Member Reviews
Another very solid effort from one of the better contemporary exponents of suspense fiction. Recommended.
Wow! This kept you going and page turning! Loved the story, never saw the end coming. Lots of twists and turns. Mr. Mofina is a great writer, love all his books. This one will not disappoint!
A family of four is traveling from California to Pennsylvania by recreational vehicle so they can enjoy the sights along the way. The family is making this trip due to the father getting a better job although mom and 14 year old daughter Riley are not happy about the move especially Riley who had to break up with her boyfriend and leave her best friends behind. The family stops for a break in Nevada at one of the biggest truck stops in the US when Riley disappears. How could this happen to their beloved daughter? When the police come out they place the whole family under suspicion while searching the desert and any camera videos that may have seen the teenager. Friends of the family fly and drive out to the truck stop to help in the search for Riley. As the investigation gets underway detectives find out this family is keeping many secrets and they will leave no stone unturned until they get the full truth from each family member while time continues to pass and leaves the less likelihood that Riley will be found alive. What happened to Riley?
This was another terrific book by Rick Mofina. I really enjoy this author's style of writing and can't wait to read more of his books. This is a fast page-turner with a lot of suspense and mystery. There were so many twists and turns which I loved and I would just catch my breath and Wham, another chilling twist pops up. This was a hard book to put down since there was so much happening from start to finish. There were so many suspects in this story exe boyfriends to peodifiles. The story would lead me one way and then take a quick turn in a different direction where I didn't see the ending happening the way it actually concluded. I love when I don't have a book completely figured out. (Great fun). This is not a light or cheery book by any means.
There were two things that bothered me about the story first: Why do mothers let their fourteen year old daughters date or have boyfriends because this will always be a recipe for trouble. I liked the fact the author wrote that in the book because sadly, it is a fact in real life that many parents let their daughters date way too young. The other part that bothered me was the pandemic was mentioned once or twice but I couldn't figure out if this book was written when the viral crisis was over in the future or just overlooked because there wasn't any mention of masks or social distancing so I felt it should have just been excluded from the story. (Just my own opinion) This did not take away any of the fantastic story! Any mystery, suspense or thriller lover should really give this book a try. You won't be disappointed!
I want to thank the publisher "Joffe" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this terrific domestic thriller and any thoughts and opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given this fantastic thriller 4 Terrifying 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Stars!!
Search For Her by Rick Mofina is his latest standalone thriller to be released. It is set in the U.S. and revolves around a family who are on a road trip to start a new life and everyone's worst nightmare happens.
Travelling in a rented RV Grace and John decide to stop at the services, with Riley, Grace's daughter staying in the vehicle. They set back of only to discover she isn't with them, although Blake, Riley's stepbrother had said she was there! They return to the services but there is no sign of her. The search begins, with friends and family travelling to help in the search and a police investigation becomes one that unearths secrets that they are all keeping from each other, fracturing the image of the perfect family they seem to be. Turning into a race against time to find Riley.
An intriguing plot with plenty of twists and red herrings. There is plenty of drama with the highly emotional base to the story. The race against time increases the tension to the point that I couldn't put the book down. If you enjoy a thriller that just showcases the darker side of families and the secrets they keep, this could be for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for the copy of the book so I could write this book.
I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review -
I swear every book I read is Mofina's best and then he puts out another best!!!! I love his books!!
When a family decides to move - they rent and Rv and head out after their going away party. Mom wanting the family to bond and have family times locks up the kids phones. Riley is upset and heads back to bed. When they stop at the truck stop Riley is still asleep - so once again they take off - - - and then - - they discover Riley missing - They head back to the truck stop - no Riley - Did she run away ? Was she abducted? As they begin to search for her secrets are uncovered - - everyone has something to hide. Will they find Riley in time? Grab this book for a great read!!!
Two families broken by tragedies set off for a fresh start together but on the way events take a turn for the worst, past mistakes and secrets start to unravel setting up a fast paced and dramatic story that rattles along and keeps you guessing to the last few pages. It’s complex but highly engaging and I will be checking out more by this author.
Note: I received a digital Advanced Reader Copy of Rick Mofina’s “ Search for Her” from Net Galley. My thanks to the author, publisher and Net Galley .
Begin with a common theme for a thriller: a family traveling across country stops at an interstate service plaza, then drives away without a child. Then add a cascading flow of clues and complications among the family members. Season with a talented writer who knows how to turn up the heat and you have “ Search For Her.” Yes, I read it in one sitting; yes, I couldn’t put it down. Yes, it is a very good book.
The Jarrett family is traveling in a rented mobile home from California to Pittsburgh where the father has a new, better-paying job waiting. John and his wife, Grace, are looking forward to a fresh start, but their children, Riley, Grace’s daughter, and Blake, John’s son ( it a “ blended family) not so much. In fact, 15 year old Riley is sulking mightily because she has left her boy friend behind, and Blake is not that happy either. After a spat over neither child interacting with the family , Mom takes their phones and locks them in the glove box, which results in Riley locking herself in a bedroom . Thinking that cool down is needed, the family stops for a break at a travel plaza. Pouting Riley stays behind in the van. When the three return, they start off, only to find a few miles later that Riley is gone.
For most writers that would be enough to build a story on, but when the police are called in they uncover a lot of family secrets that drive the investigation relentlessly forward into new, and dangerous areas. As the story develops, the story becomes part police procedural and part human drama. Mr Mofina slowly, teasingly gives us insights into the characters as the investigation goes deeper into their lives . The police discover things that make them question exactly what is going on in the Jarrett family. The reader finds himself beginning to wonder if anything we thought about this family is true. By the last chapter, the ending may ,at first ,
seem too inevitable, but as I thought it over, it became entirely satisfying considering everything that happened.
“ Search for Her” is a thriller to enjoy. I will not spoil it for you. I simply recommend that you read it. Mr. Mofina has penned another winner.
Content warnings: nothing objectionable as to either sex or violence.
Wow this is an intense page turner! This is my first book by the author and will won’t be my last! At a truck stop near Las Vegas, fourteen-year-old Riley Jarrett vanishes from her family’s RV, turning their cross-country dream of starting over into a nightmare. Investigators have their work cut out for them. The massive, bustling truck plaza in the desert is the perfect place for someone to disappear or be taken.
Detectives pursue every chilling lead as all eyes fall to the newly blended family with a tragic past. With the clock ticking down on the likelihood that Riley’s alive, suspicions run deep. Everyone from Riley’s mom to her stepdad to her stepbrother and her ex-boyfriend—has something to hide. And their secrets could prove deadly. Thank you to NetGalley, Mir, and the author for a gifted copy. This is my honest review.
What happened to Riley Jarrett?
Riley is traveling across country with her new blended family. Her step father has a job opportunity out East. Looking for a new start for the family Riley’s mom agrees to make the trip in an RV hoping to bring this family closer together by the end of their journey. Everyone seems happy about it…except Riley.
It doesn’t take long before Riley, in typical teenage fashion, gets upset and retreats to the back of the RV for some space from everyone. When the family stops at the enormous truck stop outside Las Vegas, they leave Riley to sleep off her tantrum while they all stretch their legs and pick up a few snacks for the next leg of the trip.
It’s all going according to plan until they realize Riley is no longer in the RV. From this point it is a race against time to find Riley.
The pages just flew by as I devoured this book in only a few sittings! I felt like I was also in the hunt for Riley! Everyone is a suspect and of course everyone has something to hide!
I have been a longtime fan of Rick Mofina and I’m sure I have read every book he has put out! He remains one of my favorite authors and I am always looking – and impatiently waiting for his next release.
Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for an ARC to read and review.
I loved Search For Her. It grabbed me straight away and was fast paced and full of action so it kept my interest throughout.
Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for my copy.
Cell phones and texting have altered interactions between individuals in the family. Grace finally grabs the cell phones and locks them in the glove compartment on the cross country trip east. Both her daughter and step-son Blake are left without a way to communicate with their friends. Riley goes to the bed in the back of a rented motorhome and decides to take a nap rather than stay with her family.
Stopping at a roadside truck stop they go in to get a few items for the trip and use the restrooms. They let Riley nap on the back bed and are gone for twenty minutes. When they return to the vehicle, they are assured that Riley is still in the back by her step-brother. But he has lied. Twenty minutes later they realize that Riley was left at the truck stop.
Rick Mofina begins a tale of a frantic search and a number of plot twists. As you read his tale you feel fairly certain that you know who the culprit is. The problem is that neither Riley, nor her body, have been found.
This narrative would be a very good read for anyone studying criminal justice. Following your gut on who the culprit is leads to false conclusions. Evidence is the only answer in solving the disappearance. Can Riley be found in time? Why did she disappear so quickly? Was she abducted? You will have to read the book to get to the conclusion. The way the authors ends the tale is a stunner you won’t believe. Enjoy! 5 stars - CE Williams
This was an interesting story about a teenage girl who went missing. It was somewhat interesting, but not quite as exciting as proclaimed. It kind of lost me when too many unimportant characters were introduced.
This guy never lets me down! I love Rick Mofina! Search for Her is no exception! Non-stop twists and turns centering around teenage Riley, who goes missing during a family vacation. LOTS of characters, so I had to step it up! I raced through and was rewarded. Thanks again, Mr. Mofina!!
Thank you to #NetGalley, Rick Mofina and Joffe Books for this ARC!
<b>Thank you to NetGalley, Rick Mofina and Jaffe Books, who gave me a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.</b>
My first work by Rick Mofina, this was an action-packed missing person case that grabbed me from the start and didn’t let up. The authenticity of the descriptions of the police investigation really shone through which made the story and it setting all the more believable.
And what a story it was. I’ve read quite a few of this missing person type books over the years and in a lot of cases you can predict quite early on how the plot is going to unfold. Not in this case though, I can’t remember the last book I read that had so many twists and turns to its plot, or an ending as surprising as this one.
Kudos to the author, I will certainly be checking out some of his earlier works based on this book
This was a whirlwind of a book with more twists, turns and drama that one could keep track of. It was nearly too much and the number of characters in the story slightly distracted from the action. Still, I was riveted by the story of a blended family taking a road trip across California and Nevada, on their way to Pennsylvania, whose daughter goes missing after a stop at a truck stop.
This was a well-researched novel and you really got a sense og the sheer number of people and resources that can go into searching for a missing person. Kudos to the author for putting together a thrilling book that brings all the pieces of the story in a cohesive manner. I read this in one sitting and would definitely recommend this book.
Thank you to Joffe Books and NetGalley for an advance copy. You won't regret picking this book up!
Rick Mofina is one of my favorite writers and Search For Her did not disappoint me. Fast-paced and twisty plot lines kept me turning page after page.
Thank you NetGalley, Rick Mofina for the ARC
Rick Mofina writes a fast paced and disturbing thriller with plenty of twists and turns about a family's move from San Diego, California to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a trip in a rented van that turns into a nightmare. 14 year old Riley had been unhappy about the move as it meant leaving behind all her friends and boyfriend. When her family stop at the enormous truck stop in the Nevada desert, she goes missing. Unfortunately however, they do not realise she is gone until a little time later, and in their efforts to return, end up having an accident that further delays their return to the truck stop. This is a blended family where Riley's mom, Grace and her stepfather, John Marshall, have each endured separate tragedies, and when John is offered a job in Pittsburgh, they are offered the opportunity to start again. Everyone in the family is harbouring secrets, even Riley's older stepbrother, Blake. What happened to Riley? Detectives pursue several paths in this entertaining thriller where nothing and no-one is as they appear..
This book grabbed me from the beginning and never let me go.
It was a non-stop thrill ride, full of surprise revelations.
It kept me guessing until the end.
Thank you, Netgalley, for the opportunity to read this book.
Grace Jarrett and her husband John Marshall are moving across the country to start a brand new life with their blended family, Grace's 14 Yr old daughter Riley and John's 18 year old son Blake. The family have previously experienced loss, heartache and tragedy as Grace and John's previous spouses have died in tragic accidents. The family decide to move from San Diego to Pittsburgh, where John has a new job. Riley isn't happy about the move as it means leaving her boyfriend Caleb and friends behind. On the way to their new start, they stop at a truck stop. Riley is asleep in the back of their RV and the others decide to go and have a look around, leaving Riley in the RV. After leaving the truck stop and moving on in their journey it soon becomes apparent that Riley is not with them. John, Grace and Blake head back to the truck stop to find her and thus begins the 'Search for Her'.
During the story the police and family try to uncover what has happened. It was well written, like a timeline from a police procedure, as well as insights into the family's past. A fast paced enjoyable thriller that you just wanted to keep going with. It had plenty of twists. Told through different characters who all had their own secrets to tell. It becomes more intriguing as it goes on with the story interlaced with suspicion, drugs, debts, jealously and family drama. Kept me guessing to the very end as to who was the person involved. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thrillers with a twist.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Rating 3.5 Stars
A family move from San Diego to Pennsylvania turns into tragedy in the state of Nevada when their fourteen year old daughter Riley turns up missing at one Nevada's largest truck stops. A blended family with secrets coming from past tragedies. The parents are in a panic mode and the authorities search all avenues of the families past. One of the strengths of this read is how the authorities follow the evidence and look to the family for clues. Was Riley a runaway? Was another crime involved such as drugs? Was it a sex trafficking crime? Each of the 5 days brings suspense with more clues and suspects which unravels the family. Will they make it as a family?
I have to say I had a love/hate relationship with the plot. The ending was not a surprise however, how it played was too convenient. Character development may have caused the plot to waver for me. A fast read just wanted a little bit more.
A special thank you to Joffe Books and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.