Finding Sophie by Imran Mahmood is the story of Sophie and her parents, Harry and Zara King. Zara and Harry’s lives have revolved around their 17 year old daughter, Sophie. Then Sophie disappears and nearly a year later her parents are both on trial for murder.
The storyline is quite complex and at times is very dark and grim. However, the more the reader delves into the story the more surprises are unraveled.
Highly recommended

Having read Imran's books before I was.invited by Bloomsbury to read and review this... It does not disappoint!
Harry and Zara are a married couple at breaking point, their daughter has gone missing and are both trying to deal with this in their own way. Unfortunately that means they are not talking properly to each other anymore. Both are school teachers and have taken extended leave in order to search as they don't believe the police are doing their job. They have been to all the neighbours and spoken to them, but one neighbour is in hiding and won't talk to.them which only increases their suspicions about his involvement in Sophies disappearance. The problem is Sophie has been missing for a while now and the .police are beginning to.suspect she may have been murdered... But with no leads they have no.idea where to.continue with the investigation.This is when Harry and Zara decide.to take matters into.their own hands, but just how far will they go.to.find their daughter alive or dead? There are so many twists in this and is wonderfully written told from both Zara and Harry's point of view. Will definitely be looking for more from Imran.
Many thanks to Bloomsbury and Netgalley for letting me read this novel.

This was such a powerful story and, as a parent, you could really empathise with the situation even when you could see the irrationality of it. The twists are spot on!

Harry and Zara are desperate to find their missing daughter, Sophie. They feel the police aren’t doing enough to find her so take matters into their own hands. Will they discover what has really happened?

This was my first book by this author and I will now be looking out for his other novels. The writing style is intelligent, powerful and entertaining. The story is told in alternating chapters by Harry and Zara. Both are written well and you really feel their emotion, obsession and desperation. The story also covers a court case and the legal sections are done brilliantly. The overall story was very tense and there were some great twists, as well as superb ending. This is one that I will be recommending! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

Finding Sophie is the latest book by Imran Mahmood and whilst it starts off slowly it does pick up pace in the second half of the book especially with the court scenes.

So overall a good read

Harry and Zara King are trapped in hell. Their only child, Sophie, left the house 6 weeks ago and vanished. Nobody has seen her, there are no leads and the investigation isn’t moving quickly enough. They become fixated on their reclusive neighbour, Herman at number 210. If he’s innocent why isn’t he willing to talk to them? And how far will Zara and Harry go in their quest to find their daughter?

This book was very slow to start, but as it picked up pace it was impossible to put down. With cleverly interwoven chapters spanning past and present, told by both Harry and Zara, the twists and turns were remarkable.

I wasn’t entirely sure that all elements of the book were accurate, but upon reading the author’s profession I’m convinced he knows more about the justice system than I do- however perhaps some of the more intricate points could have done with more explanation. I couldn’t understand why the police couldn’t just make Herman talk to them as part of their enquiries and I’m assuming there must be a legal reason rather than it being a (pretty vital) plot point. There were also parts of the courtroom chapters that I felt could have done with more explanation.

I very much enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading more by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy of this book.

This is a slow paced, in a good way, dark psychological thriller that explores the family dynamics of Harry, Zara and daughter Sophie King when 17 year old Sophie goes missing. Both parents are schoolteachers and have taken extended leave and have been doing their own investigations. Told from the POVs of Harry and Zara, with some 3rd person courtroom scenes, and in multiple timelines from before Sophie goes missing until after the court case. This was a compelling read throughout but particularly the second half of the book by which time Harry and Zara were broken.

Briefly, their marriage crumbling both parents are looking into Sophie’s disappearance. Having spoken to all neighbours they have increasingly become suspicious about the occupier of a house in their street who refuses to speak to them. Their actions become more and more ill-considered as time passes.

This is a very emotional situation and you can feel the increasing angst of the parents as the days since Sophie’s disappearance pass. I’m not a parent myself so the fact it brought my emotions to the surface says it all. The reflections of both parents on what went before is very insightful and you can begin to see things from Sophie’s POV. I found the courtroom scenes particularly interesting and the eventual outcome shocking. If you like your thrillers slow paced, emotional with some shocking twists and turns and some gradual and dramatic reveals this is one for you. Excellent read.

4-5 stars

School teachers, Harry and Zara King are distraught. Six weeks ago, their daughter Sophie leaves their house and hasn’t returned. They question everyone they can think of, the police have no leads, but one house catches their eye, number 210 in their own street. Why won’t John Douglas Herman answer when they knock? No matter how much they bang on the door, all that happens is a slight twitch of the dirty net curtains. This novel examines the question of how far you would be prepared go for your child.

This is my first Imran Mahmood read and it definitely won’t be my last as this is an impressive novel. It’s just the way I like my psychological mystery thrillers as there are multiple layers. It’s a character study and domestic drama woven in with the mystery of Sophie and a terrific courtroom thriller. The plot is so well thought out, packing in a number of punches from the emotional ones to gut wrenching shocks. It’s not a pacy novel because it’s thoughtful and thought provoking especially as much of it is reflections particularly by Zara, and this is what makes it so powerful. As a tigress mother, like most, I have no idea how far I’d be prepared to go, and thankfully I’ve never had to find out.

The characterisation is excellent. You feel the couples loss, the grief and pain emanates from the pages. It’s very raw and breaks your heart at times. Harry, though, is not as easy to like as Zara, though both become obsessed with John Herman, and that part of the storytelling is creative, but your heart sinks at the same time. Their parenting is not what you expect, their daughter is obviously to the forefront of their minds and so their reflections are very revealing. You find yourself in Sophie shoes and consider things from her perspective, although they learn things about her that definitely shock them. You do get a strong sense of Sophie‘s personality via Harry and Zara, who are drowning in emotions and it certainly takes its toll.

The mystery of Sophie gets deeper and deeper and the storytelling goes through many twist and turns. You have no idea what’s going on here and that makes for a suspenseful read. The courtroom scenes are so good as the prosecution and defence goes back-and-forth with it becoming extremely tense towards the end. I love how you have absolutely no idea who to root for with the author tantalising dangling that in front of you.

As the court case starts to simmer, boiling and ultimately burst into flames, it hangs on the notion of it. “better to let nine guilty men free, than have one innocent man hang”. These scenes are outstanding and you have no clue what will happen next. The ending is surprising I so don’t see that coming and kudos to the author as that’s a very good twist.

Overall, this is a tense, suspenseful and emotional rollercoaster of a read. Not only is this an absorbing and compelling novel it would make a terrific television miniseries.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Bloomsbury Publishing PLC for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

An absolutely brilliant, intriguing tale of parental grief at the sudden disappearance of their teenage daughter and the lengths they are prepared to go to to find her.

The plot is told from the individual view points of Zara and Harry. The police have no leads and don’t appear to be overly enthusiastic in finding the missing Sophie.

As time moves on Zara and Harry’s relationship is breaking down as they both deal with the mystery of Sophie’s disappearance and individually start conducting investigations of their own which lead them to have a cause for concern over a nearby inhabitant at number 210. Suspicions grow and events take a gripping turn and a brilliant courtroom drama unfolds.

I’ve read all of the books by this author and have equally loved them all. It’s always a pleasure to read these intelligently and cleverly plotted thrillers.

Imran is such a talented author and I am not sure how, but his books just get better and better. This is was a riveting read, an extraordinary story and a book you simply cannot put down. Bravo.

This is a compelling and immersive thriller that just drew me in and when I wasn’t reading it I was thinking about it a sure sign that it’s a great read. The story is of a missing girl Sophie and her parents trying to find her or what has happened to her and although a familiar one this book took it to another level it was so engrossing and as the story developed i found myself wondering what would I do in a similar situation. I think what makes the book is the superb writing and crafting of the story you really feel for these parents and the lengths they will go to trying to find some answers as to what has happened to Sophie.
It was a wonderfully satisfying read and very heartbreaking at times the characters were very real and the courtroom scenes at the end were gripping, a book I loved and many thanks to Imran Mahmood for another terrific 5 star read.
My thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) Raven Books for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was both suspenseful and heartbreaking .
The parents of missing girl Sophie are at their wits end trying to find out what happened to her .
After eliminating all other possibilities -they have narrowed it down to a house not far away from where they live
But how do they go about proving it ??
Really well written-I loved it

Thankyou NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review

Imran Mahmood never disappoints, as always a fab thriller with lots of twists and an ending I didn't see coming! So easy to read (other than the formatting) and that made for an enjoyable storyline that I needed to finish to see what happened. Can't wait to read more from Imran Mahmood

This was quite an intense thriller of parents on a journey of finding their missing child. When I started reading i thought i had read this story before but then it all changed. In parts, I don’t know if the story felt believable. It wasn’t a page turner but it was an overall good read. I enjoyed switching from the courtroom drama to previous day. My first book by this author but i would read another.

Thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing plc and NetGalley for allowing me an advanced copy to read in exchange for my open and honest review. As always, my reviews will also be posted on Amazon, Goodreads and Waterstones and interaction on Facebook and instagram where possible.

This was a well written , slow burn, psychological thriller, however, I found it quite a grim read. I felt the book was affecting my mood when reading.

Harry and Zara are teachers whose life revolves around their 17 year old daughter Sophie. When she goes missing their world implodes. The book opens when Sophie has been missing for several week. Harry and Zara are falling apart in very different ways while both doing everything they can to find their daughter. The book switches back and forth from both of their perspectives and also to a year ahead where they are both being tried for murder.

It’s a well told story. Each character is fully developed and their marriage also comes under the spotlight as they struggle with their loss.

Maybe it’s because I have a daughter the same age or maybe it’s because it’s such a dark subject matter but i did struggle for the first half of this book. The pace picked up in the second half and I particularly enjoyed the trial/ courtroom scenes and the clever way that came together.

I’ve no fault with any of the book and perhaps it was my mood when reading but I didn’t enjoy this one yet fully appreciated its twists , storyline and character development. I can see why others will love it.

3-3.5 stars from me.

Harry and Zara are worried parents. Their seventeen year old daughter, Sophie has disappeared. They both try everything they can to find here, canvassing the local neighbourhood and contacting her friends and trawl through her social media. But there is no trace of her. One neighbour in particular comes to their attention and soon, they focus their energies on trying to talk to him and gain entry to his house as they become convinced he had something to do with Sophie’s disappearance….the story builds with the back drop of a court case, but who is in the dock and crucially where is Sophie? Imran Mahmood has once again, excelled and crafted a wonderfully empathetic tale that balances between hope and despair. A truly visceral story that explores the lengths a parent will go to for their child. Finding Sophie will be the guaranteed hit for 2024. Keep them coming Imran!

An incredible immersive insight into how far grief can drive ordinary people. Hauntingly heartbreaking, bordering on poetic at times, it’s the kind of book that stays with you long after the last page

When your child is missing, how far do you go to get her back? Especially if the police is not doing anything, and your neighbor is more and more suspicious each day?

That is the main focus in this book and something that I really loved reading about. Imran Mahmood knows how to weave a good story and I can highly recommend this!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read 'Finding Sophie' by Imran Mahmood in exchange for an honest review.

The novel delves into the heart-wrenching journey of two parents who, as teachers, desperately seek their missing daughter. The story touches upon a somber subject as a young girl falls victim to grooming, and the narrative quickly reveals the ominous aftermath. While the pacing was a bit sluggish in certain parts, I found the portrayal of the two main characters, who are teachers and pillars of the community, somewhat inconsistent with their actions even under such dire circumstances. Nevertheless, the book offered engaging twists and dramatic moments, making it a worthwhile read for those seeking both entertainment and suspense.

I always like reading Imran Mahmood's books are they are a fresh take on the psychological thriller. "Finding Sophie" is no exception. Told from alternating points of view, you get to see what happened to Sophie and how her parents deal with her loss in different ways. Very cleverly done and keeps you on your toes.