Cemetery Girl by David Bell

Goodreads Summary:

Four years after Tom and Abby's 12-year-old daughter vanishes, she is found alive but strangely calm. When the teen refuses to testify against the man connected to her disappearance, Tom decides to investigate the traumatizing case on his own. Nothing can prepare him for what he is about to discover.

My Thoughts:

This book reminded me a lot of the Elizabeth Smart story. I am from Utah so that story is a part of my history here. This book left me with the same feeling as that true story. I am sad and sickened by what people can do to one another and call it "love" or "faith." I found myself rooting for Tom. He never gave up hope that his daughter was alive. It destroyed him and broke his already weak marriage. I remember many times seeing Elizabeth Smart's Father on TV never giving up hope that he daughter would be found. I can only imagine the strain something like this puts on someone.

David Bell is an engrossing writer. I was sucked in from the start and wanted to know everything, even the dark and disturbing parts of this story. I hated the kidnapper but also wanted to understand what a 16 year old girl saw in him to be so devoted to her abuser. Tom's daughter definitely suffers from Stockholm syndrome. You always think that when a missing child is found that the story ends happily ever after, but this book shows you how terrible it is and how hard it is to watch a stranger who was once family.

I would recommend this to mystery fans or fiction fans in general. Some of the things that happen to Tom's daughter are pretty disturbing so if you are sensitive to that I would pick this book up with caution.

While writing this review I was listening to Euphondisson.

The Hiding Place by David Bell

**I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way affects what I have to say about the book**

Goodreads Summary:

Twenty-five-years ago, the disappearance of four-year-old Justin Manning rocked the small town of Dove Point, Ohio. After his body was found in a shallow grave in the woods two months later, the repercussions were felt for years.… Janet Manning has been haunted by the murder since the day she lost sight of her brother in the park. Now, with the twenty-fifth anniversary of Justin’s death looming, a detective and a newspaper reporter have started to ask questions, opening old wounds and raising new suspicions. Could the man convicted of the murder—who spent more than two decades in prison—really be innocent? Janet’s childhood friend and high school crush, who was in the park with her that day, has returned to Dove Point, where he is wrestling with his own conflicted memories of the events. And a strange man appears at Janet’s door in the middle of the night, claiming to know the truth. Soon, years of deceit will be swept away, and the truth about what happened to Janet’s brother will be revealed. And the answers that Janet has sought may be found much closer to home than she ever could have imagined.

My Thoughts: **SPOILER ALERT**

I am not a huge fan of the mystery genre, but that being said I liked this book. I felt the character development was top notch. I never once questioned why a character was doing what they were doing. I find that kind of character development as a dying art form so Kudos to David Bell. My only complaint about this book is Janet never gets a break. Janet has hope for a second in this book that her brother isn't really dead, he is. Then on top of that, Michael, Janet's best friend and life long crush is the one who actually killed her little brother. While this book was well written it was incredibly sad and Janet never got even a moment of happiness, I have a hard time reading a book without even one happy moment for the main character. I did have a hard time putting this book down every night while reading it. I was captured by the word usage and the picture that David Bell painted.

This has made me pick up David Bell's other book Cemetery Girl from the library. I just hope there is at least a hint of happy in that book.

I recommend this book to mystery lovers and those who are lukewarm on mysteries. This is a genuinely good read, just be prepared there is not a happy ending.

While writing this review I was listening to Ciara.