Here One Minute by Alex Lake is a compelling psychological thriller that hooks readers from the first page with its suspenseful and emotionally charged premise. The story centers on the sudden disappearance of a young child, who vanishes in the blink of an eye, leaving the family devastated and the community in shock.

Alex Lake skillfully weaves a gripping narrative that alternates between different perspectives, allowing readers to explore the emotional turmoil of the parents, the investigation by law enforcement, and the unsettling presence of the kidnapper. The shifts in viewpoint create a dynamic reading experience, keeping readers guessing about the motivations behind the kidnapping and the fate of the missing child.

One of the novel’s strengths lies in its exploration of fear and guilt. The parents, particularly the mother, are portrayed with raw vulnerability as they navigate the psychological trauma of losing a child. Lake delves into the complexities of grief and how the fear of judgment from others can complicate an already unbearable situation. The portrayal of parental anxiety feels authentic and relatable, adding emotional weight to the thriller’s tense atmosphere.

The pacing is brisk, and Lake does an excellent job of maintaining suspense throughout the novel. Every chapter ends with a cliffhanger or revelation that urges the reader to keep going. The twists and turns are well-executed, with several surprising developments that keep the plot unpredictable. However, some of the plot twists, while shocking, may feel a bit far-fetched, testing the limits of believability.

Character development is strong, particularly in the depiction of the mother’s emotional journey. Her feelings of helplessness, rage, and despair are palpable, and readers will find themselves deeply invested in her quest to find her child. The secondary characters, such as the investigators, are less developed, but they serve their purpose in advancing the plot and heightening the tension.

While Here One Minute offers a gripping and emotional ride, some readers might find the resolution a bit rushed. The final revelations come quickly, and while satisfying, they may leave readers wishing for more exploration of certain psychological themes and character motivations.

Overall, Here One Minute is a solid thriller that explores the terrifying reality of a child’s abduction and the psychological toll it takes on a family. Alex Lake masterfully builds tension and delivers a few powerful surprises along the way. Fans of psychological suspense will find this a page-turner that keeps them on edge until the very end.

Rating: 4/5

It’s really refreshing to read a thriller which isn’t overtly gruesome!

Anna’s stepmother, Willow is awaiting her arrival at the airport. When she doesn’t turn up and police begin to investigate, a series of family secrets unfold. The story really picked up the pace towards the end and there were plenty of twists I hadn’t expected.

I enjoyed Here One Minute, it’s the second book I’ve read by Alex Lake but this had quite a different feel to the first. I look forward to reading After Anna next!

3.5 ⭐️

LIGHTENING DOESN’T STRIKE TWICE DOES IT!?

A teenager vanishes at an airport… There isn’t a single sighting on CCTV!!!!

This mystery thriller completely drew me in… &had the edge of an action packed movie! An original story line with twists &turns.

The ending was slightly rushed for me &I struggled to empathise with the characters (they weren’t quite developed enough for me). I have to say Final Call is still my favourite book by Alex.

Perfect for those who enjoy:
- Mystery’s
- Suspenseful thrillers
- Original storylines

With thanks to Harper Collins Netgalley for an ARC copy in return for an honest review.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I have enjoyed all of the booked that this author has written and this was no exception. The storyline was great as was the characters and had me hooked from the first page

I started off enjoying this book until about 50% then I began to lose interest in the storyline.

It all became a bit boring for me and the continued use of the F word just began to spoil it personally.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK for this ARC.

I absolutely loved this book, it had me hooked from the very start and felt like I was watching a super fast paced action movie! This book gives a whole new take on "pager turner" If I could give it more than 5 stars I sure would, highly recommended for those thriller lovers out there.

I really enjoyed this book which was unlike my usual reading. I felt that even when I could see what must have happened that there were unexpected events and I had to piece together slowly with new information.

15 year old Anna gets on a plane in London to visit her father in Manchester, and fails to arrive. CCTV gives no indication of where she might be, and since she was abducted by her grandparent once before, her parents are very worried indeed.

Things do not improve when Anna's half brother Oakley also mysteriously disappears, and both the mothers are frantic to find their missing children.

The story is fast-paced and easy to read, but the characters don't always feel convincing, and the attempts to throw the reader off the trail are sometimes a little transparent. Nevertheless, Alex Lake is an entertaining writer, and this book is no exception. Most of the fan base will likely enjoy it. It gets 3.5 stars.

This had the promise of a good mystery but it just failed to deliver. The characterisation seemed a bit stilted, especially Anna and I failed to empathise with both mothers of kidnapped children. There was a lot of unnecessary dialogue and the plotting was unbelievable, the ending was rushed and there were a lot of unanswered questions which left me feeling disappointed. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review. I’m a big fan of Alex Lake and his style of writing so I was eager to start this new book. I found it to be a very fast paced and engaging thriller that I had to keep reading to find out what on earth was happening! Really good characters and interesting plot with a multitude of twists. Highly recommended.

I always enjoy Alex Lakes books and this was no exception.

Whilst 'After Anna' acts as an introduction to the storyline this can happily be read as a standalone novel.

Characterisation is on the whole very good, just how vapid Willow is beggers belief. I didn't really gel with the characters although I couldn't really say why.

The pace of the story keeps your interest as you wait for the next twist and turn. There are a couple of areas where I thought 'hmm, really' but not enough to detract from the book as a whole.

I look forward to reading the couple of previous books I've previously missed from this author too.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the advance review copy of this novel.

It was an interesting premise which didn’t quite deliver its potential. Plenty of twists but I guessed the partner early on so that was a bit of a disappointment.. I would definitely read another book by this author. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

Alex Lake is one of my favourite authors. I have read every single book and will continue to devour them as they are released.

Alex Lake has a very special kill to draw you in to every single page. Here One Minute is no different. He captivates you with his writing and wills you to read just ONE more chapter to find out what happens next.

I liked the characters in this book. Anna was feisty when she needed to be. I found myself really confused but also routing for her. To find out how someone just vanished into thin air was crazy to read through.

I can't wait for another fantastic book

This storyline had me on the edge of my seat for quite some time as I and the police tried to understand how teenager Anna disappears. Anna gets on a flight at Heathrow Airport to visit her Dad but after landing at Manchester she is nowhere to be found even CCTV draws a blank.
What makes this book even more intriguing is that her grandmother Edna kidnapped Anna 10 years previously, so her parents are distraught.
This book had plenty of mysteries to solve which added to the tension I felt throughout.
My thanks to Net Galley and publishers Harper Collins for the advanced digital copy of this book.

3* Clumsy over-emphasis on 2-3 red herring-type characters and an incompetent cop who doesn't even think to compare numbers, makes this pretty transparent. And Anna's motives require considerable suspension of disbelief.

This is my first book by this author, and it's well written and readable. But, there's quite a lot of waffle meant to detract, I think, from a barely believable plot, especially given the events that become apparent, started by the same perpetrator in the previous book. I mean, how could the dad be so naive to take things at remote value? How could Anna have lived through her previous trauma at an age where she'd not fully forget it or be unaffected by it and still...?

The ending was rushed and again something was taken at remote value, not dotted and ticked/crossed to death, pun intentional, and ugh, it sounds like there could be potential for book 3, but if so, for me, that doesn't bear reading because this family would officially be classed as TSTL.

ARC courtesy of Harper Collins and NetGalley for my reading pleasure.

This is an excellent book about a dysfunctional family, full of twists and with a great premise. It starts off with a bang, featuring Anna, a fifteen-year-old girl who goes missing at Manchester airport. Shortly afterwards, her younger half-brother, Oakley, also disappears. And so begins the roller coaster hunt for the truth which weaves back through time and the complex family dynamics. There are plenty of unpleasant characters in this novel and although as a seasoned thriller reader, I worked out who ‘did’ it, that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book. Thoroughly recommend.

Thank you to Alex Lake, Harper Collins and Netgalley for my advance copy.

Another absolutely gripping read from Alex. Being from the North West I always enjoy Alex’s nods to the region and this was no exception.

A teenage girl gets on a flight to Manchester Airport and disembarks before vanishing into thin air. Her mother, father and stepmother are frantic but worse news is to come when Anna’s 6 year old half brother also disappears…..

Could not put this book down. Fans of Alex Lake will it be disappointed and if you haven’t read a book by this author yet, then please do!

A mystery thriller that hooks you with an intriguing premise but leaves you with more questions than answers. The story begins with Anna, a 15-year-old girl who mysteriously vanishes after being seen exiting a plane, walking into a restroom, and then seemingly disappearing into thin air. This isn't the first time Anna has gone missing—ten years ago, she was kidnapped by her own grandmother. The plot thickens when, at the same time Anna goes missing, her 6-year-old half-brother Oakley also vanishes after his mother arrives late to pick him up from football practice. Is it a coincidence, or is there something more sinister at play?

The author crafts a narrative full of twists, turns, and suspense as we follow this dysfunctional family grappling with their own secrets while trying to assist the police in solving the kidnappings. However, despite the compelling setup, the novel struggles to deliver on its promise.

While the mystery is intriguing, the story is bogged down by too many red herrings and an abundance of meaningless dialogue, which makes it difficult to stay invested in the characters. The plot twists, rather than heightening the tension, often feel forced and confusing. In the end, Here One Minute had the potential to be a gripping thriller but ultimately left me feeling underwhelmed and disconnected.

Good book, I loved the idea and it kept me guessing and coming up with theories ,most of which were completely wrong ! I liked the short chapters, and it fairly whizzed along. I enjoyed reading it. Good characters, and a great plot.

With many thanks to Netgalley for this free arc and I am leaving this unbiased review voluntarily.
This is a tense, fast paced story with some great characters. Well written with short, clearly defined chapters giving the book a nice flow. Thought I had it worked out but Alex Lake had me well and truly thwarted. An easy and enjoyable read