Find Me: A Novel

I have read every Alafair Burke book - both solo and collaborations - and I've always enjoyed them. She is a preorder for me, and I bought not only the Kindle but the audible so I didn't miss any time in finishing. But it fell flat for me. I couldn't finish. I tried several times in both formats, and it was a no-go.
Since this was the only time it happened, and so many people have enjoyed, I conclude it was me and not the book. I definitely will read her next, and maybe even down the road try this one again.

Find Me was not one of my favorite A. Burke novels and it took some page skipping to finally finish. The story moved slow with multiple characters so it took more effort to follow than I like. I was invested in getting to the end to see who Hope really was, but the reveal wasn’t as satisfying as I had hoped.

This book by Alafair Burke captivated me from beginning to end. I got invested in several of the characters and did not want to see them come to harm, especially since danger and circumstances with no explanation were lurking around every corner. The main character is Hope, who lost her memory (which had never returned) in a devastating car wreck 15 years ago. Since then, Lindsay has become her best friend and protector, to the extent that Hope wants to experience some independence, so she moves to a new location. That is where mysterious things accelerate. Is someone following her? Does someone (perhaps from her past) recognize her? Maybe someone will call her by her real name. (She made up the name of Hope.) Gradually, links begin to appear concerning missing persons, a serial killer case from years ago, a prominent politician and police promoted above what would seem to be the norm. What trauma caused Hope to lose her memory? Is she a fugitive from the law? For those of you who have read Burke's Ellie Hatcher Series, you will find a bonus as Ellie becomes a major player in this novel. I had not read that series, but Burke does a good job of making this a stand alone novel where the reader doesn't really have to know all about Ellie's past to enjoy this book. As an aside, I liked Ellie enough that I will read the books in her series now. The pace quickens to a frenzy when all of the pieces mentioned above coalesce into a very well spun web of deceit that had held up for years, but begins to unravel quickly. After the climax, I was expecting a typical denouement, yet it was anything but. Instead it was full of surprises not previously revealed. Only the slightest seeds of foreshadowing that were deliciously vague had been planted in the earlier parts of the book. Being surprised by Burke's ending is all part of the fun. I highly recommend this book.

3.5 Stars for this Alafair Burke thriller.

SUMMARY
Lindsay and Hope of them best friends since Lindsay found Hope found unconscious in a car accident with no ID and no memory of who she was or what happened to her. That was 15 years ago. Lindsey and their small New Jersey town of Hopewell had taken her under their wing and cared for her and helped her start a new life.

Although she loved and appreciated what the small town of Hopewell did for her, Hope felt that it was time for her to move on. She decided she wanted to move to East Hampton and start over. She was tired of being everyone’s pet project and just wanted some anonymity and to blend in.

Although Lindsay I was surprised by hopes decision and concerned about her being on her own, she supported her decision and helped her move. But, a few weeks after Hope moved, she stopped answering her phone and Lindsay could not find her. She drove to East Hampton looking for her. But, it was hard to convince the police to look for somebody who was living under an assumed name. But, Lindsey was not about to let it go. What had happened to Hope? And, while we’re at it, why had she turned up in Hopewell 15 years ago in the first place?

WHAT I LOVED
This was a fun to re-twisty thriller. I absolutely love the East Hampton setting. What a lovely town for a book to take place.

The plot kept me engaged. They were some interesting twist and turns that I did not expect.

WHAT I DIDN’T LOVE
It was just kind of hard to imagine that a whole town knew that there was a girl with amnesia living with them who didn’t actually have a name or an ID and nobody really pushed to find out who she is. Particularly because one of the people who she was close with was the chief of police. It seems people would have been a little bit more curious to try and figure out who she was and where she came from. That dropped the book at least one star for me. I chose to allow myself to believe it would happen just so I could read the book. But, it was not completely plausible.

OVERALL
Not a bad book, very readable. I would recommend it to anyone who is OK with suspending believe a little bit to enjoy a good thriller.

Hope Miller has lived with her amnesia for fifteen years, after she was discovered in an overturned car near a small New Jersey town. Lindsay Kelly, now a defense attorney, was the one who found her and has been her best friend every since. Hope has lived a sheltered life but now she wants to live a bit more independently. When she announces her plans to move to East Hampton, Lindsay and others are concerned how she will manage. Then, when Hope disappears, Lindsay launches a search for her friend.

Find Me is a mystery as well as a story of friendship and secrets. The premise sounded so interesting but I found the execution to be lacking. There are a lot of moving parts, many characters, and a plot that seems to amble all over the place. It’s unclear to me if this book is part of the author’s Ellie Hatcher series or if it’s a stand-alone. Either way, the addition of Ellie, her brother, and their backstory felt awkward and there were too many “timely” issues incorporated into the story, leaving it disjointed and slow-paced.

I have enjoyed Alafair Burke’s previous novels but this one isn’t one of my favorites.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

Some pasts won’t stay forgotten . . .

She calls herself Hope Miller, but she has no idea who she actually is. Fifteen years ago, she was found in a small New Jersey town thrown from an over-turned vehicle, with no clue to her identity. Doctors assumed her amnesia was a temporary side effect of her injuries, but she never regained her memory. Hope eventually started a new life with a new name in a new town that welcomed her, yet always wondered what she may have left behind—or been running from. Now, she’s leaving New Jersey to start over once again.

Manhattan defense lawyer Lindsay Kelly, Hope’s best friend and the one who found her after the accident, understands why Hope wants a new beginning. But she worries how her friend will fare in her new East Hampton home, far away from everything familiar. Lindsay’s worst fears are confirmed when she discovers Hope has vanished without a trace—the only lead a drop of blood found where she was last seen. Even more ominously, the blood matches a DNA sample with a connection to a notorious Kansas murderer.

With nowhere else to turn, Lindsay calls NYPD homicide detective Ellie Hatcher, the daughter of the cop who dedicated his life to hunting the Kansas killer. Ellie has always believed there was more to the story of her father’s death twenty years earlier—and she now fears that Hope’s recent disappearance could be related.

In pursuit of answers, the women search for the truth beneath long-buried secrets. And when their searches converge, what they find will upend everything they’ve ever known.

My Thoughts:

In the beginning of Find Me, we meet a young woman called Hope who is suffering from amnesia after a car accident. Her best friend, who is almost her caretaker, is Lindsay. After several years living in a small town as Hope Miller, she decides she wants to start over and be more independent. At this point, everything changes.

Does Hope disappear or is she taken? Has someone from her past turned up to do her harm? When Lindsay searches for her, even with the help of law enforcement, everything seems to go awry.

There were so many interesting characters who played a role in the story, trying to find answers and solve the mysteries. But as we draw near the end, everything seemingly turns upside down and nothing adds up. A story that was hard to put down. 4.5 stars.

***

I have always been a fan of Ms Burke but this is probably my last read. I thought the story itself was weak and the characters unlikeable. As others have noted, I too am weary of the woke topics being touched upon regularly through the book, more even than in her last book. It isn’t that I disagree at all, but I come here to escape and immerse myself in a story, I do not need to be nagged to be a decent person. I read the Clinton/Penney book prior to this and found a similar thing. It’s become tedious that the authors seem to think we readers don’t stay up to date on current topics so they need to push their agenda on us ignorant people.

I usually like Alafair Burke but not this one. Just couldn't finish. At first, I couldn't figure out why I didn't like it but it just sorta dragged. Disappointment.

Character development was good but plot was way too complicated. There was not one really good man in the whole book.

I have read other books by this author and really enjoyed them. This was definitely not up to the caliber of the other books. Seems immature. Sophmoric. More like a young adult read.