Title: When You Find Me by P.J. Vernon
Publisher: Cooked Lane Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
For fans of S. J. Watson and A. S. A. Harrison, comes a chilling look at marriage and madness from a talented new voice in psychological suspense.
Her husband is missing.
Visiting her family’s South Carolina estate, socialite Gray Godfrey wakes from a night out to an empty bed. Her husband Paul is gone and a thrashing hangover has wiped her memory clean. At first, she’s relieved for the break from her tumultuous marriage; perhaps Paul just needed some space. But when his car is found abandoned on the highway, Gray must face the truth: Paul is gone. And Gray may not want him found.
Her life is unraveling.
When a stranger named Annie calls claiming to know Paul’s whereabouts, Gray reluctantly accepts her help. But this ally is not what she seems: soon Annie is sending frightening messages and revealing disturbing secrets only Gray could know. As Annie’s threats escalate and Gray’s grip on reality begins to slip, the life she thought she had and the dark truth she’s been living begin to merge, leaving an unsettling question: What does Annie want? And what will she do to get it?
A chilling look at marriage, madness, and the lives we think we lead, When You Find Me is a daring debut from a talented new voice in psychological suspense.
Review:
When You Find Me by P.J. Vernon is a chilling domestic mystery.
Gray Godfrey reluctantly agrees to spend Christmas with her family in South Carolina along with her husband, Paul. To shore up her courage, Gray begins drinking before their plane trip and ends up blackout drunk after she, her sister, Charlotte and Paul end up at a local bar after Christmas Eve services. Waking up on Christmas Day with a massive hangover, Gray has few memories of the evening before and she is rather stymied by Paul’s absence. She and Charlotte are in the midst of calling local hotels to locate Paul when Detective Nina Palmer informs them Paul’s rental car has been found abandoned on the highway. Gray has no idea what could have happened to Paul and the case takes a complicated turn when she receives mysterious voicemail messages from a woman named Annie. The investigation uncovers shocking information about Paul but are these revelations a motive for murder?
Gray is an alcoholic whose thoughts revolve around how she is going to get her next drink. Charlotte and their mother, Paula King, are well aware of her drinking problem and they have ensured she will have no access to alcohol at the family home. The invitation to a reunion at a local hangout is a godsend and Gray plots and schemes her way to downing as much booze as possible before Paul drags her home. Their departure is fraught with tension since Paul found her and a former friend-with-benefits in a scandalous clinch on the dance floor. This is the point where Gray’s memories go dark and she absolutely no idea how she got home or who helped her to bed.
Nina and her Aunt Tilda have a rather fraught history with King family. Nina is mostly successful as she tries to remain impartial throughout the investigation. She is diligent as she chases down leads and follows the scant clues she unearths. Nina has reason to fear for Gray’s safety when stunning information comes to light about Paul. She grows even more concerned when she finds out the King family’s darkest secret. But Nina is ill-prepared for the scene that awaits her once she learns the complete truth about Gray and her past.
When You Find Me is a twist-filled mystery that is quite riveting. The novel is tautly plotted and the storyline is clever and brilliantly executed. Gray is a surprisingly sympathetic character and her confusion about Paul’s whereabouts rings true. Nina is an excellent detective whose investigation into Paul’s disappearance is thorough despite a bit of a slow start. With breathless twists and dramatic turns, P.J. Vernon brings this intriguing mystery to a stunning but very satisfying conclusion. I absolutely loved and highly recommend this phenomenal mystery to fans of the genre.
