Don't Look for Me: A Novel

Wendy Walker supplies her readers with another taut thriller: Don’t Look for Me. This standalone novel centers around the sudden disappearance of a woman, Molly Clarke, as she was returning home during a storm. It is assumed that she has purposefully run away from her family, ravaged with guilt over her role in the accidental death of her youngest child. Her oldest daughter, Nicole (Nic), refuses to give up the search for her mother even though everyone else seems to be quickly resuming their lives. Nic returns to Hastings, the small, run down New England town where her mother’s car was found abandoned. She had been contacted by a woman who claims to have seen Molly that night. Although her description and details are convincing, Nic and the authorities in town are suspicious that this new witness is motivated to collect the offered reward. Still, Nic wants to know how this woman came to know things that were not released to the public. The novel pivots back and forth between Molly and Nicole’s points-of-view, back and forth over the course of several days following Molly’s absence. Nic is tormented by her own memories and deeply conflicting feelings about her mother as a result of her sister’s death. Her struggles with alcoholism and compulsive promiscuity interfere with her judgement, but the men of Hastings she encounters all seem to be deceiving her in some way. It is the type of town that traps those who lack the wits to escape, and it becomes apparent that Molly is not the first woman who has inexplicably vanished from its boundaries. Walker skillfully interweaves timelines to a satisfying end, with some unexpected twists and a complex but credible conclusion. Although the inner monologues of the two women are at times repetitive, the characters are well-rendered and their emotional depth is impressively depicted. Don’t Look for Me would be a good pick for those looking for some solid suspense this Fall and fans of Wendy Walker will be sated by her latest effort. Thanks to the author, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a pre-release copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

What a rollercoaster ride of twists and turns!!! This is filled with mystery and suspense as the past and present intertwine to bring two women to this crucible that has become their life. Each woman has her own issues and despite some of their choices, I empathized with them both. Both of their resolves to move forward was inspiring and had my heart yearning for an ending that would bring them peace. I won’t go into the plot as this story could be easily spoiled in doing so. I will say that it has moments of dark intensity so extreme I found myself holding my breath. It also slowly unravels to the point that I could not set this book aside for a moment as each revelation captured even more of my attention. This is very well written with a great pace and characters that you either love, hate, trust or mistrust along the way. Good luck not being surprised!

Molly is still grieving the loss of Annie, her nine year old daughter, from 5 years ago. The story is told in alternating POVs of Molly and her daughter Nicole. Molly disappeared coming home from her son’s football game and Nicole just can’t believe she walked away from her life, no matter how much she is still grieving. She goes to the town where they found her car to investigate. Will she find the answers she is looking for? I haven’t read a Wendy Walker book before, but this one won’t be my last. If you like thrillers, you’ll like this book.