She’s Mine by A A Chaudhuri

I am so very excited to share my thoughts on A A Chaudhuri’s latest book. This is my 3rd read by this author and I’m actually going to put it out there and say so far she is my stand out, favourite author of 2021. I absolutely loved The Scribe and The Abduction, which have more of a crime thriller feel to them than this book but the fact she’s switched up the genre just goes to show how talented and brilliant this author is. I love the tag line, the title and the cover but ultimately what sold this book to me is the author’s name. She’s amazing!

Blurb:

Her missing daughter was just the start of the nightmare

Twenty years ago, Christine Donovan took a call she should have ignored while shopping. In those few seconds while her back was turned, her toddler, Heidi, was kidnapped. She’s never been seen again.

Despite having two other children with husband Greg, Christine remains guilt-stricken that her neglect caused her child to be stolen, while haunted by a secret that consumes her.

Just as she takes measures to finally heal, a note is posted through her door, with the words she has always longed to hear: Heidi isn’t dead.

Christine might finally get the answers she craves – but what she doesn’t know is that finding her daughter will uncover dark secrets close to home.

In seeking the truth, Christine might destroy everything that she loves … so how far is she willing to go to find Heidi?

With a truly jaw-dropping end twist, She’s Mine is a dark, scandalous, and gripping read from a major new talent in psychological thriller writing. For fans of Harriet Tyce, C.L. Taylor and Apple Tree Yard.

My thoughts:

Wow! What a book. I’m not sure that any review I write will do this book justice but if you enjoy a psychological thriller, this is one you definitely have to read.

There is a huge cast of characters that we hear from. The multiple perspectives really help to propel the story line but also get under the skin and into the heads of so many of the friends, family and lovers entwined in this story that it really ensures the psychological element is strong.

Each chapter moves to a different person’s perspective, and there is also a clear timeline of “before” and “now” which adds to the character development, the plot and the tension within the story. Each of the chapters are brief, which just ramps up the pace of this already gripping read even further, and some of the chapters’ ends provide such cracking cliffhangers it becomes simply impossible to put this book down.

My favourite element of the story which I found completely original is that most of the characters addressed a “you” in their first person narrative. Sometimes it was abundantly clear that they were speaking to Chrissy, who is arguably the main character in this story, though obviously Heidi (her daughter’s) absence carries a heavy weight throughout the book. Sometimes though, you had no idea who the “you” was and this becomes even more complicated when the family start receiving nasty anonymous letters and emails! I was just absolutely hooked.

This is a perfectly pitched and paced twisty and gripping thriller that stands out from the crowded market due to A A Chaudhuri’s excellent and original style, and her ability to create a whole cast of characters that get far inside your head. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of Lisa Jewell and C L Taylor, who just happen to be two of my favourite authors in this genre!

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