Book Review: Don't Try To Find Me by Holly Brown

“Self-delusion. I think the worst thing you can be is a liar to yourself.”

― Holly Brown, Don't Try to Find Me

This thrilling and compelling debut is perfect for readers of Reconstructing Amelia and Gone Girl. When a fourteen-year-old runs away, her parents use social media to find her, starting a public campaign that will reveal their deepest secrets and transform their family forever.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Don't try to find me. Though the message on the kitchen white board is written in Marley's hand, her mother Rachel knows there has to be some other explanation. Marley would never run away.

As the days pass and it sinks in that the impossible has occurred, Rachel and her husband Paul are informed that the police have "limited resources." If they want their 14-year-old daughter back, they will have to find her themselves. Desperation becomes determination when Paul turns to Facebook and Twitter, and launches FindMarley.com.

But Marley isn't the only one with secrets.

With public exposure comes scrutiny, and when Rachel blows a television interview, the dirty speculation begins. Now, the blogosphere is convinced Rachel is hiding something. It's not what they think; Rachel would never hurt Marley. Not intentionally, anyway. But when it's discovered that she's lied, even to the police, the devoted mother becomes a suspect in Marley's disappearance.

Is Marley out there somewhere, watching it all happen, or is the truth something far worse? 

My reaction to this novel...

I had high hopes for this book because it was compared to Gone Girl, my all-time favorite book. I was therefore really disappointed in the plot after I finished reading this book. I can affirm that it differs significantly from Gone Girl. It was only the tale of a petty adolescent who ran away from home for an utterly trivial reason. Although the story is easy to read and the wording is clear, the plot is so straightforward that you will be deeply let down because you will have expected more from it than just a straightforward thriller story. Really, I'm so disappointed.

I also felt that the plot dragged on interminably, and none of the characters had any redeeming qualities. I too had an idea for a wonderful twist that may revitalize the plot, but the revelation presented by the author is not a twist. It was only a minor plot point that won't make you cringe or drop your jaw. It is nothing but a bore. I find it intolerable.

I also found it difficult to get into the tale since there is significantly more stretched, repetitive, and lengthy filler than there is any storyline or plot line. I can't believe I persevered through the lack of cohesion in this novel. B and the psychiatrist didn't contribute anything. Since the author inserted them, I genuinely believed that they would add more on the story, but they are completely insignificant and would just serve to disappoint readers.

This novel is hardly a thriller, in my opinion. It focuses family problems, and deception. There isn't anything particularly ominous or sinister. There was no charm or insight, and there was nothing to properly connect it together. I was hoping for a major tension building, a bombshell, or something really horrible to transpire, but it lacked substance. I would not suggest it to anyone who has high hopes for thriller novels. It will only let you down, just like it did to me.

My Overall Rating: ⭐(1/5)

“People Struggle. People have to find their answers, and their happiness.”

This is real. People suffer. We all experience difficulties in life and have issues that we must contend with. Even while it could seem that some individuals are happy with their life and don't appear to be struggling, they may actually be hiding problems from others. We should learn to appreciate one another since we are all on the same level when it comes to our pursuit of happiness.