Mystery Book Reviews: Copycat and The Child Finder

Posted September 5, 2017 by shooting in Book Review / 13 Comments

Copycat by Alex Lake

Review by Lauren

Source: copy from ALA17; all opinions are my own

Official Summary (add on Goodreads): Sarah Havenant discovers–when an old friend points it out–that there are two Facebook profiles in her name.

One, she recognizes: it is hers. The other, she has never seen. But everything in it is accurate. Recent photos of her and her friends, her and her husband, her and her kids. Even of her new kitchen. A photo taken inside her house.

She is bemused, angry, and worried. Who was able to do this? Any why?

But this, it soon turns out, is just the beginning. It is only now–almost as though someone has been watching, waiting for her to find the profile–that her problems really start…

Review: Copycat is a fascinating mystery/thriller novel. It definitely leaves you wanting to read as often as possible so you can figure out just what is happening to Sarah. It starts with another Facebook page, using her name and including photos that nobody could possibly have. It has to be some sort of stalker, but who? Of course, a lot more happens by conclusion. It doesn’t take too long before Sarah’s husband, Ben, starts to think that maybe Sarah is sick and she’s doing all these things herself as a cry for help. This idea could have been possible, if we weren’t in Sarah’s point of view and therefore soon that she was right and someone else was torturing her with all these gifts and messages. However, one thing that bugged me about the book is that if Ben really thought Sarah was sick, and she was lying or just denying it when he’d bring it up, then why didn’t he make her go to the hospital? He never does and it was just weird to me if he was so concerned about his wife.

Near the end of the book, I did come to the right conclusion on what was happening to Sarah but of course, not all the hows and whys so those were still interesting. I will say though that the very end of the book had me a bit confused, and it almost seemed to set up a sequel of sorts. I’d be okay with this and after the ending, I’d almost prefer it so I could continue reading, but I’m not sure if there is one planned or not.

All in all, an intriguing novel!

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The Child Finder by Rene Denfeld

Review by Lauren

Source: copy from ALA17; all opinions are my own

Official Summary (add on Goodreads): Three years ago, Madison Culver disappeared when her family was choosing a Christmas tree in Oregon’s Skookum National Forest. She would be eight years old now—if she has survived. Desperate to find their beloved daughter, certain someone took her, the Culvers turn to Naomi, a private investigator with an uncanny talent for locating the lost and missing. Known to the police and a select group of parents as The Child Finder, Naomi is their last hope.

Naomi’s methodical search takes her deep into the icy, mysterious forest in the Pacific Northwest, and into her own fragmented past. She understands children like Madison because once upon a time, she was a lost girl too.

As Naomi relentlessly pursues and slowly uncovers the truth behind Madison’s disappearance, shards of a dark dream pierce the defenses that have protected her, reminding her of a terrible loss she feels but cannot remember. If she finds Madison, will Naomi ultimately unlock the secrets of her own life?

Review: The Child Finder is a difficult book to review. Not that I didn’t enjoy the book – because I did – but because I don’t want to say too much and spoil anything. I will say that the book is told in two points of views – one of which is the child finder, Naomi. I thought Naomi was an interesting character. There are a lot of questions about her past – but from what she knows, she’s been drawn to rescue other children. She’s not always successful but she does her best. This book is mostly about finding Madison Culver who has been missing for three years, but there is also another missing child included in the book. Naomi usually only takes one case at a time, but in The Child Finder, she works on two, though each one takes a differing length of time.

The Child Finder is a very atmospheric book – the setting almost becomes a character in and of itself. It can be a bit slow in parts, but overall, it’s a good mystery that keeps you reading. I think the idea is that Naomi will always find the missing children in this book, but alive or dead is the question. It’s not always good news. By the end of the book, the cases are wrapped up but there is definitely more to Naomi’s personal story and I wonder if there will be a sequel. It’s something I’d be interested in reading!

13 responses to “Mystery Book Reviews: Copycat and The Child Finder

  1. Sorry it got confusing towards the end, that is a bit weird but I guess if there was a sequel planned then that would make sense of sorts. Glad either way, you still was interested in this up until the end.

  2. These both sound super intriguing but it’s Copycat that really has me hooked. Just the whole premise of the other FB profile and photos being taken from inside her home… creepy! I’m going to check my library for that one. Great reviews, Lauren!

    Tanya @ Girl Plus Books recently posted: The Sunday Post #71
  3. Ooh both of these sound really good. I’m adding Copy Cat to my TBR right now. The Child Finder also sounds intriguing, but I’m not sure I could handle a book about a missing child, since I have two young children myself.

  4. Jen

    I think in today’s world the whole idea of that copycat book kind of keeps us all up at night some times. Thanks for the honest review. I wonder if there is a sequel planned?

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