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99 Red Balloons
Two girls go missing, decades apart. What would you do if one was your daughter?
When eight-year-old Grace goes missing from a sweetshop on the way home from school, her mother Emma is plunged into a nightmare. Her family rallies around, but as the police hunt begins, cracks begin to emerge.
What are the secret emails sent between Emma’s husband and her sister? Why does her mother take so long to join the search? And is Emma really as innocent as she seems?
Meanwhile, ageing widow Maggie Taylor sees Grace’s picture in the newspaper. It’s a photograph that jolts her from the pain of her existence into a spiralling obsession with another girl – the first girl who disappeared…
353 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 24, 2017
About the author
Elisabeth Carpenter
6 books177 followersElisabeth (Libby) Carpenter won a Northern Writers New Fiction Award (2016) and was longlisted for Yeovil Literary Prize (2015 & 2016) and MsLexia Women’s Novel award (2015).
Elisabeth lives in Preston, Lancashire with her family. She loves the north of England, setting most of her stories in the area – including the novel she is writing at the moment.
99 Red Balloons was Elisabeth’s debut novel.
Elisabeth lives in Preston, Lancashire with her family. She loves the north of England, setting most of her stories in the area – including the novel she is writing at the moment.
99 Red Balloons was Elisabeth’s debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 606 reviews
July 27, 2017
A fantastic debut thriller
A child is whisked away from a local neighborhood store. The family left in shambles.
Emma and Matt are overwhelmingly devastated when their daughter Grace goes missing. Emma's sister Samantha is right there to help prevent the family from shattering. But just beneath the surface there are hidden secrets and lies that threaten to be exposed as the police search for Grace to bring her home safe and sound.
Tragically, Maggie also lost a granddaughter Zoe years ago. As the news of Graces’ disappearance reaches her, she is forced to relive the pain and loss of having no resolution to Zoe’s abduction. Why is the news of this new abduction hitting her so unusually hard?
Told from multiple points of view, the layers and back-stories are deep and disturbing. At one point I actually had to put the book down to try and put all the pieces together! My heart was pounding and my head was spinning! At that moment all I could say was, Wow!
So cleverly written with shocking twists that are revealed along the way. Absolutely brilliant! Hard to believe this is a debut for this author!
Highly recommend for all thriller fans.
Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and Elisabeth Carpenter for an ARC to review in exchange for an honest review.
A child is whisked away from a local neighborhood store. The family left in shambles.
Emma and Matt are overwhelmingly devastated when their daughter Grace goes missing. Emma's sister Samantha is right there to help prevent the family from shattering. But just beneath the surface there are hidden secrets and lies that threaten to be exposed as the police search for Grace to bring her home safe and sound.
Tragically, Maggie also lost a granddaughter Zoe years ago. As the news of Graces’ disappearance reaches her, she is forced to relive the pain and loss of having no resolution to Zoe’s abduction. Why is the news of this new abduction hitting her so unusually hard?
Told from multiple points of view, the layers and back-stories are deep and disturbing. At one point I actually had to put the book down to try and put all the pieces together! My heart was pounding and my head was spinning! At that moment all I could say was, Wow!
So cleverly written with shocking twists that are revealed along the way. Absolutely brilliant! Hard to believe this is a debut for this author!
Highly recommend for all thriller fans.
Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and Elisabeth Carpenter for an ARC to review in exchange for an honest review.
September 12, 2017
3.5 Stars.* (rounded up)
Grace goes missing one day while walking home from school after leaving the sweets shop by herself. It was the first time she had walked home alone. Every other time her mom, Emma had walked with Grace or spied on her, of course she regrets it. But Grace was now a big girl, being eight years-old and all and Emma thought Grace was finally old enough to walk by herself. Emma was wrong.
Stephanie, Grace's aunt provides support to both her sister Emma and her brother-in-law Matt during this tragic time. All three of them have secrets, secrets they want to keep hidden from each other and the police.
Maggie is an older woman whose granddaughter Zoe went missing decades ago. Every time she sees photographs of missing children in the paper or on the news, it reminds her of Zoe. She has never gotten over it. After Zoe went missing, she lost her daughter Sarah and her husband Ron passed. If it weren't for her best friend Jim, she isn't sure how she would have survived these last few years. When she sees photos of little Grace having been taken outside of a sweets shop, it reminds her or Zoe, for the circumstances are exactly the same.
Will Grace be found? How does Zoe’s disappearance relate? This was a novel that I found captivating and compelling. I was interested in both Stephanie and Emma’s story and Maggie’s as well and was impressed that this was Elisabeth Carpenter’s debut novel and would recommend it to fans of suspense novels.
Thank you to Edelweiss, Chelsea Tresp, Harper Collins and Elisabeth Carpenter for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on Goodreads and Edelweiss on 9.12.17
*Will be Published on Amazon on 9.26.17.
Grace goes missing one day while walking home from school after leaving the sweets shop by herself. It was the first time she had walked home alone. Every other time her mom, Emma had walked with Grace or spied on her, of course she regrets it. But Grace was now a big girl, being eight years-old and all and Emma thought Grace was finally old enough to walk by herself. Emma was wrong.
Stephanie, Grace's aunt provides support to both her sister Emma and her brother-in-law Matt during this tragic time. All three of them have secrets, secrets they want to keep hidden from each other and the police.
Maggie is an older woman whose granddaughter Zoe went missing decades ago. Every time she sees photographs of missing children in the paper or on the news, it reminds her of Zoe. She has never gotten over it. After Zoe went missing, she lost her daughter Sarah and her husband Ron passed. If it weren't for her best friend Jim, she isn't sure how she would have survived these last few years. When she sees photos of little Grace having been taken outside of a sweets shop, it reminds her or Zoe, for the circumstances are exactly the same.
Will Grace be found? How does Zoe’s disappearance relate? This was a novel that I found captivating and compelling. I was interested in both Stephanie and Emma’s story and Maggie’s as well and was impressed that this was Elisabeth Carpenter’s debut novel and would recommend it to fans of suspense novels.
Thank you to Edelweiss, Chelsea Tresp, Harper Collins and Elisabeth Carpenter for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on Goodreads and Edelweiss on 9.12.17
*Will be Published on Amazon on 9.26.17.
September 18, 2017
At the very beginning I was pulled into the story almost instantly as Elisabeth (Libby) Carpenter has crafted an extremely powerful and fast developing first few pages and first chapter. I loved that it was so easy to get into the story - I had no qualms about that but I did worry that due to the events of the first chapter that the thrill level couldn't be maintained. It kept my interest quite well until around 50%+ but at some point after that it became seriously uneventful and my mind was drifting. The ending was not the plot twist I was looking for as it was easily predictable, I would've welcomed a surprise at this point to pull me back into the story but unfortunately it was not meant to be.
99 RED BALLOONS starts out as a fantastic thriller should - without spoiling it for others with the details - a girl disappearing. It quickly became apparent to me in the part of the book that I lost interest that it would be more apt to call it a family drama. Although the kidnappings would be described as events that occur in a thriller novel, this book pretty much revolves around the family dynamic and the dysfunctional family scenario where secrets and lies are the normal modus operandi.
There was also some of the book, the unnamed chapters, where it was not entirely clear who's perspective it was from which became a little confusing at some stages of the book. Most of the chapters are named Stephanie, Maggie etc but a few of the others were problematic. There hasn't been much of an effort to develop the characters beyond their name and basic details making it hard to distinguish one from another. It would've made sense to individualise the main characters involved in the story and leave the peripheral figures lacking substantial detail.
I read to relax and some of this lack of clarity made the story more complex than it really was or needed to be. I do like a book to challenge me otherwise it is boring but it shouldn't test your memory to this extent. That said, I feel this was a good debut novel and that the overall premise was sound. It would, with more character building, be even better and help to make the story more enjoyable.
This was one of the books in my to-be-read pile that I was most looking forward to reading but I ended up being disappointed unfortunately. There have been so many fantastic books this year that the standards have risen considerably - this shows anything of a slightly lesser standard in a bad light. I also want to give a quick mention to the the cover which really grabbed my attention, such a great design.
Obviously this is just my subjective opinion and I think this book would very much appeal to those who like family drama's. I would strongly recommend it to those people as a worthwhile read. I would read another Elisabeth Carpenter novel in the future but I would be less excited than I was to read 99 RED BALLOONS.
I would like to thank Elisabeth Carpenter, Avon and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. It was my pleasure to provide my honest opinion.
99 RED BALLOONS starts out as a fantastic thriller should - without spoiling it for others with the details - a girl disappearing. It quickly became apparent to me in the part of the book that I lost interest that it would be more apt to call it a family drama. Although the kidnappings would be described as events that occur in a thriller novel, this book pretty much revolves around the family dynamic and the dysfunctional family scenario where secrets and lies are the normal modus operandi.
There was also some of the book, the unnamed chapters, where it was not entirely clear who's perspective it was from which became a little confusing at some stages of the book. Most of the chapters are named Stephanie, Maggie etc but a few of the others were problematic. There hasn't been much of an effort to develop the characters beyond their name and basic details making it hard to distinguish one from another. It would've made sense to individualise the main characters involved in the story and leave the peripheral figures lacking substantial detail.
I read to relax and some of this lack of clarity made the story more complex than it really was or needed to be. I do like a book to challenge me otherwise it is boring but it shouldn't test your memory to this extent. That said, I feel this was a good debut novel and that the overall premise was sound. It would, with more character building, be even better and help to make the story more enjoyable.
This was one of the books in my to-be-read pile that I was most looking forward to reading but I ended up being disappointed unfortunately. There have been so many fantastic books this year that the standards have risen considerably - this shows anything of a slightly lesser standard in a bad light. I also want to give a quick mention to the the cover which really grabbed my attention, such a great design.
Obviously this is just my subjective opinion and I think this book would very much appeal to those who like family drama's. I would strongly recommend it to those people as a worthwhile read. I would read another Elisabeth Carpenter novel in the future but I would be less excited than I was to read 99 RED BALLOONS.
I would like to thank Elisabeth Carpenter, Avon and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. It was my pleasure to provide my honest opinion.
August 26, 2017
I kept thinking "maybe it's just me..." but at 70% in, I don't care if it's just me. I can't find a reason to continue trying to read 99 RED BALLOONS. It has a bunch of positive reviews which led to my self-doubt. Most of the reviews focus on the plot, which is not bad at all. The plot is the redeeming quality here, even though you will figure out the ending way way way before it happens.
The writing and organization of the book is a mess. With every chapter, I had no idea who was narrating unless the chapter was named "Maggie", "Stephanie" etc. This was mainly due to lack of characterization. With the exception of Maggie, an elderly woman, there is no real personality among the characters. It is curiously dry and detached. Some chapters are not named, and as a reader I was lost as to who was speaking. I was 50% into the book before I saw a semblance of narration pattern, and even then, it remained inconsistent and confusing.
This was an ARC from the fabulous HARPER COLLINS AVON publisher and I am so grateful to them for allowing me to read and give my honest review.
The writing and organization of the book is a mess. With every chapter, I had no idea who was narrating unless the chapter was named "Maggie", "Stephanie" etc. This was mainly due to lack of characterization. With the exception of Maggie, an elderly woman, there is no real personality among the characters. It is curiously dry and detached. Some chapters are not named, and as a reader I was lost as to who was speaking. I was 50% into the book before I saw a semblance of narration pattern, and even then, it remained inconsistent and confusing.
This was an ARC from the fabulous HARPER COLLINS AVON publisher and I am so grateful to them for allowing me to read and give my honest review.
August 7, 2017
Eight year old Grace had been begging her parents to start letting her walk home from school with her friends so they finally begin to let her. Grace's mother, Emma, had at first followed her daughter and hid to keep an eye on her as she walked but once she saw she was doing alright she let the girl make the trip on her own until one day Grace didn't come home.
Frantic with worry every searches every where for the little girl finding the last place she was seen was seen in a sweetshop with no other clues to her whereabouts. Soon the police and media are involved in the search for young Grace when ageing widow Maggie Sharples sees Grace's image on the news bringing back memories of her own granddaughter being kidnapped years before. For Maggie though the face she sees on the television is a bit too familiar to be coincidence.
99 Red Balloons is a thriller that takes the thought of every parent's worst nightmare and expand the story to yet another level blending the past and present together. The overall plot is one that is sure to keep a reader on edge with a little girl's life on the line when she can't be found but for me this one also seemed to be a bit confusing with so much going on.
The story is told with alternating points of views from various different characters all throughout the book which is where I think I struggled with keeping track. Some chapters are from the family then a lady watching the story unfold and even a little girl who had been taken. By the time it all wrapped up it made sense but during the early pages and the middle there were a few times the voices within the chapters just weren't standing out enough to remember who was who.
In the end I decided to rate this book at 3.5 stars. The intensity was there to keep me wanting to know how it would unfold but I had to sometimes stop and remind myself who was who and what situation I was reading so the flow could have been a bit better in my opinion.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
Frantic with worry every searches every where for the little girl finding the last place she was seen was seen in a sweetshop with no other clues to her whereabouts. Soon the police and media are involved in the search for young Grace when ageing widow Maggie Sharples sees Grace's image on the news bringing back memories of her own granddaughter being kidnapped years before. For Maggie though the face she sees on the television is a bit too familiar to be coincidence.
99 Red Balloons is a thriller that takes the thought of every parent's worst nightmare and expand the story to yet another level blending the past and present together. The overall plot is one that is sure to keep a reader on edge with a little girl's life on the line when she can't be found but for me this one also seemed to be a bit confusing with so much going on.
The story is told with alternating points of views from various different characters all throughout the book which is where I think I struggled with keeping track. Some chapters are from the family then a lady watching the story unfold and even a little girl who had been taken. By the time it all wrapped up it made sense but during the early pages and the middle there were a few times the voices within the chapters just weren't standing out enough to remember who was who.
In the end I decided to rate this book at 3.5 stars. The intensity was there to keep me wanting to know how it would unfold but I had to sometimes stop and remind myself who was who and what situation I was reading so the flow could have been a bit better in my opinion.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
February 24, 2021
3.5 stars
As the story opens a schoolgirl is abducted from a sweet shop in England, having been led to believe that the man in the woolly hat was sent by her mom. As the man drives the girl away, the song 'Ninety Nine Red Balloons' - which she likes - is playing on the car radio.
**********
Stephanie arrives at her sister Emma's house.......
.....to find her sibling near hysteria.
Emma's 8-year-old daughter Grace hasn't arrived home from school, and none of the neighbors have seen her. The police arrive to hunt for the child, but Grace can't be found anywhere. DI Lee Hines and DS Rachel Berry question Grace's relatives about where the girl might go, but the family doesn't believe Grace would wander off on her own.
As time ticks by - and the situation looks dire - Grace's family draws together to support each other. This includes the parents, Emma and Matt; Aunt Stephanie and her 13-year-old son Jamie; and the widowed grandmother.
When the police leave to continue their search elsewhere, the Family Liaison Officer (FLO) - PC Nadia Sharma - stays to assist Grace's relatives.....who are falling apart.
Across England, in another town, an elderly woman named Maggie is disturbed when she sees the news story about Grace.
Maggie's granddaughter Zoe was abducted 30 years ago, and the loss destroyed the family. Maggie's son Scott turned into a drug addict and criminal; Maggie's grief-stricken husband Ron died; Maggie's son-in-law David left to search for his girl; and Maggie's daughter Sarah became an alcoholic and committed suicide.
Maggie's lived alone since then, and has continued to follow news stories of vanished children. Maggie always sends a card to the parents of missing kids - with her name and address - in case the current police investigation turns up news of Zoe....who's never been found.
Most of the story is told in the alternating voices of Stephanie and Maggie. There are also sections narrated by an abducted child, and glimpses into the thoughts and behavior of a kidnapper.
In Stephanie's chapters we get insight into a frightened family trying to deal with a dreadful situation. As days pass, family members blame themselves and each other; can't bring themselves to shower or change clothes; drink too much; ignore the food dropped off by neighbors; and generally fall into despair.
Stephanie has the added responsibility of looking after her son Jamie, who gets a break from the suffocating environment by visiting his dad and going to school.
We also learn that Emma is not Stephanie's biological sister. Emma was adopted at the age of 10 after being rescued from an abusive home. Nevertheless, the siblings have a very strong bond and are devoted to each other. Still, Stephanie and Matt (Emma's husband) have a secret between them, which causes added tension in the already strained household.
This is exacerbated by the presence of PI Sharma - who's always around.....listening.
In Maggie's narrative she describes her family tragedy; her continuing depression; her day to day activities; and the discomfort she feels with local people - who seem to exude pity. Maggie also talks about her friend Jim - a caring man who comes by regularly to check up on her. When Maggie and Jim see a photo of Grace's family in the newspaper, someone looks familiar.
In the chapters recounted by the child she seems drugged and sleepy during a long car journey - and frightened by her situation. She continually asks when she'll see her mommy.
And finally we see a nervous abductor trying to keep a child calm while he disguises or hides her, to keep from getting caught as he crosses borders. (Uh-oh!) I wanted to know what this was all about.
The police investigation continues behind the scenes, and the family is kept updated by the detectives and the FLO. But the cops don't divulge everything they find out until the book's climax, which is appropriately dramatic.
I don't want to give away spoilers so I'll just say the author has a deft touch with misdirection and the story has some big surprises.
The narrative is probably an accurate depiction of how families react when a child goes missing. If you've ever mislaid a kid temporarily - in a store or park - you've probably felt a little of this. I found the story compelling and was anxious to discover what happened to Grace..... and what secrets people were keeping.
I'd recommend this engaging book to fans of psychological thrillers.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Elisabeth Carpenter), and the publisher (Avon) for a copy of the book.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
April 27, 2023
This was an okay read. So many great psychological thrillers out this year that I've read and this one didn't quite rank up there with many of them. This novel features a missing child at the core of its plot, again something I've read a lot of this year.
I found the alternating points of view in this somewhat confusing, despite each chapter being headed with the person speaking. To some degree it was that not all the characters had distinct voices, didn't stand out in their own character. At times I found I was straining to follow things mentally rather than relaxing into a great read.
It's not a bad book however and the plot has a number of sub-plots that begin to weave together into some decent reveals. I had spotted or guessed the major one very early in the book but kept my mind open to being wrong.
The characters that did really stand out for me, therefore the perspectives I enjoyed reading the most was that of young child Zoe who I took to heart very quickly in her scary predicament and elderly Maggie. I thought Maggie's pain and inner torment was done really well - her friendship with Jim really sticks with me too.
This is a novel that tackles family secrets, child abduction and has plenty of flawed characters throughout.
There is only a tiny, very small focus on anything police related - so despite a missing child you won't find a crime element in this novel. I did feel personally that would have added enormously and given us some alternative perspective to the overall story. In reality? A lot more talk about what the police were doing would have absolutely been happening. The author just decided not to focus on it. That's her writing choice :-)
I was hoping for a spectacular finish to bump my rating to 4 stars, however it flowed into the picture at a fairly slow pace with no real surprises by that point. A major end twist would have been fabulous.
3 stars from me. A book that others will indeed rate higher. I think the fact I review hundreds every year means I look at comparison books in the same genre and rate accordingly. In a genre that's "busy" you've got to really stand out. I would definitely read the next book by this author as the writing was not bad at all and I'd like to see what she comes out with next.
I received a copy of this book thanks to Avon via NetGalley. All review opinions are entirely my own and completely unbiased.
I found the alternating points of view in this somewhat confusing, despite each chapter being headed with the person speaking. To some degree it was that not all the characters had distinct voices, didn't stand out in their own character. At times I found I was straining to follow things mentally rather than relaxing into a great read.
It's not a bad book however and the plot has a number of sub-plots that begin to weave together into some decent reveals. I had spotted or guessed the major one very early in the book but kept my mind open to being wrong.
The characters that did really stand out for me, therefore the perspectives I enjoyed reading the most was that of young child Zoe who I took to heart very quickly in her scary predicament and elderly Maggie. I thought Maggie's pain and inner torment was done really well - her friendship with Jim really sticks with me too.
This is a novel that tackles family secrets, child abduction and has plenty of flawed characters throughout.
There is only a tiny, very small focus on anything police related - so despite a missing child you won't find a crime element in this novel. I did feel personally that would have added enormously and given us some alternative perspective to the overall story. In reality? A lot more talk about what the police were doing would have absolutely been happening. The author just decided not to focus on it. That's her writing choice :-)
I was hoping for a spectacular finish to bump my rating to 4 stars, however it flowed into the picture at a fairly slow pace with no real surprises by that point. A major end twist would have been fabulous.
3 stars from me. A book that others will indeed rate higher. I think the fact I review hundreds every year means I look at comparison books in the same genre and rate accordingly. In a genre that's "busy" you've got to really stand out. I would definitely read the next book by this author as the writing was not bad at all and I'd like to see what she comes out with next.
I received a copy of this book thanks to Avon via NetGalley. All review opinions are entirely my own and completely unbiased.
October 25, 2018
Well I have found another new author to read YAY for me I loved this book its really enjoyable & is fast paced with short sharp chapters that will keep you turning the pages at a rate of knots I loved how the author wrote the characters weaving them together & made it an easy flowing read. My favourite character was Stephanie as she had a lot of heartache & sadness going on in her life my emotions were everywhere while reading her POV, the story is told between 3 POV's & wasn't hard to follow.
Eight year old Grace went missing outside a lolly shop her parents Emma & Matt are left devastated by her disappearance , her sister Stephanie is trying to keep the family together, but underneath her strong exterior she is hiding a secret that would have a major impact on their family.
There is a major twist that I had read which sent me into total shock I had to hold my breath & sit for a moment & take it in. Emma is finding it hard to cope with everything , Stephanie has vodka as her best friend .
We find out that Matt & Stephanie have been sending emails to each other why?
Then 30 years earlier another girl goes missing outside a lolly shop Could the cases be linked somehow?
Maggie Zoe's mother who disappeared years earlier had secrets to hide as well, all I can say is will Emma, Matt & Maggie be united in finding their lost daughters or will it tear them apart!!
Eight year old Grace went missing outside a lolly shop her parents Emma & Matt are left devastated by her disappearance , her sister Stephanie is trying to keep the family together, but underneath her strong exterior she is hiding a secret that would have a major impact on their family.
There is a major twist that I had read which sent me into total shock I had to hold my breath & sit for a moment & take it in. Emma is finding it hard to cope with everything , Stephanie has vodka as her best friend .
We find out that Matt & Stephanie have been sending emails to each other why?
Then 30 years earlier another girl goes missing outside a lolly shop Could the cases be linked somehow?
Maggie Zoe's mother who disappeared years earlier had secrets to hide as well, all I can say is will Emma, Matt & Maggie be united in finding their lost daughters or will it tear them apart!!
October 18, 2017
That twist. Took this one to a different level. That’s all I’m gonna say about that.
But really, THAT TWIST!
I read a ton of psychological thrillers, so if you can stump me, I am pleasantly surprised. Bravo.
This was a page turner from the start, once we got into the nitty gritty of the story, it slowed down a bit, but do I ever love where it ended up.
3.5 stars (rounded up). Thank you Netgalley!
But really, THAT TWIST!
I read a ton of psychological thrillers, so if you can stump me, I am pleasantly surprised. Bravo.
This was a page turner from the start, once we got into the nitty gritty of the story, it slowed down a bit, but do I ever love where it ended up.
3.5 stars (rounded up). Thank you Netgalley!
September 13, 2017
2 1/2 stars
This is really a 2 star book, but the development of the character Maggie is so good that by itself it's worth an extra half star.
As you probably know by now, 99 red balloons is about a little girl that goes missing while alone at a shop. The news coverage for the search for her brings back awful memories for a woman named Maggie whose own granddaughter was kidnapped 30 years before under the same suspicious circumstances.
Are the two cases connected, and if so, how? This question leads one to believe that the twist might be totally different than what it actually ends up being. This is good news for readers who don't try to put the pieces together ahead of time.
This was a fairly decent debut novel. As a psychological thriller, it was a little disappointing, but that's only because it takes a lot of practice to become a master of all the elements that make up the psych thriller genre. This is by far the most difficult type of book to write, and sometimes it's almost impossible not to back oneself into a corner when trying to keep certain twists from coming to light.
Case in point: some of the chapters here are labeled with the narrator, while some are not. The reason for this is to shock the reader with a surprise twist, and to try to keep it well-hidden until it is meant to be discovered.
But really, all it does is add to the confusion by making it feel disjointed and disorganized. This is especially true as it relates to character development, because several of the characters weren't fleshed out enough to sound separate and unique from one another.
Thanks to Netgalley.
This is really a 2 star book, but the development of the character Maggie is so good that by itself it's worth an extra half star.
As you probably know by now, 99 red balloons is about a little girl that goes missing while alone at a shop. The news coverage for the search for her brings back awful memories for a woman named Maggie whose own granddaughter was kidnapped 30 years before under the same suspicious circumstances.
Are the two cases connected, and if so, how? This question leads one to believe that the twist might be totally different than what it actually ends up being. This is good news for readers who don't try to put the pieces together ahead of time.
This was a fairly decent debut novel. As a psychological thriller, it was a little disappointing, but that's only because it takes a lot of practice to become a master of all the elements that make up the psych thriller genre. This is by far the most difficult type of book to write, and sometimes it's almost impossible not to back oneself into a corner when trying to keep certain twists from coming to light.
Case in point: some of the chapters here are labeled with the narrator, while some are not. The reason for this is to shock the reader with a surprise twist, and to try to keep it well-hidden until it is meant to be discovered.
But really, all it does is add to the confusion by making it feel disjointed and disorganized. This is especially true as it relates to character development, because several of the characters weren't fleshed out enough to sound separate and unique from one another.
Thanks to Netgalley.
November 11, 2017
In the overcrowded psychological thriller market it takes something truly distinctive to stand out from the field, particularly when the central premise of the novel hinges on a missing child. Whilst 99 Red Balloons is a solid and entertaining read it sadly doesn’t add much to the genre and is less psychological thriller and more aptly classified as domestic drama with a strong focus on family dynamics. As such, although I wasn’t expecting 99 Red Balloons to follow the course that it did, I found this a wonderfully emotive and sensitive study of the long held secrets within families and the tensions that can lie dormant for decades.
The story opens with eight-year-old Grace Harper discovered to have gone missing from her village in Lincoln following her trip to buy sweets at the paper shop on her walk home from school. This initial pace soon abates and the novel proves a slow burning yet increasing compelling read. Distraught mother, Emma, frantically scrambles to locate Grace and her family rally round, however discoveries prove unforthcoming and the focus turns instead to the characterisation of Grace’s family unit, with some pertinent questions soon forming in the minds of readers. As a charged atmosphere prevails between the anxious family, Emma, her husband and Grace’s father, Matt, are supported by Emma’s sister, Stephanie, and mother. Post-haste the undercurrents and tensions amongst the individuals become apparent; moving between the late arrival of Grace’s grandmother, her obvious preference for Emma and her capricious attitude to Steph. Altogether more disconcertingly though is the obvious chemistry of Matt and Steph’s cosy relationship and the persistent phone calls to Emma from ‘work’.
Simultaneously a parallel storyline focusing on lonely pensioner, Maggie Taylor, three-hours away in Preston is unfolding and through the media reports of Grace’s disappearance she relives every moment of the heartbreakingly similar disappearance of her five-year-old granddaughter, Zoe, three decades previously. With the support and unspoken affection of her friendship with her husband’s former colleague, Jim, she revisits the devastating fallout from that day and charts the loss of her offspring and husband. It is the story of Maggie and the tragic repercussions of Zoe’s disappearance that truly resonates and this subtle take on learning how to live with a less than perfect past is touching without being overly sentimental. Top marks for characterisation go to blunt and no-nonsense Maggie, who begrudgingly accepts the support of caring and genial Jim and Carpenter excels at breaking down the sharp edges of the hostile exterior that Maggie cloaks her emotions in.
Comprised of multiple narratives all in the first person, the majority of the unravelling in seen from the perspective of either Steph or Maggie and whilst these are differentiated by their acknowledgement of the narrator, shorter and untitled extracts are dotted throughout. At times these excerpts are only several pages and hence it can prove frustrating to have to read the first paragraph to understand whose take on the story is unfolding and has the potential to frustrate readers who read who consume this novel over a lengthy time frame. However, in all honesty it isn’t hard to intuit who these narrators represent. I found the dialogue element to be extremely well written and highly authentic, especially between Stephanie and her thirteen-year-old son, Jamie and the friction with Steph’s increasingly aggressive brother-in-law, Matt.
The suspense element of 99 Red Balloons is in all honestly minimal, and I feel that marketing it as a psychological thriller is something of a disservice as the novel proves both poignant and sensitively well observed and contains less of the thrills and spills that typically trademark the genre. Despite seeing the direction that the novel was heading towards at the halfway point it was irrelevant to my reading enjoyment as the depth of characterisation and human element made for a compassionate and insightful story. The police involvement of this story is muted, thus serving to emphasise the dynamics of the families involved and concentrate on seeing the turmoil of coping with abduction and coming to terms with a fractured past. As the drama ratchets up into a powerful close, this astute study of just what family means impressed me enough to ensure that I look for future offerings from this debut author. It is only on finishing 99 Red Balloons that readers will be able to fully appreciate the value of using unnamed narrators and their inclusion in the story.
The story opens with eight-year-old Grace Harper discovered to have gone missing from her village in Lincoln following her trip to buy sweets at the paper shop on her walk home from school. This initial pace soon abates and the novel proves a slow burning yet increasing compelling read. Distraught mother, Emma, frantically scrambles to locate Grace and her family rally round, however discoveries prove unforthcoming and the focus turns instead to the characterisation of Grace’s family unit, with some pertinent questions soon forming in the minds of readers. As a charged atmosphere prevails between the anxious family, Emma, her husband and Grace’s father, Matt, are supported by Emma’s sister, Stephanie, and mother. Post-haste the undercurrents and tensions amongst the individuals become apparent; moving between the late arrival of Grace’s grandmother, her obvious preference for Emma and her capricious attitude to Steph. Altogether more disconcertingly though is the obvious chemistry of Matt and Steph’s cosy relationship and the persistent phone calls to Emma from ‘work’.
Simultaneously a parallel storyline focusing on lonely pensioner, Maggie Taylor, three-hours away in Preston is unfolding and through the media reports of Grace’s disappearance she relives every moment of the heartbreakingly similar disappearance of her five-year-old granddaughter, Zoe, three decades previously. With the support and unspoken affection of her friendship with her husband’s former colleague, Jim, she revisits the devastating fallout from that day and charts the loss of her offspring and husband. It is the story of Maggie and the tragic repercussions of Zoe’s disappearance that truly resonates and this subtle take on learning how to live with a less than perfect past is touching without being overly sentimental. Top marks for characterisation go to blunt and no-nonsense Maggie, who begrudgingly accepts the support of caring and genial Jim and Carpenter excels at breaking down the sharp edges of the hostile exterior that Maggie cloaks her emotions in.
Comprised of multiple narratives all in the first person, the majority of the unravelling in seen from the perspective of either Steph or Maggie and whilst these are differentiated by their acknowledgement of the narrator, shorter and untitled extracts are dotted throughout. At times these excerpts are only several pages and hence it can prove frustrating to have to read the first paragraph to understand whose take on the story is unfolding and has the potential to frustrate readers who read who consume this novel over a lengthy time frame. However, in all honesty it isn’t hard to intuit who these narrators represent. I found the dialogue element to be extremely well written and highly authentic, especially between Stephanie and her thirteen-year-old son, Jamie and the friction with Steph’s increasingly aggressive brother-in-law, Matt.
The suspense element of 99 Red Balloons is in all honestly minimal, and I feel that marketing it as a psychological thriller is something of a disservice as the novel proves both poignant and sensitively well observed and contains less of the thrills and spills that typically trademark the genre. Despite seeing the direction that the novel was heading towards at the halfway point it was irrelevant to my reading enjoyment as the depth of characterisation and human element made for a compassionate and insightful story. The police involvement of this story is muted, thus serving to emphasise the dynamics of the families involved and concentrate on seeing the turmoil of coping with abduction and coming to terms with a fractured past. As the drama ratchets up into a powerful close, this astute study of just what family means impressed me enough to ensure that I look for future offerings from this debut author. It is only on finishing 99 Red Balloons that readers will be able to fully appreciate the value of using unnamed narrators and their inclusion in the story.
July 8, 2018
I was surprised to learn this one is a debut! It's very carefully constructed, and there were quite a few surprises in there for me. I even had the "have to set the book down" moment. Or in my case, I set the Kindle down at one of the twists and said "what?!". It made perfect sense, but I wasn't expecting it. I love when that happens. I read way too many thrillers to be surprised often. It definitely kept me turning pages. I did have to look back a few times to re-orientate myself on who was who, but that was a pretty minor issue. I think this is a fresh and most welcome take on the "missing child" genre. There is almost nothing from the prospective of the police here, and I was okay with that. I love my police procedurals, but sticking with the family actually made it more unnerving. We were in the dark about the details of the case, just as the main characters were. I particularly enjoyed the character of Maggie, an elderly woman who still mourns the loss of her family years before. She got to me!
Eight year old Grace has vanished on her way home from school. She was supposed to be walking with her friends, but they claim to know nothing. Her entire family has no idea what to do or where to look. Mother Emma and aunt Stephanie are our focus here, and it soon becomes clear that they aren't being completely honest with each other or anyone else. Why has Stephanie been having secret conversations with Emma's husband? Why doesn't their mother seem more concerned? Where could the little girl be?
Miles away, Maggie Taylor can't stop following the case, even though it makes the memories that always haunt her even more sharp. Years ago, another little girl disappeared in similar circumstances... her family. It led to even more loss and tragedy as the pain reverberated throughout the rest of her household.
Are the two cases connected? What kind of secrets is everyone keeping? Can they find little Grace before it's too late?
Eight year old Grace has vanished on her way home from school. She was supposed to be walking with her friends, but they claim to know nothing. Her entire family has no idea what to do or where to look. Mother Emma and aunt Stephanie are our focus here, and it soon becomes clear that they aren't being completely honest with each other or anyone else. Why has Stephanie been having secret conversations with Emma's husband? Why doesn't their mother seem more concerned? Where could the little girl be?
Miles away, Maggie Taylor can't stop following the case, even though it makes the memories that always haunt her even more sharp. Years ago, another little girl disappeared in similar circumstances... her family. It led to even more loss and tragedy as the pain reverberated throughout the rest of her household.
Are the two cases connected? What kind of secrets is everyone keeping? Can they find little Grace before it's too late?
September 21, 2017
Two girls go missing, decades apart. What would you do if one was your daughter?
When eight-year-old Grace goes missing from a sweetshop on the way home from school, her mother Emma is plunged into a nightmare. Her family rallies around, but as the police hunt begins, cracks begin to emerge.
What are the secret emails sent between Emma’s husband and her sister? Why does her mother take so long to join the search? And is Emma really as innocent as she seems?
Meanwhile, ageing widow Maggie Taylor sees Grace’s picture in the newspaper. It’s a photograph that jolts her from the pain of her existence into a spiralling obsession with another girl – the first girl who disappeared…
Wow, this is a good suspenseful read. It can be hard reading about harm done to a child. However, this book does not overdo it with the hard, gritty details. The writing is done very well enough to give you some insight to what happens to little Grace after she's been snatched away from her family. This is my first novel read by Elisabeth Carpenter and it certainly will not be my last. Overall, the plot was nicely woven out. My only tiny complaint would be that there was one story line that was not quite flushed out and did not go in the direction you thought it might go. It was mentioned here and there and then dropped. Other than that, I felt connected to the characters. I felt all of the emotions as if I wanted to jump right into the book with them.
Many thanks to the publisher for providing my copy via NetGalley. It was truly a pleasure to read and provide my honest thoughts.
When eight-year-old Grace goes missing from a sweetshop on the way home from school, her mother Emma is plunged into a nightmare. Her family rallies around, but as the police hunt begins, cracks begin to emerge.
What are the secret emails sent between Emma’s husband and her sister? Why does her mother take so long to join the search? And is Emma really as innocent as she seems?
Meanwhile, ageing widow Maggie Taylor sees Grace’s picture in the newspaper. It’s a photograph that jolts her from the pain of her existence into a spiralling obsession with another girl – the first girl who disappeared…
Wow, this is a good suspenseful read. It can be hard reading about harm done to a child. However, this book does not overdo it with the hard, gritty details. The writing is done very well enough to give you some insight to what happens to little Grace after she's been snatched away from her family. This is my first novel read by Elisabeth Carpenter and it certainly will not be my last. Overall, the plot was nicely woven out. My only tiny complaint would be that there was one story line that was not quite flushed out and did not go in the direction you thought it might go. It was mentioned here and there and then dropped. Other than that, I felt connected to the characters. I felt all of the emotions as if I wanted to jump right into the book with them.
Many thanks to the publisher for providing my copy via NetGalley. It was truly a pleasure to read and provide my honest thoughts.
March 3, 2023
I really didn't think I was going to give this more that 3 stars but the ending was impressive.
This book has multiple POV's that are well done, well separated and each interesting in their own right. It is a wild ride, we know almost straight away that there has to be a connection between the characters but we just don't know what it is. I was guessing all the way through, and although I guessed a few things it didn't ruin the experience.
It is pretty emotional and I don't have children but to lose a child must be awful, indescribably awful!
Unlike most thriller/mystery this book doesn't just end with the final reveal, it goes beyond the 'final scene' and shows the reader the fallout of such grief and terrible revelations. Honestly the aftermath of this story was the best part of the whole book, the final 50-60 pages were 5 stars for me it really bumped up the rating.
A hidden gem!
This book has multiple POV's that are well done, well separated and each interesting in their own right. It is a wild ride, we know almost straight away that there has to be a connection between the characters but we just don't know what it is. I was guessing all the way through, and although I guessed a few things it didn't ruin the experience.
It is pretty emotional and I don't have children but to lose a child must be awful, indescribably awful!
Unlike most thriller/mystery this book doesn't just end with the final reveal, it goes beyond the 'final scene' and shows the reader the fallout of such grief and terrible revelations. Honestly the aftermath of this story was the best part of the whole book, the final 50-60 pages were 5 stars for me it really bumped up the rating.
A hidden gem!
October 9, 2021
دلم با خوندنش بدجوری درد گرفت، بعضی موضوعات حتی اگه تو کتاب باشن هم آزارت میدن، هی بهشون فکر میکنی و هزارتا اگه میاد تو ذهنت، اگه این اتفاق برای من بیفته چی؟ اگه... اگه... اگه...
داستانو دوست داشتم، پایان بندیشو دوست داشتم، حتی توئیست داستان هم برام جذاب بود.
داستانو دوست داشتم، پایان بندیشو دوست داشتم، حتی توئیست داستان هم برام جذاب بود.
August 24, 2017
So many books these days make promises about killer twists that will take your breath away or you won't see coming.So you start the book expecting something unexpected to happen but end up feeling disappointed by the time you get to the end.This brilliant debut thriller actually does have a totally unexpected twist that took my breath away and had me sitting in my comfy chair for at least five minutes waiting to get over the shock of what I had just read before I could carry on reading.
Eight year old Grace was last seen in a sweetshop.Her mother Emma is living every parents worst nightmare.But as her loved ones rally round her cracks begin to emerge.
What are the emails sent between her Husband Matt and her sister Stephanie? Why does her mother take so long to join the search? And is there more to Grace`s disappearance than meets the eye?.
Meanwhile ageing widow Maggie Taylor sees a familiar face in the newspaper.A face that jolts her from the pain of her existence into a spiralling obsession with another girl - The first girl who disappeared decades ago.
This riveting story is voiced by a number of characters in the alternating chapter format but it is mainly voiced by Emma,Stephanie and Maggie.If I'm honest although Maggie's chapters where integral to the story I didn't think they where as gripping or Intreguing as Emma and Stephanie`s chapters.There is also some chapters that are narrated by a little girl that where really heart breaking,the authors portrayal of the thoughts and feelings of a scared young girl where scarily realistic.Almost all of the adults in this story are not very likeable or trustworthy and I had my doubts and suspicions about most of them as the story unfolded.
It's a Intreguing,riveting debut thriller about families,secrets,lies and revenge.It's very well written,keeps the reader guessing and contained a twist that honestly took my breath away.I really enjoyed reading this and look forward to reading more books by this author in the future.
Many thanks to Avon Books UK/ Harper Collins for a arc of this book via netgalley in exchange for a honest review
Eight year old Grace was last seen in a sweetshop.Her mother Emma is living every parents worst nightmare.But as her loved ones rally round her cracks begin to emerge.
What are the emails sent between her Husband Matt and her sister Stephanie? Why does her mother take so long to join the search? And is there more to Grace`s disappearance than meets the eye?.
Meanwhile ageing widow Maggie Taylor sees a familiar face in the newspaper.A face that jolts her from the pain of her existence into a spiralling obsession with another girl - The first girl who disappeared decades ago.
This riveting story is voiced by a number of characters in the alternating chapter format but it is mainly voiced by Emma,Stephanie and Maggie.If I'm honest although Maggie's chapters where integral to the story I didn't think they where as gripping or Intreguing as Emma and Stephanie`s chapters.There is also some chapters that are narrated by a little girl that where really heart breaking,the authors portrayal of the thoughts and feelings of a scared young girl where scarily realistic.Almost all of the adults in this story are not very likeable or trustworthy and I had my doubts and suspicions about most of them as the story unfolded.
It's a Intreguing,riveting debut thriller about families,secrets,lies and revenge.It's very well written,keeps the reader guessing and contained a twist that honestly took my breath away.I really enjoyed reading this and look forward to reading more books by this author in the future.
Many thanks to Avon Books UK/ Harper Collins for a arc of this book via netgalley in exchange for a honest review
September 14, 2017
Mysteries and thrillers have been my drug of choice for a while now which made 99 Red Balloons seem like a dream come true the second I noticed it on Edelweiss. It had everything I tend to go for these days: a seemingly baffling mystery, a huge emotional challenge and engaging characters. I’ll freely admit to being a little skittish when it comes to stories about kidnapped children, but I managed to overcome even that in the hopes of finding a book I’ll truly enjoy.
99 Red Balloons is told from multiple perspectives. I had a challenging time connecting with some of them, but I thought Maggie’s voice was done just right. She is an old woman whose granddaughter was kidnapped years ago and whose daughter committed suicide. To her, the abduction of Grace, daughter of complete strangers, brings back old traumas and she can’t help but notice similarities with her granddaughter’s kidnapping. We also get glimpses of Grace herself, which was a very smart decision by the author. One imagines all kinds of horrors when a child is abducted, but seeing Grace from time to time helped remove at least some of those fears.
The story is well constructed, albeit a tiny bit predictable. The very fact that some of the points of view were included was revealing, but there were enough unanswered questions to keep me turning those pages until the very end. It was hard to separate voices at times, and more attention should have been given to characterization, but those who enjoy purely plot-driven books will find plenty to love about 99 Red Balloons.
I’ll be honest and maybe a little blunt: 99 Red Balloons just wasn’t my cup of tea. I can see the appeal and I even agree with some positive reviews I’ve stumbled upon, but when it comes to connecting emotionally, this story and I just didn’t click.
99 Red Balloons is told from multiple perspectives. I had a challenging time connecting with some of them, but I thought Maggie’s voice was done just right. She is an old woman whose granddaughter was kidnapped years ago and whose daughter committed suicide. To her, the abduction of Grace, daughter of complete strangers, brings back old traumas and she can’t help but notice similarities with her granddaughter’s kidnapping. We also get glimpses of Grace herself, which was a very smart decision by the author. One imagines all kinds of horrors when a child is abducted, but seeing Grace from time to time helped remove at least some of those fears.
The story is well constructed, albeit a tiny bit predictable. The very fact that some of the points of view were included was revealing, but there were enough unanswered questions to keep me turning those pages until the very end. It was hard to separate voices at times, and more attention should have been given to characterization, but those who enjoy purely plot-driven books will find plenty to love about 99 Red Balloons.
I’ll be honest and maybe a little blunt: 99 Red Balloons just wasn’t my cup of tea. I can see the appeal and I even agree with some positive reviews I’ve stumbled upon, but when it comes to connecting emotionally, this story and I just didn’t click.
June 22, 2017
99 Red Balloons
by Elisabeth Carpenter
psychological thriller
ARC NetGalley
5 stars
What 's its about :
Two girls go missing, decades apart. What would you do if one was your daughter?
Eight-year-old Grace is last seen in a sweetshop. Her mother Emma is living a nightmare. But as her loved ones rally around her, cracks begin to emerge.
What are the emails sent between her husband and her sister? Why does her mother take so long to join the search? And is there more to the disappearance of her daughter than meets the eye?
Meanwhile, ageing widow Maggie Taylor sees a familiar face in the newspaper. A face that jolts her from the pain of her existence into a spiralling obsession with another girl – the first girl who disappeared…
This is a gripping psychological thriller with a killer twist that will take your breath away.
my thoughts :
This book is a must read, because once you start reading it you won't want to put it down, its the type of book that plays with your mind all the way to the every end, it makes you second guess your self, which I loved even if I did guess wrong .
Its told in different perspective : one is ageing widow Maggie , one is Grace's Aunt , and then you have one that keeps you guessing, because you don't know which little girl/ kidnapper is talking , is it both, is it Grace / her kidnapper or the other little girl / her kidnapper that went missing a long time ago, and mixed into that you have a lot of secrets and lies that need to come out , and once again your guessing , what are the secrets and lies , who's telling the truth ,and who's lying. So with that said get ready for the ride of your life . Because you won't see the end coming unit its on top of you. With that said I would love to say thinks to NetGalley for giving me this chance at reading what might become one of my new favorite books of 2017 , can't wait to pick up a copy and add it to my library.
September 21, 2017
A little disappointing but an ok read. My issue was the middle of the book, it seemed to go for a long time with not a lot happening and I found myself skimming some pages. I enjoyed the beginning of the story and it definitely picked up in the last 30%, therefore the three star review. The premise of the story is quite good but at times I was also confused who was narrating some of the chapters. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 7, 2017
99 Red Balloons is the very definition of a 3 star book for me. I liked it, but it had issues. The mystery is entertaining, but predictable. The characters felt under developed, and there were a lot of them. I'd have preferred if the main characters were fleshed out more, and less details on minor characters. That way I would have been less inclined to mix them up, as happened me a few times at the start.
But even with those concerns, it was still an enjoyable read. I didn't even mind that I guessed the twist, as it was fun to see it all come together. It was low on chills and thrills, but it was a well thought out plot, and I loved the significance of the title.
But even with those concerns, it was still an enjoyable read. I didn't even mind that I guessed the twist, as it was fun to see it all come together. It was low on chills and thrills, but it was a well thought out plot, and I loved the significance of the title.
July 23, 2020
A debut novel for Elisabeth Carpenter, this suspense thriller leads the reader on an intertwining journey of missing children and individuals and families with deceptive secrets and pasts.
At first I had some difficulty keeping the characters separated as the tale moved from scene to scene. As I kept reading, the different stories became clearer.
A great suspense thriller!
At first I had some difficulty keeping the characters separated as the tale moved from scene to scene. As I kept reading, the different stories became clearer.
A great suspense thriller!
January 20, 2018
8 year old Grace goes missing on the way home from school. Her family is distraught. During the investigation to find her, her families secrets and lies start to surface.
A great read and did not see the twist coming at all!! Very enjoyable and great narrators
A great read and did not see the twist coming at all!! Very enjoyable and great narrators
August 8, 2017
Five year old Zoe went missing 18 years ago and has not been seen since. Eventually her parents divorced. Her mom committed suicide, leaving only her grandmother to grieve daily for her family.
Grace is 8 years old. She has now gone missing. There are no clues, no evidence, no ransom notes. She walked out of sweetshop and basically just vanished.
Grace's family is falling apart. Her mom and dad, besides being worried to death, are angry at each other. Grace's aunt is trying to hold things together. But what about those emails between the aunt and Grace's father? Where is the grandmother? Taking forever to get there, she seems more interested in her nightly bottle of booze.
Is there more to the disappearance of Grace? Does the family know more than they're telling? And what is the link between Grace and Zoe?
The story is told in different voices. Grace is very vocal about what is happening to her. Her Aunt tells the story from her viewpoint. Zoe's grandmother has been watching the news and sees a lot of similarities between the taking of Zoe and Grace. And she sees something else that has her wondering....
A very well written novel of what happens when one of the worst things to happen actually happens. Some families cling to each other, but most find the grief too heavy to share and turn away from each other. The wrap-up was good ... and the ending was perfect.
Many thanks to the author / Avon Books UK / Netgalley for the advance digital copy. Opinions expressed here are voluntary and unbiased and entirely my own.
June 20, 2017
REALLY enjoyed this psychological thriller with its slight twist on the missing child plotline - almost more family drama than thriller Elisabeth Carpenter has written a really quite emotional tale of familial love and loss.
Definitely one to watch in August at which point I'll be doing a full review.
Recommended.
Definitely one to watch in August at which point I'll be doing a full review.
Recommended.
July 19, 2017
I devoured this book. Review to come!
August 21, 2017
4.5 - 5 Stars
Reviewed on: https://5171milesbookblog.wordpress.com/
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for giving me the chance to read and review an advanced reader's copy of 99 Red Balloons.
I've read quite a few psychological thrillers in the past few weeks and not one of them really satisfied me. I was missing shocking twists and the suspense in most of them. I really thought that I was too picky and that my standards were too high, and I guess that is slightly true, but I am also certain that I just haven't found the right psychological thriller for me yet. Until 99 Red Balloons.
First of all, I absolutely love the cover and the title of the book. The title was actually what made me look into the book a little further, because what German wouldn't be intrigued with a title like 99 Red Balloons (side note: the original title is "99 Luftballons" and translates as "99 Balloons", so there's actually no 'red' in the original title or the song. :) ). After reading the blurb, I was hooked: great cover, great title and a super exciting blurb.
It is really difficult for me to write this review because I don't want to say too much and spoil the story for you. But let me tell you this: The characters in this story have lots of secrets and they try their best to keep them hidden from everyone, even from the reader. It was really exciting to try and guess their secrets as well as what happened to Grace. But be aware: if you think you have solved the puzzle and found out a secret, then try again, because the chances are high that your puzzle piece won't fit.
The big plot twist of the story left my mouth hanging open from shock. Although I figured it out one chapter before the actual revelation (there was this one particular sentence that tipped me off), I couldn't believe I missed the signs in the previous chapters. I actually went back to the beginning to check, and I was right, there were small hints that I missed.
Although the pace of the story slowed down a bit in the end, it was still interesting to see how the characters dealt with the situation at hand. I especially enjoyed the ending of the book.
99 Red Balloons is actually Elisabeth Carpenter's debut novel but you wouldn't think that after reading this book. The story, the characters, the twists, everything was really well plotted and thought through. The short and quick chapters with alternating POV changes were a great way to convey the story to the reader and had me turning the pages quickly.
If you enjoy reading psychological thrillers with twists and turns at every corner, then Carpenter's debut novel is definitely the book for you.
99 Red Balloons releases in only a few short days on August 24th.
**********
Soooo good!!
Review to come!!
Reviewed on: https://5171milesbookblog.wordpress.com/
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for giving me the chance to read and review an advanced reader's copy of 99 Red Balloons.
I've read quite a few psychological thrillers in the past few weeks and not one of them really satisfied me. I was missing shocking twists and the suspense in most of them. I really thought that I was too picky and that my standards were too high, and I guess that is slightly true, but I am also certain that I just haven't found the right psychological thriller for me yet. Until 99 Red Balloons.
First of all, I absolutely love the cover and the title of the book. The title was actually what made me look into the book a little further, because what German wouldn't be intrigued with a title like 99 Red Balloons (side note: the original title is "99 Luftballons" and translates as "99 Balloons", so there's actually no 'red' in the original title or the song. :) ). After reading the blurb, I was hooked: great cover, great title and a super exciting blurb.
It is really difficult for me to write this review because I don't want to say too much and spoil the story for you. But let me tell you this: The characters in this story have lots of secrets and they try their best to keep them hidden from everyone, even from the reader. It was really exciting to try and guess their secrets as well as what happened to Grace. But be aware: if you think you have solved the puzzle and found out a secret, then try again, because the chances are high that your puzzle piece won't fit.
The big plot twist of the story left my mouth hanging open from shock. Although I figured it out one chapter before the actual revelation (there was this one particular sentence that tipped me off), I couldn't believe I missed the signs in the previous chapters. I actually went back to the beginning to check, and I was right, there were small hints that I missed.
Although the pace of the story slowed down a bit in the end, it was still interesting to see how the characters dealt with the situation at hand. I especially enjoyed the ending of the book.
99 Red Balloons is actually Elisabeth Carpenter's debut novel but you wouldn't think that after reading this book. The story, the characters, the twists, everything was really well plotted and thought through. The short and quick chapters with alternating POV changes were a great way to convey the story to the reader and had me turning the pages quickly.
If you enjoy reading psychological thrillers with twists and turns at every corner, then Carpenter's debut novel is definitely the book for you.
99 Red Balloons releases in only a few short days on August 24th.
**********
Soooo good!!
Review to come!!
August 24, 2017
So many books these days make promises about killer twists that will take your breath away or you won't see coming.So you start the book expecting something unexpected to happen but end up feeling disappointed by the time you get to the end.This brilliant debut thriller actually does have a totally unexpected twist that took my breath away and had me sitting in my comfy chair for at least five minutes waiting to get over the shock of what I had just read before I could carry on reading.
Eight year old Grace was last seen in a sweetshop.Her mother Emma is living every parents worst nightmare.But as her loved ones rally round her cracks begin to emerge.
What are the emails sent between her Husband Matt and her sister Stephanie? Why does her mother take so long to join the search? And is there more to Grace`s disappearance than meets the eye?.
Meanwhile ageing widow Maggie Taylor sees a familiar face in the newspaper.A face that jolts her from the pain of her existence into a spiralling obsession with another girl - The first girl who disappeared decades ago.
This riveting story is voiced by a number of characters in the alternating chapter format but it is mainly voiced by Emma,Stephanie and Maggie.If I'm honest although Maggie's chapters where integral to the story I didn't think they where as gripping or Intreguing as Emma and Stephanie`s chapters.There is also some chapters that are narrated by a little girl that where really heart breaking,the authors portrayal of the thoughts and feelings of a scared young girl where scarily realistic.Almost all of the adults in this story are not very likeable or trustworthy and I had my doubts and suspicions about most of them as the story unfolded.
It's a Intreguing,riveting debut thriller about families,secrets,lies and revenge.It's very well written,keeps the reader guessing and contained a twist that honestly took my breath away.I really enjoyed reading this and look forward to reading more books by this author in the future.
Many thanks to Avon Books UK/ Harper Collins for a arc of this book via netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
Eight year old Grace was last seen in a sweetshop.Her mother Emma is living every parents worst nightmare.But as her loved ones rally round her cracks begin to emerge.
What are the emails sent between her Husband Matt and her sister Stephanie? Why does her mother take so long to join the search? And is there more to Grace`s disappearance than meets the eye?.
Meanwhile ageing widow Maggie Taylor sees a familiar face in the newspaper.A face that jolts her from the pain of her existence into a spiralling obsession with another girl - The first girl who disappeared decades ago.
This riveting story is voiced by a number of characters in the alternating chapter format but it is mainly voiced by Emma,Stephanie and Maggie.If I'm honest although Maggie's chapters where integral to the story I didn't think they where as gripping or Intreguing as Emma and Stephanie`s chapters.There is also some chapters that are narrated by a little girl that where really heart breaking,the authors portrayal of the thoughts and feelings of a scared young girl where scarily realistic.Almost all of the adults in this story are not very likeable or trustworthy and I had my doubts and suspicions about most of them as the story unfolded.
It's a Intreguing,riveting debut thriller about families,secrets,lies and revenge.It's very well written,keeps the reader guessing and contained a twist that honestly took my breath away.I really enjoyed reading this and look forward to reading more books by this author in the future.
Many thanks to Avon Books UK/ Harper Collins for a arc of this book via netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
November 30, 2017
Twisty plot-me likey
Two little girls are abducted 20 years apart, but somehow there is a connection between the cases. And that’s where the twist comes in. This was a so-so book until that hit the fan. Then my interest level spiked. Author did a great job exploiting the feelings of devotion and despair in her characters. Not a strong suspense narrative, but if you like substitution or “who am I” plots, read this one.
Two little girls are abducted 20 years apart, but somehow there is a connection between the cases. And that’s where the twist comes in. This was a so-so book until that hit the fan. Then my interest level spiked. Author did a great job exploiting the feelings of devotion and despair in her characters. Not a strong suspense narrative, but if you like substitution or “who am I” plots, read this one.
August 29, 2017
When I first saw the cover of 99 Balloons, the newest release by Elisabeth Carpenter, I was pretty much obsessed. The ominous black and white silhouettes with the lone red balloon had me instantly intrigued, and, after reading the synopsis, this one found its way on to my TBR list.
Eight-year-old Grace goes missing from a sweet shop on the way home from school and her family is thrown into a nightmare. Meanwhile, a woman sees Grace’s story in the newspaper and instantly makes connections to her own granddaughter’s disappearance. As both families begin to crack, everything is called into question and it seems that maybe no one is as innocent as they seem.
This one had a creepy opening. After reading the first chapter, I had actual chills. I am always quite the fan of an abduction story and this one had all the caveats that I would expect in an abduction tale: unreliable characters, ominous tone and red herrings a plenty.
However, I have to say, as much as I loved the plot, I found the narrative style to be a bit confusing. Some of it was clearly labeled and other moments are not. I suppose this could be because we aren’t privy to the identity of the kidnapper, but even some chapters not narrated by the kidnapper were not clearly labeled. I still found this to be a little bit disorienting and it would throw me out of the story as I tried to figure out who was speaking and where I actually was.
Overall, was this my favourite abduction story I have ever read? No. Was it worth the read? I’d say so. In fact, this one really had a similar vibe to The Child by Fiona Barton, so if you enjoyed that story then I would say this one would be of interest to you as well!
Eight-year-old Grace goes missing from a sweet shop on the way home from school and her family is thrown into a nightmare. Meanwhile, a woman sees Grace’s story in the newspaper and instantly makes connections to her own granddaughter’s disappearance. As both families begin to crack, everything is called into question and it seems that maybe no one is as innocent as they seem.
This one had a creepy opening. After reading the first chapter, I had actual chills. I am always quite the fan of an abduction story and this one had all the caveats that I would expect in an abduction tale: unreliable characters, ominous tone and red herrings a plenty.
However, I have to say, as much as I loved the plot, I found the narrative style to be a bit confusing. Some of it was clearly labeled and other moments are not. I suppose this could be because we aren’t privy to the identity of the kidnapper, but even some chapters not narrated by the kidnapper were not clearly labeled. I still found this to be a little bit disorienting and it would throw me out of the story as I tried to figure out who was speaking and where I actually was.
Overall, was this my favourite abduction story I have ever read? No. Was it worth the read? I’d say so. In fact, this one really had a similar vibe to The Child by Fiona Barton, so if you enjoyed that story then I would say this one would be of interest to you as well!
June 5, 2018
The start of this book hooked me and I expected it to continue at a cracking pass .....unfortunately it slowly fizzled out . It was the sort of book I wanted to finish but certaintly didn’t rush to read any chance I got
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