Unusual thriller mixed with local superstitions.Girls are disappearing,what is locked in Cassies mind? Complex characters,good story.

This, oddly, is s reprint from many years ago and I vaguely remembered the story as I was reading it. Slightly outdated and although it is set in the 70’s it actually reads as if it was written in that period. Not nearly as suspenseful as billed, although a quick fast read.

I think the author forgot to include the ending.

This was a quick read and I almost gave up at one point because it was taking a direction that appeared to be paranormal. I then read a review that addressed that and so I went back to reading.

I couldn't connect with the characters. The were like paper dolls, pretty but no depth.

Cassie: Her background story is muddled. There isn't any hint of what happened when her cousin disappeared. There is a LOT of reference to her adult psychiatric history but not very realistic. From what I know of schizophrenia it isn't brought on by a traumatic event. I could be wrong but it didn't feel believable. Nothing about her says she'd be a credible witness. She just kind of floats about like a marionette. I can't seem to put into words what I want to say about her. It's like she was being hand led through her own life.

Fergus: I didn't like him one bit. I couldn't determine if he really cared about Cassie's mental health or if he considered it an annoyance and wished she'd just get over it. I mean what kind of person forces someone to take a three day trip to revisit the place of the traumatic incident that supposedly caused her schizophrenia? That sounds like something her psychiatrist should have decided and been present for instead of being called in afterward.

Simon: What is this guy's problem? He's very intense and dramatic. He seems angry about everything once he finds out about Cassie's past and then suddenly he's happy as a clam about his wife's unexpected news. There isn't any background story on him and he and his wife are more like filler characters, completely unnecessary to the story/plot.

Anna: Cassie's best friend? She doesn't seem to know much about her for supposedly being her best friend. My best friends know just about everything there is to know about me because I trust them with even my darkest secrets past and present. I felt they barely knew each other at all. NONE of my best friends would even consider that I had anything to do with kidnapping a child! And why if they are best friends is Cassie not consistently on the phone updating her on what's going on with the case? Why isn't she calling or texting Cassie to see how she's doing? Instead she and her husband learn everything from newspaper headlines. Sorry but I don't think these two women are even friends. This woman and her intense hubby have absolutely no purpose in this story.

DI Mike: Really? I liked him but he seemed a little wishy washy for a detective. At one point he decides to just sleep over at the home of ex detective Tynan. It made sense at the time but later on a different visit Tynan asks, "Do you want to spend the night?" The question was awkward and didn't sound like something one man would say to another man that they had just met a week before, or maybe it was only days and I felt like it was a week.

The scenery descriptions need to be a bit fuller. Just not enough detail to enable me to see the image in my mind. Only the strip of Greenway was visible to me. and I could only picture it as two rows of tall hedges plopped out in the open going nowhere in either direction except up a hill to overlook thorny branches in a sea of tangles.

The end: I think the author may have forgotten to write it or include it. We find out who but we NEVER find out even one single why. It's as if the director called "Cut" and then everyone walked off set. I was very disappointed. I can't say much more without giving out spoilers and I never ever give spoilers if it can be avoided.

Overall I just didn't enjoy this book. I think the author gave a good effort but fell short of creating a "stunning thriller full of breathtaking twists".

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me a chance to read an advance copy of this book.

When searching for this book on Goodreads, I noticed that it's publication date was 1996. Just to make sure that it was not a mistake, I searched for it on Amazon and found the same thing. I don't know why there is a book on here from 1996, unless it is being re released, but it doesn't say that anywhere. I won't be finishing The Greenway right now. Not if it's been out since 1996 and does not require timely feedback.

This book had such a good premise, it just did not go anywhere. I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to be an early reader in exchange for my review.

A well-written retro, psychological suspense mystery set in Norfolk.

Cassie is the link between two disappearances of young girls. Her cousin Suzie in 1975 and Sara in 1995, whilst Cassie is revisiting the area after twenty years, as part of her mental health rehabilitation.

There is a multi-layered plot, which encompasses many themes; myths and legends, supernatural occurrences, crime, mental health and police procedural. Some of these are explored in detail, like the day to day police activity surrounding the missing child, others like the supernatural elements, and Cassie's mental state are hinted at but left to the reader's imagination to decide what to believe.

Mike Croft the SIO in the case is an interesting character, he has a tragic past, which threatens to impinge on his decision-making capacity in the case. John Tynan, a retired detective who was SIO on the previous missing girl case in 1975, sees the similarities between the two cases, and he supports Mike and his team with the new case. His involvement ties up the historical, and present day elements of the story in a realistic way.

The plot twists are good and the final resolution solves the mystery. Some questions remain but, this is intentional, making this an authentic story, as in real life not every aspect of a crime or mystery can be solved in entirety.

I like the retro ethos of the story, it adds to the plot's level of menace and the mystery. The complex characters, especially Cassie who is the unreliable protagonist in the story are believable.

Overall this fusion of genres works well and makes the story a compelling read.

I received a copy of this book from Joffe Books via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Is there such a thing as co-incidence? Twenty years ago, Suzie Ashmore, 12 years old, vanishes while playing with her cousin, Cassie, in the Greenway (a pathway between two fields lined with impenetrable hedge). The body was never found and the case never solved. Fast forward to present day when Cassie Maltham has returned to Norfolk to lay her demons to rest after being plagued with mental illness since the day her cousin vanished. While she and her husband, Fergus, are holidaying with two of their close friends, a 10-year-old girl named Sara Jane Cassidy goes missing.

DI Mike Croft, new to the area, is put in charge of the investigation and the detective who was on the Suzie Ashmore case joins even though he's been retired because he's been haunted by the fact that he never found Suzie. Together they sift through the old and new information trying to piece together events though complicated by the fact that Cassie is experiencing some trigger that results in her developing some strange behavior and dreams. It's all odd: "First, there's Cassie Maltham being here again. Two, there's the disappearance of a kid from the same place. Three, it happened at almost the same time of day and practically in full view of others...Four, the kids even look similar..Five, there's no logical way either child could have left the Greenway." Is there an answer to this puzzle?

Although this debut (republished from 1995) has received many superlative blurbs, I felt a little let down by the way the story is written and how it plays out. I'm not a huge fan of dream sequences and don't let me get started on repressed memories. I never really got a true feel for any of the characters and the narrative flow sometimes made it hard to follow logically. The ending was a bit of a bust as it felt rushed and indequate as far as explanation and detail. I didn't feel the paranormal vibe either. It is, however, a quick read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for the e-book ARC to read and review. I'm a fan of detective stories and mysteries, but don't know if I'd read another by this author.

Congratulations to Jane Adams a great story line! Murder and abduction spread over many years finally solved! The story keeps you guessing through many twists and turns to finally reach the climax

The Greenway By Jane Adams This is the first book I have read from this author and I really enjoyed it.
It's a psychological thriller with a great touch of supernatural added to it.

Back in August 1975, Cassie and her cousin Suzie are out playing and exploring the area around them. They both take a short cut to get home, through the Greenway which is an ancient pathway steeped in Norfolk legend. Whilst they where both walking back home Suzie who was twelve disappears.................

Twenty Years on.............Cassie is still tormented by that day her cousin disappeared and has blocked out her all of her memories of what happened so many years ago. Her Loving husband Fergus and their two close friends Anna and Simon go to Norfolk for a small break.
Cassie is determined to confront all her fears of that day with the help from her husband and close friends and hopefully finds out how and where Suzie is.

Whilst they are there another young girl goes missing.

Are the local Police going to find her in time?

Are they related to Suzie's disappearance twenty years ago?

I would like to thank NetGalley, Joffe Books and the author Jane Adams for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Review on Amazon UK and Goodreads.

I think this is one of the creepiest and oft disturbing psychological thrillers I’ve read in a while, one in which the author manages to keep it surface steady whilst letting the dark undertones sneak up on you.

Cassie is a fascinating character, whose mind plays tricks on her and whose dreams may hold the key to an age old mystery. But a new missing child overshadows Cassie’s attempts to heal.

This is a multi arc drama featuring police investigation and Cassie’s ongoing trauma . Jane Adams weaves a mystical and intriguing tale, where superstition and practicality collide, where the unexpected lurks and the finale may well play on the mind.

Clever. Great writing and layered characters.

Recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free ARC of this book. It did not influence my review.

This was a good draft of a book. Unfortunately, as a final draft, I just found it really lacking.

The premise itself is interesting, and the prologue pulled me in. But starting with be the first chapter, it was a very hard read. There was very little character development -- really, I found that I didn't know enough about any of the characters to care about what happened to them one way or another. And there were so many similes and metaphors and adjectives that developing the actual plot line was just very slow.

I did manage to finish it (although it took a lot longer than it should for the page count,) and it did pick up a bit in the last fifty or so pages, but it just took too long to get to that point.

After reading the blurb I was eager to start reading this book Unfortunately it didn't quite live up to my expectations and I found it quite hard going

I have to say that Joffe publishers are fast becoming one of my go to people for crime reads as I have yet to read book I didn't enjoy from them.

Twenty years ago Cassie's life is changed forever whilst playing on The Greenway with her cousin Suzie.  Cassie passed out and her cousin Suzie was never seen again.  With no memory of the events and the mystery never being solves, Cassie's life has been plagued by issues relating to this.  

Twenty years later and Cassie, her husband and their friends take a cottage break back to the area where Suzie disappeared in the hope of allowing Cassie to put her demons to rest.  Within days, history repeats itself and a little girl goes missing in exactly the same spot - making Cassie a prime suspect.  With no evidence or sightings, the conjecture of spiritual and magical forces surrounds the case.   DI Inspector Croft enlists the help of the detective from Suzie's case, John Tynan and determined to crack the case they hunt down every lead possible, regardless of how limited.  Can they crack this mysterious case?

The book is told from two perspectives. 

In the beginning, there is a heavy focus on Cassie and her friends, explaining her visit to The Greenway area and introducing all the psychological issues that she has been left with since her cousin's disappearance.  Alongside this we see Fergus (her husband) who seems to want to the best for her but comes across as a little forceful and controlling.  Cassie's begins to exhibit erratic and unexplained behaviour As the story moves on we visit with Cassie regularly to gather more pieces of the puzzle.  These chapters are what provides the psychological thriller aspect to the novel.  The setting is superbly described and there is always an eerie and sinister feel to the descriptions.  

The perspective of the investigation is told in a more matter-of-fact way making this book a perfect mixture of police procedural and psychological thriller.  We travel with DI Croft through the investigation and the piecing together of sparse information in order to solve this crime. 

I love the fact that you have no way of guessing the ending and what sets out as a crime story, develops into shocking twists and turns that you'll never see coming.

The author wrote a thriller that started with a bang and just kept going! The twists kept coming, so I couldn't put it down. I cannot wait to read more from this author!

A good mystery with interesting twists. The characters are well developed. The setting is written very vividly. There are plenty of surprises to keep the pacing going. At times I felt like I was reading a Dean Koontz book. The ending wasn't what I was expecting at all. A few things are left up in the air, but other than that it's a good read.

This was my first book by Jane Adams so I was unsure what to expect but I needn't have worried I was gripped from the very beginning.

Cassie returns to Norfolk to face her demons. Twenty years ago Cassie and Suzie were taking a shortcut home along The Greenway when Suzie disappeared. She was never found and Cassie has been tormented by her memories (or lack of them) and bullied by her mother, blamed by Suzie's parents she struggles mentally. Suzie was never found.

Now married to Fergus with Annie and Simon the 4 return to the area to try to lay the skeletons to rest but then another child, the splitting image of Suzie goes missing while playing on the Greenway ...

Is Cassie involved or just an innocent victim and is the supernatural playing a part in the disappearing children. A retired detective and DI Mike Croft are determined to solve this crime and find out what happened all those years ago.

This is a fast-paced psychological thriller that had me turning page after page as the mystery and intrigue increases along with the many twists and turns making this a very entangled story that kept me on the edge of my seat.

The characters are realistic, all with issues they are dealing with that brings a human touch to the complex characters that develop well into the story. The area is described with great skill in that I could envisage in my mind The Greenway and Tan's Hill.

An excellent read, I can't wait for the next in the series. 5 stars from me.

3 stars

I am not sure how I feel about this book. On one hand it was a good story; the idea was good and it flowed smoothly. On the other hand, however, it was a little confused. By that I mean the people in the story were confused. No one seemed to be very fleshed out or had much depth to them. The characters were superficial.

This book is a little police procedural, a little mystery and has some vague supernatural elements. The killer is however, very real and comes as somewhat of a surprise.

I want to thank Joffe Books and NetGalley or forwarding to me a copy of this book to read and review.

This book was published originally in 1995, and is now being repackaged and republished now. This is a crime thriller set in Norfolk, where in 1975, 10 year old Cassie and her cousin, 12 year old Suzie took a shortcut along an old ancient pathway, the Greenaway, the subject of local folklore and legend, Suzie disappeared, despite a well organised police search for her, and the case remains unsolved. Cassie suffered from lost memories and nightmares, and her mental health remains fragile. 2o years later, Cassie is married to Fergus, and determined to face up to her past as she and her husband, and friends Anna and Simon return to Norfolk. A young girl with an uncanny resemblance to Suzie goes missing at the Greenway. Once again the police launch a frenetic hunt for the missing girl, viewing Cassie as a possible suspect. A retired detective still remembers Suzie and is haunted by the failure to find her, and finds himself offering to help DI Mike Croft find the missing girl. There is an unevenness to the narrative and some of the characters feel markedly underdeveloped. Nevertheless, this is a entertaining and atmospheric crime fiction read,

Cassie is haunted by the disappearance of her cousin Susie, twenty years previously, and unable to remember what happened that day. In a bid to exorcise the ghosts of her past her husband Fergus takes her back to The Greenway.

Another child goes missing, who looks exactly like Suzie. Is it just a coincidence or something else? DI Mike Croft is tasked to investigate.

Having struggled with reading for the last couple of days it was nice to dive into a quick and easy read like this.

The Greenway is a creepy and haunting read with a storyline that really grabbed me from the very beginning.

I love a bit of the otherworldly stuff and I liked the way that folklore, like fairy hills and superstitions, were combined into the storyline giving that extra bit of atmosphere in the book.

I was expecting a psychological thriller but I felt it turned out to be more of a police procedural, which I’m not really annoyed about because Joffe do them so well, it’s just not what I was expecting.

I have to be honest, while the ending was a bit of a surprise, it fell a little flat for me. Also I love a book that highlights mental health but I felt like Cassie’s diagnosis of schizophrenia was more of plot device to explain away her odd behaviour and strange dreams more than anything else.

Overall The Greenway is a quick and atmospheric read with some good twists and turns and a touch of the supernatural.

Unfortunately, ‘The Greenway’ is a 3-star read.

I love a good fork lord, cold case story! And so the premise of ‘The Greenway’ was very appealing to me.

Synopsis: Twenty years ago, Suzie, Cassie’s cousin, disappeared while playing on the Greenway. Without closure or evidence, Suzie’s case remains unsolved and Cassie remains haunted. So, Cassie has decided to confront her fears and return back to Norfolk. Yet, as soon as she returns, another young girl has gone missing and Cassie is under suspicion. Does Cassie have something to do with these disappearances OR is the legend of the Greenway real?

Cool plot right? And for the most part, it was entertaining, but the character development was insufficient. Cassie was the most rounded character. You learn that she’s struggling with mental illness and that plays a heavy part in whether she can even believe her own testimony about these disappearances. But DI Croft was more a fluff character than the protagonist, which I found odd because there is a series stemming from his role.

Also, the writing wasn’t my particular favorite; it often felt like I was reading a stream of consciousness. And the character dialogue was very rigid/formal at times.

Also, for a fork lord story, the supernatural element wasn’t strong enough to be believable.