Ahh, another release from one of my favourite authors - Sophie Hannah! I kept this until I knew I had some time to really get into it, and I wasn't disappointed...

This is definitely an odd book in some ways. It starts out as something that seems very different - I felt almost as if I were reading a book you'd class as (and sorry for the annoying classification here) 'chick-lit', but then it suddenly becomes more of a mystery/ thriller.

Now, the main character Cara... I had mixed feelings about her. At first, I felt that she was just a bit of a demanding, selfish mother who'd ran off for a holiday away from her kids and husband (a holiday which, incidentally, cost a third of their life savings), and I can't say I warmed to her, but as you learn more about the events that led her to run off to America to this five-star resort, you're bound to feel more sympathy and understanding. She's determined, inquisitive and, at times, quite amusing in her observations of other people around the resort. I enjoyed reading about her, and she lived up to the convincing, interesting characters which Sophie Hannah is so great at creating, as did Bonnie Juno - definitely a hard character to like, but an interesting one nevertheless!

The mystery around missing girl, Melody Chapa, is also rather strange and mysterious. I enjoyed the newspaper clippings and interviews which are interspersed with the plot, and 'missing person' cases always intrigue me. The plot didn't feel too dark or gritty like some of her other novels (particularly the Simon Serrailer series which I love but which is definitely far more police procedural-based); instead it felt like a bit of a roller-coaster of adventure featuring an entertaining main character (Cara) as she tries to find out who she glimpsed that very first night, with the help of some entertaining 'friends' (I loved brash American Tarin and her daughter - they are so much fun, if a little off the wall!).

Did You See Melody is a fun, slightly wacky read which is very entertaining. I thoroughly enjoyed it, from first page to last (great ending, too!).

Unlikeable characters, implausible story, very slow to get started. Can't recommend this one

Simply edge of your seat fantastic. I started this on the Sunday night and read into the early hours, each page edging me closer to an ending I wasn't expecting. I absolutely love Sophie Hannahs style of writing which keeps you guessing until the end.

I wasn’t too keen on this book. I much prefer her other books to this one.

Forty-something Cara Burrows has run away from her family in Hertfordshire and off to a super-exclusive resort in the US where she intends to unwind and figure out what she wants.

Unfortunately she stumbles onto a murder mystery - a case of a missing child, presumed dead, who seems to be rather alive, except no one is supposed to know that.

The more Cara finds out about the case, the more she knows she must intervene, for Melody's sake....

But intervening comes with its own danger, and soon her life is at risk too.

Tonally, this felt a bit of an odd read at first - contemporary women's fiction turning into American crime/suspense, almost. But you soon get into it and at least it doesn't feel like the same-old, same-old. The characters (Tarin anyone? Bonnie?) are quite outspoken/extremely annoying, depending on your point of view - it's not going to be to everyone's taste.

I enjoyed the ride and like the questions that the end raises.

Did you see Melody? By Sophie Hannah
I hadn't read any other books by Sophie Hannah before, except for the 'new' Hercule Poirot books, which i felt should have been left alone! However I decided to give her other novels a try and on seeing this new one brought a copy. I'm glad i did . I enjoyed it.
It's hard to write a review of this one without giving too much away, but its about a women called Cara, married with kids, who for personal reasons books herself into a posh spa resort in Arizona, for 2 weeks without telling her family first.
On arrival tired and wondering if this really was a good idea after all, is accidentally sent to the wrong room.
The room is already occupied and later on Cara realises that the girl see saw in the room is actually someone called Melody who apparently had been murdered some time ago.
The book takes quite an unpredictable turn which lands Cara in deep trouble.
I enjoyed the characters and the descriptive use of writing to set the scene and location.
I felt the reason for her sudden holiday a little unbelievable but apart from that an enjoyable read.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Cara Burrows, the protagonist, is obviously a woman escaping something and hiding something.  Whilst I wanted to get to the bottom of her story, it was the story of Melody Chapa, which was always more pressing.  Whilst I knew that Melody had been spotted, I had no idea which characters were trustworthy and which were potentially in on it.  As Cara researches what happened to Melody, the narrative switches between the current time and past events, and this is where I really started to rip through the novel. 

Melody's story at times reminded me of the real-life Madeline McCann story, and I think was written in both a gripping and sensitive manner.  I had no idea how the novel would conclude but the twists and turns kept me guessing until the end. 

Although slow to get in to, the plot quickly picked up the pace and had me gripped until the last page.

This was my first book by Sophie Hannah and I liked it. Yes, it was quite far fetched but it's fiction after all and it didn't stop me enjoying the story. I liked the easy flowing writing style, quite original plot, a variety of well drawn characters and realistic dialogue. I am definitely going to read more books by this author.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

Did You See Melody was another great book by Sophie Hannah that I struggled to put down.
Cara Burrows leaves her husband and children at home in the U.K. And jumps on a flight to stay in a luxury resort in Arizona as she needs to get away from them to think about what she wants. She books into the resort and heads to her room only to find it's been double booked by a man and teenage girl.
As the story progresses did Cara see Melody that night? She can't have done, Melody was killed by her parents a few years ago and they are currently in prison for her murder.
A great read with some clever twists and turns throughout.

This is an entertaining story with plenty of twists and turns. Occupying the grey space between novel and psychological thriller, it would make a great holiday read.

Cara is a British mother of two teenage children who has reached her limit. Most British mother's at the end of their tether reach for the prosecco (or him in really serious cases). Not Cara, no she grabs a large portion of the family savings and books herself into a five star spa in Arizona and takes off , only leaving a note saying she'll be back in a few weeks....as you do. In Arizona a mix up leads her to the wrong room and there she has an embarrassing encounter with a man and a teenage girl, who she assumes is his daughter. But there are bonuses to such mic ups and she ends up with an amazing upgrade. However before she had the chance to enjoy her good fortune she over hears that there has been a sighting of a girl called Melody Chapa who went missing several years before. Her parents are serving sentences for her murder. Curiosity leads her to look the girl up online and she soon becomes convinced that the teenage girl she encountered in the room mix up was Melody....

This is a great premise for a story, mystery and conspiracy set amidst the trial by TV culture that is so prevalent these days (and not just in the U.S.). The story flows nicely and for the main kept me hooked throughout. The only things that stopped this been a five star read was firstly Cara - oh my god the woman needs a slap. Running off across the world over some perceived slight? Her teenagers are more mature. And also the interview sections - when Cara is looking up Melody's story online it's listed almost like a script. It pulled me out of the story and I would have preferred a different format for that. All in all though a very enjoyable thriller.

I was given an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and independent review.
I didn't love this book but I didn't hate it either. It was quite well written with an interesting range of characters. But for me it lacked excitement and pace. I found the parts with the interviews a bit boring and think they had a negative impact on the pace. On the positive side there were lots of twists and turns which kept me reading to the end.
3 stars

Cara Burrows is running away. Using some of her families savings she books her self into a 5 star hotel and spa in Arizona. Arriving late at night she is booked in by the hotel receptionist and given the key to her room. As she enters the room Cara realises she is not alone, as a man and a young girl emerge in he darkness. Beating a hasty retreat Cara is rewarded for the receptionists mistake and upgraded to one of the hotels luxury suites, but that is not the end for Cara when she realises that the young girl bears a remarkable resemblance to America's most famous murder victim Melody Chapa. Melody Chapa was supposedly murdered by her parents who are now serving a life sentence, but can it really be here and what is the true story behind the supposed crime?

And so Cara embarks on a search for the truth as well as a solution to her own issues.

This novel has it all, a twisty turny msytery and a delightful collection of characters, Cara herself, is a mystery, a mystery that is slowly revealed as the novel progresses. I loved the tenaciousness of Cara and her inner strength to fight her own demons yet remain strong in adversity.

Bonnie Juror, the TV journalist is loud, self opinionated, and hugely annoying, to the point I wanted to shout at her to shut up at times, yet she is central to the plot with a huge secret of her own.

The mother and daughter, Tarina and Zellie whom Cara befriends provide light relief, the mother Tarin, outspoken and fancying herself as a bit of detective, and Zellie, hugely intolerant and despairing of her larger than life mother.

The mystery of Melody Chapa is complex and Hannah handles the complexities extremely well making it easy for the reader to navigate. The writing is engaging and compelling and whilst some aspects are slightly unbelievable it does not in anyway detract from what is a hugely enjoyable novel.

Having never read Sophie Hannah before I will definitely be reading another novel very soon!

Thank you to Louise Swannell and Hodder and Stoughton for a proof copy to read and review.

Sophie Hannah is known for her ingenious plots. I've read several of her books expecting great things and unfortunately always feel the expectations don't measure up. Did You See Melody started off so slowly that I couldn't get interested. With so many other books to read, I gave up on this one.

A good enough storyline but it gets a bit confusing with too many characters. Melody was a child in America who was murdered 8 years ago. Her parents are in jail for the killing. Carla is English, married with two teenage children and expecting another. She is fed up with her children and husband advising her to get rid of the baby that she blows the her savings and books a two week five star holiday, for herself, in a large resort in the Arizona. She just needs peace and quiet to think. On arrival at the resort, in the middle of the night, Carla is checked into the wrong room. When she enters she sees the room is occupied by a teenage girl and an adult man. On being checked into the correct room, Carla thinks she recognises the girl as Melody! Who will believe her? Read on.

Great book, a real page turner. A great storyline with strong characters. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to Sophie Hannah and Netgalley for the copy of this book. I agreed to give my unbiased opinion voluntarily.

Quick read, captivating. I really needed to know what happened to Melody. FABULOUS last page hook - still not sure what to think - Yes I wish it was not the end!

Cara's motivations and struggles did not resonate with me. I did, however, love the descriptions of the Swallowtail Resort. Almost as good as being there. Who doesn't relate to the fear of finding oneself in an already occupied hotel room? And Melody...

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. An easy recommend for fans of Paula Hawkins etc.

Did you see Melody? Cara Burrows is an English housewife who, out of character, leaves her family and takes off for two weeks at a 5 star spa resort in the USA. As you do! Using a chunk of the family savings to get there. I was expecting some truly awful scenario for what had driven Cara away. I was underwhelmed with the reason to be honest. However, it gets an exhausted Cara to the resort where she has to be for the story to work. and it does work. When she arrives she is given her room key and half asleep she stumbles into the room, only to find it already occupied. What happens next is a series of events that get out of Cara's control. Did Cara Burrows see America's famous lost girl? Hard to believe in this day and age that the story wasn't also well known in the UK, if it was as high profile as claimed. Cara reluctantly is drawn into a friendship with the larger than life Tarin Fry and her daughter whose repartee lent some humour. I can truly say that I didn't see the ending coming at all, and I won't spoil it by saying any more about it, but I raced to the end to see how everyone fitted in to what happened. Even on the final pages we are left with a question that I wanted answered. I think there is more to explore with this story. We need another book with what actually happened to Melody!!

When she finds out that her husband and children aren’t quite as excited about her pregnancy as she is, Cara Burrows packs her bags and flies to America to create some space between herself and her family. Breaking into the family savings to spend some time at a five-star resort, Cara is shocked when, arriving at her room, she finds it already occupied by a man and a teenage girl. Initially accepting it as an oversight, she soon becomes troubled when she recognises the girl as Melody Chapa whose parents are currently serving life sentences for her murder. Can the most famous murder victim in the USA actually still be alive and will Cara be able to find out the truth before her own fate is sealed?

I had seen some glowing reviews of this book and so couldn’t wait to to read it myself after being intrigued by the very novel premise – a murder victim who isn’t actually dead. Initially, Cara seemed a very impulsive character, not really caring about the consequences of her actions but we soon discover that this is all a front and that she is experiencing great inner turmoil and has placed herself in a very vulnerable situation. In contrast, Tarin Fry, a woman befriended by Cara at the resort is her complete antithesis – headstrong, impetuous and wise-cracking. I enjoyed the relationship between Tarin and her daughter and found their nicknames for the other resort patrons very funny.

Although I did find the interludes detailing the transcripts of various television programmes slightly lengthy in parts, it did demonstrate how, in recent years, the media has played a big part in the justice system and, in some cases, TV can help to sway the opinions of people before a trial has even taken place. One example is the OJ Simpson case – it is hard to think about this without visualising the high speed chase, broadcast on US television. In Did You see Melody? we see Melody’s parents being more or less convicted as a result of ongoing television coverage of the case.

It is essential to suspend reality when reading this book as quite a lot of it veers towards unbelievable. This did not spoil my enjoyment of the book, though, and it was an entertaining summer read.

Wow, what an intriguing opening! I began reading this book quite late in the evening thinking I'd read a few pages to get me started but I just couldn't put it down and ended up reading far beyond my bedtime.

Cara was someone who I felt I could relate to, she was trying to be brave and make a stand by taking herself off to Arizona without her family but it was obvious she was feeling wobbly about the situation. The trip was meant to be an escape, some time alone to give her the chance to collect her thoughts and perhaps even make some decisions but it didn't quite work out like that.

Reading about Melody's disappearance gave me chills and got my mind working overtime as I tried to piece everything together. The court case was intense but gave me a clear indication of just how big the Melody story was. At this point the storyline took a sinister turn and I found myself joining in with Cara's quest to find the truth.

Tarin was one of my favourite characters, she was an absolute whirlwind of a character who often left me with my mouth agape. She was a straight-talker who didn't always follow the rules to get the results she wanted. This in itself intrigued me because I couldn't figure out her motives.

Beautifully written, this book pulled me in and just wouldn't let go until I'd finished. Seriously gripping stuff!