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julie_hastings's review
5.0
I can't say enough how much I love Carol Wyer's writing. Just when I think a story can't be even more twisted and thrilling she shows me that it absolutely can.
The third installment to the Natalie Ward series was a roller coaster ride. The team discovers a girls body next to a pile a garbage with no clue as to who could have done this. There is no DNA, there is no fibers, no evidence to even give a partial headway to the investigation. All they find is that she was on a site to complete a DARE. As they become quickly frustrated on the absence of clues another teenage girl goes missing.
Quickly they find the second teenager, the same as the first. Near rubbage that is close to home with no evidence or clues. The mothers and fathers in the story have no idea what their teenage daughters are up to and doing in their spare time. One thing that connects them all is a website to complete a new DARE.
I love that Wyer provides flashbacks into the killers life. It really sheds light on who they are inside and what makes them a monster. I was very quick to guess who the culprit was and ended up being correct. Twisted to say the least and very uncomfortable. But when Natalie's daughter winds up missing that is when I about puked.
Now, I won't tell you how it's ends for Natalie's daughter but it makes me want to keep a tracker on all my children after they are born.
The third installment to the Natalie Ward series was a roller coaster ride. The team discovers a girls body next to a pile a garbage with no clue as to who could have done this. There is no DNA, there is no fibers, no evidence to even give a partial headway to the investigation. All they find is that she was on a site to complete a DARE. As they become quickly frustrated on the absence of clues another teenage girl goes missing.
Quickly they find the second teenager, the same as the first. Near rubbage that is close to home with no evidence or clues. The mothers and fathers in the story have no idea what their teenage daughters are up to and doing in their spare time. One thing that connects them all is a website to complete a new DARE.
I love that Wyer provides flashbacks into the killers life. It really sheds light on who they are inside and what makes them a monster. I was very quick to guess who the culprit was and ended up being correct. Twisted to say the least and very uncomfortable. But when Natalie's daughter winds up missing that is when I about puked.
Now, I won't tell you how it's ends for Natalie's daughter but it makes me want to keep a tracker on all my children after they are born.
djdiandra's review
4.0
Another page turner. I couldn’t get this from the library so bought it off Amazon. Truly worth a read if you like Carol Wyer and get Natalie Ward series.
zooloo1983's review
5.0
I spent the last 5 chapters of the book with tears in my eyes and the last pages crying. The story has made me feel sick to the stomach and made me want to wrap my mini-me up and never let go. I am already fearing what our relationship will be like when she is a teenager and with these crazy “dares” floating around I am worried. I am worried before it has even happened but as a parent, you can’t help it.
I am beginning to work out how Carol’s dark mind is working and it is always to expect the unexpected. I had kind of figured out who had done it and eventually why, but crazy as it sounds I wanted it all to be make-believe. I did not want to read the story in front of me. I am terrified!
Natalie’s life is just spiralling out of control with David, he is keeping his secrets and when this case hits home for Natalie you do wonder how much more she can take. The home life is pivotal in one respect for events that occur and I think it could be the catalyst for something big to come. (Spoiler, I, unfortunately, know what is coming but I won’t spoil it here) There is not so much on the home life as in the previous books, we have a lot more on the case and well…Mike. Mike is prominent for Natalie, she knows it’s wrong but he gets her and he gets this case, so it’s just a safety measure, right?
I don’t want to talk about the plot too much because it is one you need to discover for yourself but it is not one to take lightly. The scary world of internet and social media is large and I mean who the hell creates a website called Disappear! I mean who creates something that would parents and friends through hell, well apart from Carol’s mind! Terrifying.
I do love that we see more of Lucy and Bethany but we hear more about Murray and Ian, but I would still love to know more about them. I know it’s the Natalie show but the team are her life support outside of her family unit. I do worry about her.
A new dimension has been added to the series, we not only have Natalie’s team, we have Mike’s team but also Missing Persons have been added to the story. It creates a fluidity to the story as we see how everyone works together to solve the crimes and that the different units are not working singularly.
I did have to chuckle when I saw a Zoe, Shane and an Alicia (spelt Alisha) in the book because it was like my family were immortalised in a few sentences! But this is not about me!
I can not even lie, this book is intense. The subject matter is one that will hit home, Carol knows how to twist the knife when she needs to. Everything ramps up way too quickly and takes your breath away and it most definitely shocks you. Not only does the book ramp up but so does Carol’s writing, she has ramped up the darkness and she has no qualms with writing this darkness down. It is like she is peering into your mind and taking the dark thoughts out of them, the things you keep deep in your mind, your worst fears and she creates a case for Natalie to take on instead.
I would love to say, Natalie, her family and the team have it easier in the next book but I read the blurb and I can’t lie to you! I now need to go to bed and give my mini-me a huge squeeze!
I am beginning to work out how Carol’s dark mind is working and it is always to expect the unexpected. I had kind of figured out who had done it and eventually why, but crazy as it sounds I wanted it all to be make-believe. I did not want to read the story in front of me. I am terrified!
Natalie’s life is just spiralling out of control with David, he is keeping his secrets and when this case hits home for Natalie you do wonder how much more she can take. The home life is pivotal in one respect for events that occur and I think it could be the catalyst for something big to come. (Spoiler, I, unfortunately, know what is coming but I won’t spoil it here) There is not so much on the home life as in the previous books, we have a lot more on the case and well…Mike. Mike is prominent for Natalie, she knows it’s wrong but he gets her and he gets this case, so it’s just a safety measure, right?
I don’t want to talk about the plot too much because it is one you need to discover for yourself but it is not one to take lightly. The scary world of internet and social media is large and I mean who the hell creates a website called Disappear! I mean who creates something that would parents and friends through hell, well apart from Carol’s mind! Terrifying.
I do love that we see more of Lucy and Bethany but we hear more about Murray and Ian, but I would still love to know more about them. I know it’s the Natalie show but the team are her life support outside of her family unit. I do worry about her.
A new dimension has been added to the series, we not only have Natalie’s team, we have Mike’s team but also Missing Persons have been added to the story. It creates a fluidity to the story as we see how everyone works together to solve the crimes and that the different units are not working singularly.
I did have to chuckle when I saw a Zoe, Shane and an Alicia (spelt Alisha) in the book because it was like my family were immortalised in a few sentences! But this is not about me!
I can not even lie, this book is intense. The subject matter is one that will hit home, Carol knows how to twist the knife when she needs to. Everything ramps up way too quickly and takes your breath away and it most definitely shocks you. Not only does the book ramp up but so does Carol’s writing, she has ramped up the darkness and she has no qualms with writing this darkness down. It is like she is peering into your mind and taking the dark thoughts out of them, the things you keep deep in your mind, your worst fears and she creates a case for Natalie to take on instead.
I would love to say, Natalie, her family and the team have it easier in the next book but I read the blurb and I can’t lie to you! I now need to go to bed and give my mini-me a huge squeeze!
nannyf's review
4.0
I love this authors books, and this series in particular. Natalie is such a complex character with huge issues in her home life. Not only that, but she has to deal with yet another set of disappeances. These hit home for Natalie as they involve children.
For an author to keep me guessing until the actual reveal is quite something, and this one kept me guessing.
A great read and brilliant addition to the series. Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for providing a copy.
For an author to keep me guessing until the actual reveal is quite something, and this one kept me guessing.
A great read and brilliant addition to the series. Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for providing a copy.
thegeekybibliophile's review
5.0
When a teenaged girl goes missing, Detective Natalie Ward hopes they will find the presumed runaway safe and sound, but they find her body instead. Her team has barely begun to investigate when word comes of another missing girl, whom they once again find too late. The pressure is on to find the killer before they strike again, and Natalie is horrified when her own daughter disappears.
Once again, I've finished reading a crime thriller by Carol Wyer and could only sit back and think shake my head in wonder at how incredible it was. To be able to feel this way with a standalone book is wonderful, but for it to consistently happen with every single book in a series (or two series, even)? That is pretty darn special.
Tension is a constant in this story, whether it's related to the investigation or the personal lives of Natalie and her team. In this book, Natalie's marriage is going through a particularly stressful time, and as always, I'd be hard-pressed to decide which storyline was the most compelling for me. As fascinating as the investigation itself was, I found myself wanting to linger over her interactions with her husband and children. I care about these characters so much at this point that I would happily read a book based solely on the personal lives of Natalie and other members of her team. I want to know everything there is to know about them! (Particularly Natalie's relationship with her sister... what happened there?!)
The killer's motivation, not to mention the way the girls disappeared, felt particularly chilling. Without giving anything away, I suspect that the thing that ultimately led the girls to their deaths will have readers looking at a certain something in a different light. Yikes, how vague is that?! Don't worry... you'll understand what I'm getting at when you read the book. (Hint, hint)
I am breathlessly awaiting book four in this series. If you haven't started reading the crime-fighting adventures of Detective Natalie Ward yet? Well, it's a good time to get started! (You can thank me later.)
I received an advance reading copy of this book courtesy of Bookouture via Netgalley.
Once again, I've finished reading a crime thriller by Carol Wyer and could only sit back and think shake my head in wonder at how incredible it was. To be able to feel this way with a standalone book is wonderful, but for it to consistently happen with every single book in a series (or two series, even)? That is pretty darn special.
Tension is a constant in this story, whether it's related to the investigation or the personal lives of Natalie and her team. In this book, Natalie's marriage is going through a particularly stressful time, and as always, I'd be hard-pressed to decide which storyline was the most compelling for me. As fascinating as the investigation itself was, I found myself wanting to linger over her interactions with her husband and children. I care about these characters so much at this point that I would happily read a book based solely on the personal lives of Natalie and other members of her team. I want to know everything there is to know about them! (Particularly Natalie's relationship with her sister... what happened there?!)
The killer's motivation, not to mention the way the girls disappeared, felt particularly chilling. Without giving anything away, I suspect that the thing that ultimately led the girls to their deaths will have readers looking at a certain something in a different light. Yikes, how vague is that?! Don't worry... you'll understand what I'm getting at when you read the book. (Hint, hint)
I am breathlessly awaiting book four in this series. If you haven't started reading the crime-fighting adventures of Detective Natalie Ward yet? Well, it's a good time to get started! (You can thank me later.)
I received an advance reading copy of this book courtesy of Bookouture via Netgalley.
melkirkman's review
5.0
Love love loved this book and would read it again. I loved the way the reader didn't know more than the characters. We had an insight into the murder but had no idea who it was! I loved trying to figure it out myself!
Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the chance to review this book!
Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the chance to review this book!
caspeia's review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
noveldeelights's review
5.0
I can’t believe we’re already at the third instalment in the DI Natalie Ward series. That Carol Wyer is an insane writing machine!
When thirteen year old Savannah doesn’t return home from school, her mother immediately raises the alarm. A search for the young girl bears no results. Then her body is found near rubbish close to where she lived. As it is obvious this is not where Savannah was killed and there are no DNA clues at all, the investigations into her murder quickly turns into a frustrating one. And then another young teenager goes missing.
Do you know what your kids are up to? The mothers in this story most certainly do not, no matter how close they think they are to their daughters. These days, with all their online presence, things are even more frightening than they used to be. Carol Wyer introduces the topic of online dares in this story, which I’m sure you’ve seen mentioned in newspapers quite often as most don’t end all that well for the participants.
I shared the team’s frustration in this investigation. While there are a few suspects in their sights, there are also quite a lot of dead-ends. I couldn’t figure it out at all and was way off in a completely different direction than the one Carol Wyer herself went. Even the brilliantly written flashback chapters, courtesy of the killer, didn’t give me the tiniest clue as to who I should be focusing on. It is always such a bonus when you’re left guessing until the end.
Of course, we are also offered more glimpses into Natalie’s private life. Her husband David remains a total douchebag and I for one would quite like to see Natalie give him the boot. As it is, their arguments are having an effect on their children. But could one of them end up in danger? And let’s not forget Lucy, who is slowly but surely beginning to steal away the limelight from Natalie in this series. Lucy is incredibly focused, determined and like a dog with a bone. I just really like her and I hope her character continues to grow.
As always, Carol Wyer has delivered another gripping and compelling story. I raced through these pages as if my life depended on it, desperately trying to pick up clues and failing miserably at every turn. The Dare had me absolutely hooked and engrossed and I can’t wait for more!
When thirteen year old Savannah doesn’t return home from school, her mother immediately raises the alarm. A search for the young girl bears no results. Then her body is found near rubbish close to where she lived. As it is obvious this is not where Savannah was killed and there are no DNA clues at all, the investigations into her murder quickly turns into a frustrating one. And then another young teenager goes missing.
Do you know what your kids are up to? The mothers in this story most certainly do not, no matter how close they think they are to their daughters. These days, with all their online presence, things are even more frightening than they used to be. Carol Wyer introduces the topic of online dares in this story, which I’m sure you’ve seen mentioned in newspapers quite often as most don’t end all that well for the participants.
I shared the team’s frustration in this investigation. While there are a few suspects in their sights, there are also quite a lot of dead-ends. I couldn’t figure it out at all and was way off in a completely different direction than the one Carol Wyer herself went. Even the brilliantly written flashback chapters, courtesy of the killer, didn’t give me the tiniest clue as to who I should be focusing on. It is always such a bonus when you’re left guessing until the end.
Of course, we are also offered more glimpses into Natalie’s private life. Her husband David remains a total douchebag and I for one would quite like to see Natalie give him the boot. As it is, their arguments are having an effect on their children. But could one of them end up in danger? And let’s not forget Lucy, who is slowly but surely beginning to steal away the limelight from Natalie in this series. Lucy is incredibly focused, determined and like a dog with a bone. I just really like her and I hope her character continues to grow.
As always, Carol Wyer has delivered another gripping and compelling story. I raced through these pages as if my life depended on it, desperately trying to pick up clues and failing miserably at every turn. The Dare had me absolutely hooked and engrossed and I can’t wait for more!
mandylovestoread's review
5.0
Carol Wyer.. what a book... and series for that matter! I was halfway through this book last night and had to stay up until I finished it. This is book 3 in the Detective Natalie Ward series and the strongest one yet. The characters are so real, they make mistakes and are not perfect. But they care deeply and Natalie in particular suffers so many blows and yet she manages to keep going. The story in this installment has everything you want and it keeps you turning pages to find out what happens next. It also hadn't me stumped, unable to pick the guilty party. I loved it!!
Natalie and her team are called to a small village when a 13 year old girl fails to return home after school. It doesn't take long before her body is found and another teenage girl from the same village and school goes missing. As the team continue their investigation they start to find more links between the girls, including videos from an online site that encourages people to disappear from their families for up to 72 hours. For a small village there are a lot of shady characters, any of whom could be the killer. This book certainly keeps you guessing.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased
Natalie and her team are called to a small village when a 13 year old girl fails to return home after school. It doesn't take long before her body is found and another teenage girl from the same village and school goes missing. As the team continue their investigation they start to find more links between the girls, including videos from an online site that encourages people to disappear from their families for up to 72 hours. For a small village there are a lot of shady characters, any of whom could be the killer. This book certainly keeps you guessing.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased