Say You’re Sorry by Michael Robatham
Okay, this is another book that is not for the faint of heart. There are some very disturbing aspects to this case but, this is a great read and the graphic violence fits the story and is only a small part of the novel. That being said, if you love gripping novels this is the one for you! Some articles I have read have suggested that if you liked “Gone, Girl” by Gillian Flynn then you would like this book as well. Having read both, I would caution that “Gone, Girl” did not have the graphic aspects that this book does and if you really don’t care for that type of book at all, then take a pass on this one.
There are two stories converging in this book. Three years ago, two teenaged girls disappeared from a small English village while out at a local fair. It was never determined whether Piper and Tash were kidnapped or ran away and after the initial media flurry the leads diminish and the case goes cold. Fast forward three years and Joe O’Loughlin, a psychologist, is trying to rebuild his relationship with his own teenage daughter and is attending a conference when police seek him out to help them solve a double murder that took place in the old farmhouse that Tash, one of the missing girls used to live in. The couple killed in the house had no connection to Tash but, it is still an eerie connection to the past unsolved case. While police are still trying to solve this homicide another body is found frozen in a nearby pond. Joe O’Loughlin doesn’t want to become involved with this case but cannot help trying to prevent police from rushing to the wrong conclusions.
Michael Robotham is an Australian based author of many fast paced intense thrillers including “The Wreckage”. His Joe O’Loughlin series has four previous books in it “Suspect”, “Lost”, “Shatter”, and “Bleed for Me”. “Say You’re Sorry” is the 5th book in the series and is written from Joe’s perspective and from Tash and Piper’s perspective. This style effectively amps up the tension as the book races towards the conclusion. Right from the very beginning this book will pull you in and keep you guessing.