Here’s to the books of 2021! In case you missed it, I decided that my word of 2021 would be “extraordinary.” While this year is off to an interesting and heartbreaking start so far, no one can say it isn’t extraordinary. Just…on the opposite end of the spectrum from where I wanted to be. Find Her by Lisa Gardner was a recent Thriftbooks purchase, after I had read Right Behind You and loved it and realized I needed everything Lisa Gardner had ever written. For the record, I’m still working on building that collection.

The Story

Flora Dane is a victim. Seven years ago, carefree college student Flora was kidnapped while on spring break. For 472 days, Flora learned just how much one person can endure.

Flora Dane is a survivor. Miraculously alive after her ordeal, Flora has spend the past five years reacquainting herself with the rhythms of normal life, working with her FBI victim advocate, Samuel Keynes. She has a mother who’s never stopped loving her, a brother who is scared of the person she’s become, and a bedroom wall covered with photos of other girls who’ve never made it home.

Flora Dane is reckless…or is she? When Boston detective D.D. Warren is called to the scene of a crime – a dead man and the bound, naked woman who killed him – she learns that Flora has tabled with three other suspects since her return to society. Is Flora a victim or a vigilante? And with her firsthand knowledge of criminal behavior, could she hold the key to rescuing a missing college student whose abduction has rocked Boston? When Flora herself disappears, D.D. realizes a far more sinister predator is out there. One who’s determined that this time, Flora Dane will never escape. And now it’s all up to D.D. Warren to find her.

My Thoughts

To start, I have to add this caveat. If you look this book up on Goodreads, it mentions “Detective D.D. Warren, #8”. Thus, it can be surmised that there’s a full series around D.D. Warren. This is the first I’ve read in this series, and I don’t believe I missed anything in the book. There was mention of a prior injury I assume happened in another book, but, again, I didn’t have trouble understanding or following Find Her. I’d equate it a bit to Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot character: A series of books, but totally possible to read out of order.

Moving on.

I absolutely LOVED Find Her. Seriously. For the first book of 2021, it was a solid five stars. It knocked me off my feet and I could not put it down. Had a few late nights in a row when I was trying to finish it. I can’t share too many details without giving too many details away, but it’s completely worth it.

I’ll also add that there are some trigger warnings potentially necessary here: sexual abuse, kidnapping (if that counts as a trigger), Stockholm Syndrome, etc. Parts of the book certainly made my skin crawl, but it wasn’t so off-putting that I was uncomfortable.

I can’t recommend Find Her enough, and now I’m back to needing to get my hands on every Lisa Gardner book I can. Happy reading!

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