Book Review: Don’t Look For Me by Wendy Walker

“I am not a good mother because I did not drive four hours to watch my son play football so that he would feel loved. I drove four hours so that I could feel loved.”

― Wendy Walker, Don't Look for Me

Wendy Walker's psychological suspense novel Don't Look For Me is a page-turning read with surprising turns and a satisfying pace. It goes far beyond being a suspenseful thriller. It's a moving depiction of a grieving family and a perceptive examination of shame and guilt, emotional manipulation, and choice. A stunning thriller that is fiercely intelligent, quickly paced, and, most of all, genuinely startling. 

Synopsis from Goodreads...

One night, Molly Clarke walked away from her life. The car abandoned miles from home. The note found at a nearby hotel. The shattered family that couldn't be put back together. It happens all the time. Women disappear, desperate to leave their lives behind and start over. She doesn't want to be found. Or at least, that's the story. But is that what really happened to Molly Clarke?

The night Molly disappeared began with a storm, running out of gas, and a man in a truck offering her a ride to town. With him is a little girl who reminds her of the daughter she lost years ago. It feels like a sign. And Molly is overcome with the desire to be home, with her family—no matter how broken it is. She accepts the ride. But when the doors are locked shut, Molly begins to suspect she has made a terrible mistake.

When a new lead comes in after the search has ended, Molly's daughter, Nicole, begins to wonder. Nothing about her mother's disappearance makes sense.

Nicole returns to the small, desolate town where her mother was last seen to find the truth. The locals are kind and eager to help. The innkeeper. The bartender. Even the police. Until secrets begin to reveal themselves and she comes closer to the truth about that night—and the danger surrounding her.

My reaction to this novel...

I had never read a book by this author before. Despite not knowing Wendy Walker, I chose to give this book a go because it had been sitting on my shelf for a while. 

I became interested in this book after reading the first chapter. If you genuinely want the reader to be involved in a novel, the first chapter or introduction should really pull the reader into the tale, and this book did just that for me. The first and second chapters are both top-notch. Wendy had me think long and hard about who the culprit was.

I found Molly's demeanor to be really endearing. How she overcame serious difficulties and put in a lot of effort in her life. To me, what occurred to her was an accident that she wasn't intending to start. She was in a lot of pain, and I can't blame her for that. It would be difficult if this actually happened in real life.

What I didn't like about this novel was the revelation. It's not what I was expecting. I didn't like it since it wasn't in context. After all of the great story flow, it will end with the words, "What the heck? Is this it?" It's absurd, but perhaps the author wanted her readers to feel that way. I've read good things about it, but compared to other psychological thrillers I really enjoy, I didn't find the ending to be as stunning.

I liked the narrative even if I was a little disappointed in how it finished. I still believe this book is worthwhile to read, despite the fact that the ending is different from what I had in mind.

My Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨(3.5/5)

“If there was fault, then there could also be prevention, the illusion of control to make life bearable.”

Everything, in my opinion, has a resolution. We should only have faith that everything can be made right. Simply accepting complete accountability for our actions will enable us to address the issue head-on.