Where I Left Her by Amber Garza
source: copy from Netgalley; all opinions are my own
Official Summary: Whitney had some misgivings when she dropped her increasingly moody teenage daughter, Amelia, off at Lauren’s house. She’d never met the parents, and usually she’d go in, but Amelia clearly wasn’t going to let something so humiliating happen, so instead Whitney waved to her daughter before pulling away from the little house with the roses in front.
But when she goes back the next day, an elderly couple answers the door–Amelia and Lauren aren’t there, and this couple swears they never were, that she’s at the wrong house. As Whitney searches for Amelia, she uncovers a trail of lies her daughter has told her–from the Finsta account to rumors of a secret relationship. Does she really even know this girl she’s raised? And Amelia’s not the only one with secrets. Could Whitney’s own demons have something to do with her daughter’s disappearance, and can Whitney find her before it’s too late?
Review: I was supposed to have my review up earlier this week, but I was a bit late in finishing the book, so here I am, sharing my thoughts today! Where I Left Her is a very intriguing mystery. It mostly follows the point of view of Whitney, a single mom who is pretty overprotective when it comes to her only child, Amelia. Of course, when Amelia goes missing after spending the night at a friend’s house, it seems like Whitney should have held a bit tighter.
Interspersed with Whitney’s third-person point of view is a first person point of view that seems as if they are looking back on something that happened. I went back and forth on who I thought this mysterious person was, and in the end, one of my guesses was correct. The actual reveal definitely made me rethink those parts of the book though and it definitely changes how you see certain characters.
Where I Left Her was a good mystery but it was definitely a bit of a slow build. There’s plenty of suspense and past memories and secrets coming to light, keeping you reading and wondering how things would all end up but it never felt like something I had to keep reading. Regardless of that, I’m very glad that I did read this book and I thought the conclusion was just…woah! Seriously. It’s one that I wish I could talk to people about, so if you read the book, let me know! We can discuss!
All in all, Where I Left Her was an enjoyable mystery and perfectly made for a book club!
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I read Garza’s Playing for Keeps series eons ago. Didn’t know she was doing mysteries now. Glad you enjoyed it!
Wow, this sounds like an awesome mystery – even with the slow build.
I like how, once you know who the culprit is, you can go back and see everything differently.
Karen @For What It’s Worth
Ahhhh!!! So now I have to read this one! I’m a sucker for a book with moody teenagers for sure.
Oh man, nightmare-inducing! We don’t do sleepovers so maybe I can take a deep breath 🙂
I like books though that change the story once you know who did it.
This one sounds like it could be a good mystery, and that you did enjoy it. It’s one I think my mom would like, so I’ll have to recommend it to her! Great review!
Yep, sometimes the reveals shine an entirely different light on what you thought you knew. Great review!
This sounds really interesting! I love a good mystery!
This sounds intriguing, Lauren. I could see a mother making this kind of error but trying to please her daughter by giving her independence. Yikes and then, GONE. Every mother’s nightmare. Sounds like a good mystery.
Hope you’re doing great. I haven’t been on instagram for a while so have missed you.
This definitely sounds like a book that would leave you with a lot to talk about so I agree about it being a great book club pick. Thanks for the head’s up that it’s a slow burn too.
I love an ending that blows me away, even if the build was a little slow to get there.