled a long-distance call even with the bathroom door closed and the shower running.  She chose to ignore it, deciding it was probably a telemarketer or the press.  Either alternative was odious, but given a choice between the two, Caroline would have opted for the telemarketer.  Telemarketers were only after your money.  The press wanted your blood.
     Even after all this time.
     Fifteen years tomorrow.

My Thoughts:

Joy Fielding is an author that has been around for quite a long time, though I think this is the first one of her books that I've read.  I've certainly seen others around.  She's Not There tells the story of a family that suffers a loss when one of their young daughters goes missing while they were on an anniversary trip to Mexico.  A search is made and an investigation, but no leads are found and eventually life goes back to whatever 'normal' will look like for the next 15 years.  And then the mother gets a call from a young woman who suspects that she might be the missing daughter.

I enjoyed the story, though it was fairly predictable.  The action was swift and moved right along.  There were characters that one could like and characters that one could really, really dislike (like the grandmother of the missing child - what a witch!).  I was satisfied with the ending and was pleased that some of the characters grew a bit and changed before the story came to a close.  Would I read another book by the author?  Yes, I think I would.  Have you read any books by Joy Fielding that I should pick up?  Let me know.

Blurb:

 “I think my real name is Samantha. I think I’m your daughter.”

Caroline Shipley’s heart nearly stops when she hears those words from the voice on the other end of the phone. Instantly, she’s thrust fifteen years into the past, to a posh resort in Baja, Mexico—and the fateful night her world collapsed.

The trip is supposed to be a celebration. Caroline’s husband, Hunter, convinces her to leave their two young daughters, Michelle and Samantha, alone in their hotel suite while the couple enjoys an anniversary dinner in the restaurant downstairs. But returning afterward, Caroline and Hunter make a horrifying discovery: Two-year-old Samantha has vanished without a trace.

What follows are days, weeks, and years of anguish for Caroline. She’s tormented by media attention that has branded her a cold, incompetent mother, while she struggles to save her marriage. Caroline also has to deal with the demands of her needy elder daughter, Michelle, who is driven to cope in dangerous ways. Through it all, Caroline desperately clings to the hope that Samantha will someday be found—only to be stung again and again by cruel reality.

Plunged back into the still-raw heartbreak of her daughter’s disappearance, and the suspicions and inconsistencies surrounding a case long gone cold, Caroline doesn’t know whom or what to believe. The only thing she can be sure of is that someone is fiercely determined to hide the truth of what happened to Samantha.

27 comments:

  1. I haven't read Fielding before but think this sounds good!

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  2. Why do you think stories about missing children are so popular? It seems like there are so many. And losing a kid while on vacation is a theme I see too.

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    1. Yes, this is one of the 'popular' themes out there right now. So many seem to repeat and repeat. This book was published about 3 years ago, so maybe it was ahead of the curve?

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  3. This does sound good, but I tend to avoid stories about children who have gone missing. (or attacked or hurt) I am sure many of them are well worth reading. Maybe one like this, that has some sort of resolution (one hopes) would be easier to read.

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    1. I understand your feelings. I think we all have situations that are tough for us to read about and it's good to know what those are individually. So many other books out there, right?

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  4. I haven't read any of her books but this sounds really good.

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  5. I've read one book by this author and I think it was called See Jane Run? It was a while ago, but I do remember liking it. :)

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    1. Thanks for mentioning the one you've read. I might look for that one at the library.

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  6. This sounds exactly like the Madeleine McCann disappearance from several years ago. I'd like to see how the author handles it.

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    1. I wouldn't be surprised if the story isn't based on a real situation.

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  7. Ok, I can't remember if I've read any of her books (maybe one) but this one sounds like a good read.

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    1. I liked it enough to think about reading other books by her.

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  8. I don't think I've read any of her books either. This really does sound good even if it's predictable.

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    1. I think I read so many books that have crime themes, I can often predict what might happen.

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  9. That could be a real story. Gosh. I have not read anything by this author. I don't know...I might feel like it's too real.

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    1. It might be too much for you, Gayle. Though it does end well enough. I know that books involving kids and crime are tough for many.

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  10. I've read a few of her books, but have not read this one.

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    1. I've probably seen other books by this author on your blog and thought they looked good. :-)

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  11. I haven't read anything by Fielding, but I like the premise of this one, even if it sounds familiar. I'll check it out.

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    1. You might like it, Susan. As I said, predictable, but that's not a bad thing all the time.

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  12. Oh I have not read a Joy Fielding book in forever. This sounds like a good premise but I would expect more suspense from a story line like this one.

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    1. I might watch for other books by her in the future.

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  13. I haven't read Joy Fielding before. I have one of her older books on my TBR shelf though. This does sound good, and I am glad you enjoyed it, Kay.

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    1. I did enjoy it and know she's been writing for quite a while. May try another in upcoming days.

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  14. I devoured this when it came out. This one reminded me o her earlier books, some o her newer ones are different than the missing children books she started out writing. All have been good though.

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