A brilliant engaging story I couldn't stop reading.

OMG Kerry Wilkinson on on fire! This was awesome I loved it. The story totally captivated me, I couldn't put it down. Everything about this book is fantastic. I want to give it 6 stars!

I have been a KW fan for a number of years but haven't read any after a binge about 12 months ago. I decided to give this one a go after seeing it netgalley. Lord above, I'm glad I did. It was fantastic, it kept me guessing rightto the very ed, I couldn't read it fast enough. After reading this title I needed my KW fix and I'm currently in the middle of Two Sisters. Well worth a read. Thank you

This is my second book by this author and I will continue to read more.

Olivia Adams has been missing for thirteen years. She disappeared from her garden when she was 5 years old. She suddenly returns to her hometown and her mom but where has she been the last 13 years and was she held against her will? Olivia is the main narrator and we get to hear from her throughout the book. We also get to hear from Lily who is being raised by her father but how does she connect to Olivia?

This was another well written read with suspense, secrets and twists along the way. I look forward to reading more by this author. A huge thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy of this book!

While this isn’t my favorite Wilkinson read, it’s still a solid four stars.

For me, the twists didn’t work at all (there were way too many clues throughout the book), but it was very suspenseful, I liked our main character, and I really wanted to know how it all would end for her.

The author gives us relatable character who simply aren’t perfect – like us! And even though the situation our girl finds herself in is unusual, we can still put ourselves in her place.

Now, because the clues were a little heavy in this one, I did find myself in a position where I wasn’t worried about our character. I had no doubt how she would end up. But I did worry about another character in the book and was very tensely reading to find out what happened.

Solid entertainment. I do like some of the author’s other work better, but I still enjoyed this read.

I love everything Kerry Wilkinson writes - he has such an addictive, page-turning style of writing. And this book is definitely one of his very best! From the first line to very last, this was a superb, mind-blowing read. Everything I thought I knew was turned on its head as I kept reading, every page revealing something knew that made me question myself and the characters. This is the kind of book I love best, where you don't know whom to trust, where every character is flawed yet supremely human, where every page holds secrets. Absolutely loved this engaging, amazing story and I cannot wait for more from this incredibly versatile and talented author.

3 stars

When five-year old Olivia Daniels disappears from her home, the whole neighborhood and the police department search for her for days. She is never found. However, thirteen years later, she just shows back up. One must ask, “Where has she been all this time?” Some people in the village question if it is really her. Some people very much do not want her to return – at all.

We also meet Lily who is being raised by her single dad, and having a very difficult time of it. Something connects Lily and Olivia, but what?

This book does not hold a candle to Mr. Wilkinson’s Jesica Daniels books. I don’t know what went wrong. I didn’t care for the narrator-style. The writing was good and the plotting was well….just okay. I just felt that the author missed the mark with this one. I will stick with the Jessica Daniels books which I absolutely love.

I want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for forwarding to me a copy of this book to read.

Just WOW what an excellent read. Two stories in parallel that merge into an explosive ending that I truly didn't see coming. Characters so real that you can empathise, feel and in some cases almost smell them! A great read and totally different to Kerry's Jessica Daniels series which I also love

I would like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Girl Who Came Back’ by Kerry Wilkinson in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
When six-year-old Olivia disappears from her back garden in Stoneridge the entire community turns out to search for her. Olivia is never found and everybody believes she’s dead. Thirteen years later Olivia arrives back in Stoneridge telling everybody she was taken by travellers. But is she really Olivia or is she an imposter?
‘The Girl Who Came Back’ has an interesting plot, lots of twists and turns, and a finale that I hadn’t expected. It had me gripped from the start and I was so involved that I read it in a day. A very enjoyable book and one I can recommend.

I read this book in one night - finding out what happened to Olivia and the secrets that have lain undisturbed for so many years was captivating. I did guess the twist before it happened, but the reasoning behind it was indepth and the ending was satisfying for the reader. Would definitely recommend to others.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Five-year old Olivia Adams disappeared from her back garden in Stoneridge. The whole community joined in the search but she was never found. 13 years later, Olivia comes back. The whole town is intrigued by her sudden reappearance but not everyone is happy about it.

I have read a few of Kerry Wilkinson's book in a short span of time. He is without a doubt a talented writer. That being said, I felt that this novel lacked that certain 'something' that is present in all of his books that I have read thus far. It was well-written but the plot was not executed as smoothly as in his other books. The fact that I still read it super fast despite feeling like this shows that it is still a good book in my eyes.

I would recommend this book and the others that I have read this far. Kerry Wilkinson is definitely one of my favourite authors.

Kerry Wilkinson is by far one of my favourite all time authors. I requested this book within minutes of it going up for review on Netgalley.
​It's funny I didn't even read what the book was about, I just know I love Kerry's books so that's all that mattered to me.
​And just to keep the suspense going I decided not to find out what the book was about and just read it. So I certainly went in wondering what to expect. Well I can safely say I was not disappointed. It felt a bit like doing a book lucky dip. I was part way through another book when I got this one, but that niggling suspense I had, wouldn't let me finish my other book, I caved right in and started this one.

​It's no secret and I keep on saying it, but I am a huge fan of Kerry Wilkinson's, Jessica Daniel series. I am enjoying this stint he is doing of writing stand alone novels, and it's great to see an author show off their talents. Kerry is certainly a very talented author.

​We are introduced to Olivia in this book, Olivia went missing 13 years and has just turned up in her mothers coffee shop.
​It's very strange learning of the background of Olivia going missing. What and where has she been for 13 long years. Who, what, why.
Obviously her mother is thrilled to see her, but in 13 years a lot can happen, and some people don't seem as keen on her being back.
​Some people may just want past secrets, staying in the past.
​We also meet Lily, who is being raised by her Widowed father. Lily seems to have one or two issues to over come.
​How the story connects is brilliantly done, getting to know the characters little by little, some you will love and like me some you will hate. But the way the story is done, you really do connect with the characters. This is one of those books that once you start you just have to keep going, It's not got something happening on every page, but it holds a mystery that keeps your attention, and you need to know what is coming next.
​What I will say is that this book has some great twists, and I have to say an OMG ending. I really wasn't expecting the way it turned out. I just didn't see that coming till it hit me in the face. 
It's certainly an attention grabber.

​I can't wait for more from Kerry Wilkinson

Thoroughly enjoyed this. My first experience of this author and I am sure I shall read more. This is the story - or these are the stories - of a family torn apart and then reunited in a most unexpected way. The 'twist' was hinted at throughout and while I had just about anticipated it, this did not detract from a thoroughly gripping read, which I did not want to put down until finished.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishers Bookouture for this advance review copy in exchange for an honest review. Also thanks to Kim Nash for organising and allowing me to be part of the Book Blog Tour for this great book!

Two stories interlink throughout this book. The first one is about Olivia Adams who went missing 13 years ago. Her story begins with a young woman, about the age that Olivia would be now. She finds Olivia’s mum, Sarah, still living in the sleepy town of Stoneridge. The town still remembers Olivia, but the horror of a child going missing has eased over the years. The young woman announces that she is Olivia and she has returned home. She gives her story to Sarah about what happened all those years ago, but did it really happen as she says? Sarah is convinced that this is her daughter – she would know her own daughter anywhere……right? Sarah’s new husband Max, and his brother Ashley aren’t so convinced. They don’t believe Olivia’s story at all. Has Olivia returned home after all these years?

The other story is about Lily. Lily’s mum dies and she is left to be bought up by her dad. He struggles to cope with his grief and to bring up a teenage girl, but he does what he feels is his best. One day ‘Uncle Alan’, one of Lily’s dad’s friends, begins to abuse Lily. She feels she has no one to talk to and feels like her life is going in a downward spiral. Obviously the two stories are linked, but what links Lily to Olivia?

This was a fantastic read, as always, by a fantastic author. I’ve loved Kerry Wilkinson’s books for a long time, particularly the Jessica Daniel series. This book isn’t like those though! Jessica Daniel books are gritty crime books – this book is a heart-breaking story, sensitively told, but with enough twists and turns to keep you hooked until the very last word. I honestly didn’t guess the big twist until it happened and it was well worth waiting for. The ending was superbly different as well, not what I was expecting at all! The characters were all fantastic, you didn’t know who you should believe, and who you should like….I changed my opinion of them so often as the book went on.

This was an absolutely brilliant book. Kerry Wilkinson is such a fantastic author and, trust me, you would regret it if you didn’t read this book. If this is your first Kerry Wilkinson book, I guarantee you will be hooked!!! Five stars!

This is only the second book I’ve read by Kerry Wilkinson (Think of the Children) and I have to admit I really enjoyed it. Olivia Adams has been missing for thirteen years and has suddenly returned to Stoneridge to re discover her family. Olivia tells the story throughout, she’s the main narrator apart from another voice that pops up now and then.

I liked the style and what it offered. She’s not all sweetness and light, she gives us a lot of information but it’s up to the reader whether what she’s telling us is truth or lies. There are more than enough red herrings thrown in, a lot of miss information and a lot of truth – it’s a complex one and you have to really think how hard Olivia is trying to achieve her end goal – and indeed what her end goal really is!

Lots of characters in the book, some better than others but I liked Olvia’s voice. I have to admit some parts of the book made for uncomfortable reading – mainly Lily – but that’s what gave the book its depth.

It flows well, is a very quick and fluent read and the storyline very good. What will you take from the book – truth or lies, fact or fiction. Over to you!

If you accept the fact that "The girl who came Back" has no real literary content and if you acknowledge that the plot and conclusion is not quite believable and indeed a little bizarre, then you will really enjoy this read! This is the second book I have read by Kerry Wilkinson (the first being Nothing but Trouble, Jessica Daniel 11) and I am beginning to warm to his young, vibrant and exciting style. I do not always read to be educated or to marvel at an authors descriptive prose or deep character analysis, sometimes I read for the shear hell of enjoyment, for the love of the printed word and the way I can be transported to another dimension. If what I have just said makes you the reader think that I am a confused reviewer/blogger then understand this I read indeed I consumed The girl who came Back in one day and was thoroughly entertained.

Some 13 years ago a young Olivia Adams vanished, presumed taken, from her back garden, in the picturesque village of Stoneridge. The trauma of this event was soon followed by the collapse of the marriage of Sarah and Dan, the parents of Olivia. Now all these years later a child, who most people feared was dead, reappears and confronts her mum in the local village cafe. Sarah has a new husband Max, a childhood sweetheart, and upon meeting the newly reinstated Olivia, Max together with his brother Ashley display resentment and hatred towards the young girl. There are questions to be asked and answers to be sought. Is Olivia Adams the person she purports to be? Why is Max so full of hatred? Where is Olivia's real father? Who is the mysterious Lily and what is her connection to the events as they unfold?

I often wonder how bad reviews affect the mindset of an author. There will always be readers who love and readers who hate a particular writing style. Kerry Wilkinson has voiced his opinion on negative reviews on a well know video sharing site and I found his attitude and acceptance so refreshing and entertaining. He acknowledges everyone has a right to voice an opinion whether that be positive or negative. This young man certainly has a future in writing and I look forward to discovering his back catalogue as well as reading future publications and observe him developing as an author. Many thanks to the good people at netgalley for sending me a gratis copy in exchange for an honest review and that is what I have written.

Olivia Adams went missing 13 years ago. The sleepy town of Stoneridge remains devastated by her loss, her parents marriage is left in tatters and the children at the junior school still repair her memorial. It's a complete mystery, nobody saw or heard anything. One minute she was there, the next minute gone, but now she's back... or is she?

The story is told from the perspective of Olivia herself and it is a very good example of an unreliable narrator. Red herrings are thrown in at every moment, is this girl really Olivia or someone else. Meanwhile we hear from Lily a teenage girl who's life spirals out of control when she is abused by a close family friend. How do the two girls link together? What is their story? How could it be possible for a mother to not know her own daughter? It wouldn't.



The story is climatic and gripping, I did work out what was going on early on but it was fun to watch the other characters scramble around trying to make sense of it. I must admit that the ending left me with a sort of feeling of injustice but also justice at the same time. I couldn't say that something was inherently wrong to stay hidden when something good was coming out of it for someone else. The lines between good and bad were very blurred in this novel. Overall I really enjoyed it!

A young woman has turned up in the cosy English village of Stoneridge claiming to be Olivia Adams who disappeared from her back garden when she was five years old.

Is she Olivia Adams or isn't she?.If she is - then where has she been for the last thirteen years and is she isn't - then why is she pretending to be the missing girl?.

Her mother is convinced that she is her missing daughter but not everyone is so sure.

There are those in the village who would rather Olivia stayed missing.The past is the past and some secrets must remain buried.

The chapters alternate between Olivia and another young girl called Lily.Olivia`s chapters are set in the present while Lily`s start in the past and work their way up to the present day.I enjoyed Olivia`s parts a lot more than I did Lily`s,there was more mystery and intregue in Olivia`s chapters.To be honest the changes in character point of view were frustrating at times because you would get to a really interesting part of Olivia`s story,turn the page and find that the next chapter or two would be about Lily.I honestly groaned out loud a couple of times and was so tempted to skim forward to the next Olivia chapter because I really wanted to know what happened next.

I really liked Olivia despite her faults,she could be really funny and witty at times.The villagers were a mixed bunch of believable,realistic characters,some likeable,some not so likeable.The author certainly likes writing about small communities where everyone knows everyone else's business and gossip spreads faster than the wind through the trees.

It's a well written thriller about families,secrets,lies and how far people will go to feel wanted and loved by others.It's not fast paced but it does have some intense,gripping chapters towards the end.Unfortunately I worked out what was going on quite early in the story but it didn't spoil my enjoyment of this book and I would happily read some more books by this author in the future.

Great book. Excellent storyline and brilliant main characters. I would recommend this book.

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