Review: Bring Her Home by David Bell

Title:Bring Her Home

Author:David Bell

Published:July 2017, Berkley Books

Format:ARC E-copy, 464 pages 

Source:Netgalley via Publisher

In the breathtaking new thriller from David Bell, bestselling author of Since She Went Away and Somebody I Used to Know, the fate of two missing teenage girls becomes a father’s worst nightmare….

Just a year and a half after the tragic death of his wife, Bill Price’s
fifteen-year-old daughter, Summer, and her best friend, Haley,
disappear. Days later, the girls are found in a city park. Haley is dead
at the scene, while Summer is left beaten beyond recognition and
clinging to life.

As Bill holds vigil over Summer’s bandaged body, the only sound the unconscious girl can make is one cryptic and chilling word: No.
And the more time Bill spends with Summer, the more he wonders what
happened to her. Or if the injured girl in the hospital bed is really
his daughter at all.

When troubling new questions about Summer’s
life surface, Bill is not prepared for the aftershocks. He’ll soon
discover that both the living and the dead have secrets. And that
searching for the truth will tear open old wounds that pierce straight
to the heart of his family…

My thoughts:This is the second book I’ve read now by David Bell and the second book I’ve loved! He is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine – one I know I can rely on for a good mystery that will keep me engaged and hooked from start to finish with a unique story line and fresh, compelling characters. 

This latest book from David Bell was without a doubt one of the best books I’ve read in a while in that it was uniquely written from the father’s point of view and only told from his point of view. There were no other view points. Don’t get me wrong – we still meet a whole cast of characters – just all from Bill’s point of view – and this is just brilliant. It just makes sense as you read it. You feel his pain as he learns that his daughter is missing and then all that comes after. It’s palpable…it’s painful…it’s raw…it’s heartbreaking. You feel his grief, you feel his anger,  you feel all his emotions as he deals with everything.

This book slowly pulls you in right from the start and doesn’t let up until the very end. It’s a roller coaster of a ride, believe me, as there are quite a few shocking twists that occur. And with the short chapters, you find yourself saying – oh just one more chapter, until you are at the end. 

For the most part, this story is told linearly – it moves forward with little of the story going back in time. That’s a bit refreshing for me, for as much as I do like dual narratives, it’s nice to read a story that is just told straight forward! 

I cannot wait to read more of David Bell’s novels. I do have a few of his back list that I plan to read soon and of course, I will be anxiously awaiting his next novel…he is definitely on my auto-read list!!!