Title: Missing Molly
Author: Natalie Barelli
Publication: January 5, 2018
Publisher: The Last Word
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Mystery
Pages: 312/ Audiobook: 7 hours, 57 minutes
SYNOPSIS: (From Goodreads)
Everyone has secrets, and Rachel Holloway is no exception. She’s worked hard to keep the past where it belongs: dead and buried. And so far, she’s been very successful.
But now the small newspaper where she works wants to produce a podcast on a cold case: the disappearance fifteen years ago of little Molly Forster, aged nine.
Some secrets should never see the light of day, and as far as Rachel is concerned, whatever happened to little Molly is one of them. Rachel has a life now, a boyfriend she loves and a three-year-old daughter she adores, and she will do anything to protect them.
But to do that, no one can ever know the truth: that she is Molly Forster.
REVIEW:
I love a good psychological thriller, and even more so when I can listen to the voices play it out while I drive. Hint: I listened to the audiobook. I had never read a book by Natalie Barelli before, but let me tell you… I have every other book she wrote on my to read list now.
The story follows Rachel Holloway, or as the synopsis says, Molly Forster as she tries to keep her identity hidden when the case of her missing self from over a decade earlier sneaks up on her in her very own place of work. This story was twisty and the characters were interesting. Right off I will say that Rachel gave me anxiety. Maybe because Rachel has anxiety attacks throughout the book, but also because she is so high strung in this story that I cannot deal with her. Her behavior is suspicious to those around her because she gets so spastic when she hears her work is going to investigate her disappearance without realizing its her. Many times I caught myself wanting to tell her to be quiet or shake her to calm her down. I also really liked Vivian, but she annoyed me greatly at times. Matt, the husband, was not my favorite character. But honestly, Jacob was probably my favorite. I don’t want to give spoilers, but I quite liked his demeanor and personality and how seriously he took his job. Overall the characters in this book were enjoyable and quirky, which as most know from my other reviews, I love quirky characters. I felt like I could relate to them, and that’s important to me in a novel.
The plot line was well developed in this story and just enough detail was given to move the story along without spoiling the mystery. While you know the outcome, she is Molly, just from the synopsis, there are so many twists and turns that you will be anxiously biting your nails. No? Just me? Mine are gone. Thanks, Barelli! A true nail-biter with a dark, sordid past that was slowly creeping up on me as I listened to this novel. I wasn’t sure what to think most of the time or if this was going to be a happily ever after or an “oh, that’s terrible” type of ending. I won’t tell you which, but it was a great ending.
Overall, Missing Molly would be thoroughly enjoyable for anyone who loves psychological, twisty suspense thrillers. I can’t wait to read more from Barelli. Hats off to her for phenomenal writing.
