Member Reviews

I enjoyed listening to this book. I thought I had it all figured out... Not so much! The characters were likeable and I thought the author did a great job of keeping you on your toes!

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the advanced reader copy of this book

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Very suspenseful, loved the characters. Thought I had it figured out, but the author threw a twist in to my surprise. Will definitely read more by this author

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Wow! What a great story! I was hooked from the start. This story was full of twists that kept me on my toes. I loved the way the narrator distinguished between each character. I did not see that ending coming.

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This novel features a woman who is wrongly accused of a crime and is sent to prison. A dedicated crime journalist spends years investigating the case and conducting multiple interviews to uncover the truth. Eventually, she is able to identify the real killer. Although the investigative process and Sadie's involvement in the story were compelling, Jessy and her daughter's account fell short of capturing my attention. The book's synopsis failed to capture the essence of the actual story, leading it in a different direction.

Overall, I found the book to be satisfactory. The detective aspect of the story and how the murders were connected were enjoyable. However, the turning point in the plot involved too many characters, some of whom were not significant to the story and only added to the length of the novel.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the free advanced copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

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I really enjoyed this audiobook, which I downloaded from NetGalley and listened to in one day straight.

I felt really invested in finding out who killed Loren. Her best friend being wrongly found guilty and spending her entire teen years in prison was a great hook. I also really liked the way that the author ultimately brought our choice of real killer down to two people - that kept me guessing until close to the end.

Four out of five stars from me because I personally didn’t need quite as much exposition in the final chapters. However, I can see from other reviews that while some people feel the same way I do, others like the way the author explained and summarised everything.

Would definitely recommend this novel to anyone who isn’t going to be triggered by the subject of a child being murdered.

Three Word Review: teen years stolen.

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Thank you Bookouture Audio, NetGalley, author Elisabeth Carpenter and narrator Zoe Mills for a thrilling fast paced advanced copy of the audiobook. This book was hard to put down and I kept second guessing myself. Honestly I enjoyed it that much more because I love a great thriller that makes me keep guessing all the way to the end. When our heroine sees her daughter’s picture splashed across the news as a missing child and she is in fact in the next room she knows someone is digging into her past and this is a threat. So she takes her daughter and runs to her mother’s house only to have her worse dreams come true. Who is behind all of the intrigue? And even more concerning, can she find her daughter before it’s too late?
I highly recommend this book to anyone eager for a roller coaster of a book. You won’t regret reading this one🥰

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Quick and easy listen to this audio
Kept me going and listening with suspense with twists and turns

Thank you to Netgalley

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My first Elisabeth Carpenter book but not my last! Lots of fantastic characters that kept me flipping pages way past my bedtime. Great job with the red herrings, it was hard to know who to trust.
Thank you NetGalley, Elisabeth Carpenter and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this book.

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This is a devastating book that really makes you think and rethink your ideas. I was convinced I knew what was going on. I was so wrong. I bet I am not the only one. Some families are truly toxic

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I had high hopes for "The Girl on the News" by Elisabeth Carpenter, but unfortunately, the audiobook experience left me thoroughly disappointed. My one-star rating is not a reflection of the story itself, which seemed promising, but rather a critique of the narration by Zoe Mills.

Firstly, let me clarify that this review is not an indictment of the story's merits. The plot, with its intriguing mix of suspense and past mysteries, had the potential to be captivating. However, the breathy narration by Zoe Mills was a constant distraction that marred the entire experience.

From the very start, I found it challenging to immerse myself in the narrative due to the distracting quality of Mills' delivery. It felt as if she was perpetually out of breath, creating an atmosphere of discomfort rather than suspense. The pacing issues made it difficult to connect with the characters and fully appreciate the unfolding events.
I reached a point where I was tempted to abandon the audiobook entirely (DNF), but I decided to persevere by speeding up the playback and starting over. Unfortunately, even with these adjustments, the narration continued to be a hindrance. Mills' breathy tone persisted, making it a struggle to follow the plot coherently.

The need to constantly rewind and replay sections to comprehend the storyline was a frustrating experience. A good audiobook should enhance the enjoyment of a well-crafted tale, not hinder it. In this case, the narration became a barrier, preventing me from fully engaging with what could have been an otherwise enjoyable story.

In conclusion, "The Girl on the News" may have a compelling narrative, but the breathy and distracting narration by Zoe Mills severely diminishes its overall appeal. It's a regrettable situation where the delivery overshadows the content, leaving listeners grappling with an audiobook that falls short of its potential.

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Thank you NetGalley and publisher.

Wow! This book was good! It had me guessing the entire time. I had a grip on me and finished it in one sitting.

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I recently delved into Elisabeth Carpenter's gripping mystery, "The Girl on the News," and I must say, it's a rollercoaster of suspense and unexpected twists. My rating is a solid 4.5 stars, and here's why.

The narrative begins with a shocking headline that instantly grabs your attention: "Missing girl believed kidnapped." As a reader, my heart pounded in sync with the protagonist as she grappled with the unimaginable—her own daughter's photo accompanying the distressing news, despite the child being safe beside her. Carpenter weaves a story of a seemingly perfect life disrupted by the return of a troubling past.

The story centers on the protagonist, her husband, and their daughter Mia, whose kidnapping sets off a series of events that threaten to expose long-buried secrets. The writing seamlessly intertwines the complexities of the characters' lives, prompting the reader to question the motives behind the orchestrated chaos. What struck me the most was the contrast between a seemingly perfect life and the unresolved accusations, set against the backdrop of the protagonist's traumatic past. The author skillfully builds tension by unraveling the mysteries of both the present and the protagonist's history, keeping me guessing until the very end.

Thank you to NetGalley, Elisabeth Carpenter, and Bookouture Audio for the ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in exchange for my honest review. The book is set to be released on January 29, 2024.

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She was convicted of a crime she insists she didn't commit; Rosie did her time and has now rebuilt her life. She has a beautiful family of her own now. However, someone is threatening the safety of her child, and she doesn't know who to trust.

This is a well-written book that delivered the twists and turns it promised. Told in duo POVs, past and present, I enjoyed reading about little Rosie's life and the people in it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the free copy of the book.

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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This book had a lot going on and kept me guessing as to who was actually behind the murder of the young girls. This book was gripping and had me on the edge of my seat. The multiple perspectives and timelines really made the story more intriguing.

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The description of the book kinda threw me off a little. It gives the wrong idea on what the book is about and it spoils something that happens literally 88% into the book.
Overall though, I did enjoy it - it was more like a who did it book than anything. I really think the author could benefit from a description change because it gives too much away, yet somehow it gives the completely wrong idea on what the book is about as well as the title. It sounds like it willl be about a missing girl but it's more about finding a killer. I also didn't understand the point if Lizas character
Thanks to Netgalley and the author for the ARC

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When someone posts online about Jessie's daughter going missing, her life takes a turn as she is afraid that this will bring her past into light and everyone around her might know who she really is.
She thought her new life was perfect - a loving husband and a lovely daughter but someone seems to have targeted her again!

Can Jessie really trust those around her especially her family?
As always one more gripping book by Elisabeth Carpenter, the never ending surprises kept me listening to this audio ARC till the finish line!

Thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture Audio, Elisabeth Carpenter for approving the audio ARC in exchange for unbiased review.

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An enjoyable listen and well narrated however it was slow paced and somewhat predictable.
The characters were likeable but not necessarily believable.
A quick read but not enough substance to the story for me.
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for an arc in return for an honest review.

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This book was rather dull in the beginning but it began to pick up midway through. It was pretty easy to figure out halfway through the book. It was a quick read.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

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Jesse and Mark had built the perfect life together with their 4 year old daughter but Jesse’s world starts to spin out of control when there is a Facebook post saying her daughter is missing but nothing prepares Jesse for her daughter to actually go missing just a couple days later. Has Jesse’s past come back to haunt her?

Wow! This thriller had my biting my nails in anticipation as to what would happen next. Although the end was pretty much as I expected the ride getting there was full of excitement. Great additional to any thriller lover’s TBR pile.

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This thriller had a slow, rocky start but picked up steam around the halfway mark. It's heavily character driven, so if you enjoy keeping up with a long cast list, this one will be for you because there are a lot of them and a little hard to keep up with if you're not a fan of too many people in a book.

I highly recommend reading this rather than listening in audio because some parts can get a little muddled and confusing due to the narrator and some of the interview parts. Otherwise, it's a standard enjoyable whodunit.

**Thank you NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.**

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