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Missing Molly
"Great plot and characters. I really enjoyed this author's writing style and will be reading more of her work. I highly recommend this book." Netgalley reviewer
"A must read for everyone who loves psychological suspense!!!! Goodreads reviewer
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 twelve years ago of little Molly Forster.
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 that she is Molly Forster.
"A must read for everyone who loves psychological suspense!!!! Goodreads reviewer
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 twelve years ago of little Molly Forster.
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 that she is Molly Forster.
308 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 5, 2018
2306 people are currently reading
8104 people want to read
About the author
Natalie Barelli
12 books2,394 followersYou will usually find Natalie Barelli reading a book, and that book will more likely than not be a psychological thriller. When not absorbed in the latest gripping page-turner, Natalie rides motorcycles, knits very badly and spends far too much time at the computer. She lives in Australia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,425 reviews
March 20, 2018
4.5*
Rachel Holloway’s community paper is in big trouble. If they can’t cook up some marketing magic to draw in sponsors, the paper will fold. (Pardon the pun.)
When one staff member recommends a podcast, everyone is quickly on-board. They decide to focus their premiere podcast on finding Molly Forster, a girl whose entire family was murdered fifteen years ago. Poor Molly, having vanished, was never seen or heard from again.
And now with the staffs’ podcast choice made, Rachel is suddenly griped with fear. She can’t let this happen! After all, Molly Forster is hiding in plain sight.
“Have you seen Molly Forster?”
There were so many moments that I was lulled into the story, predicting with great confidence where it was going, only to ‘gasp’ as I was launched in another direction. (Touché!) The author has a gift for dispersing pleasant surprises throughout. This one’s going to keep you guessing right to the last page!
The second book I’ve read by Natalie Barelli with one more sitting on my shelf waiting for me. Can’t wait to get to it! Highly recommend!
A Traveling Sister read with Brenda🤗
Thank you to NetGalley, The Last Bureau and Natalie Barelli for an ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
For this review and all of Brenda and Norma's Traveling Sister reviews please visit their fabulous blog: https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com/
Rachel Holloway’s community paper is in big trouble. If they can’t cook up some marketing magic to draw in sponsors, the paper will fold. (Pardon the pun.)
When one staff member recommends a podcast, everyone is quickly on-board. They decide to focus their premiere podcast on finding Molly Forster, a girl whose entire family was murdered fifteen years ago. Poor Molly, having vanished, was never seen or heard from again.
And now with the staffs’ podcast choice made, Rachel is suddenly griped with fear. She can’t let this happen! After all, Molly Forster is hiding in plain sight.
“Have you seen Molly Forster?”
There were so many moments that I was lulled into the story, predicting with great confidence where it was going, only to ‘gasp’ as I was launched in another direction. (Touché!) The author has a gift for dispersing pleasant surprises throughout. This one’s going to keep you guessing right to the last page!
The second book I’ve read by Natalie Barelli with one more sitting on my shelf waiting for me. Can’t wait to get to it! Highly recommend!
A Traveling Sister read with Brenda🤗
Thank you to NetGalley, The Last Bureau and Natalie Barelli for an ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
For this review and all of Brenda and Norma's Traveling Sister reviews please visit their fabulous blog: https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com/
January 5, 2018
Rachel is satisfied with her life and job, bookkeeping for a local newspaper. When she learns that advertisement is down and the paper is in danger of folding, she's all for any idea about how to inject new life into it... until she learns what they're going with. They're going to start a crime podcast, digging into an old case. It sounds interesting enough at first... until she hears the topic. They want to learn what happened to little Molly Forster.
Problem: Rachel IS Molly Forester, the young girl who disappeared years ago after the massacre of her entire family.
She's been hiding ever since. No one knows, not even her boyfriend and father of her child. Not her best friend, who she works with at the paper. And they cannot ever know... or she's convinced they'd all be in danger.
Her co-workers dig into the investigation, determined to save their jobs and find out what happened to little Molly, completely unaware that Molly is in the same room. How can she continue to hide her past while pretending to work on uncovering it? And how can she keep herself and her loved ones safe from the real murderer?
Super engaging plot and easy to read, I enjoyed this one. I'm happy to be the first reviewer on Good Reads! I've enjoyed this author before, and I'm sure I will again. The main character often comes across as younger than she is, sometimes unaware of the meaning of words I'd consider relatively simple, which I was confused by at first but then realized it was down to her abnormal childhood. I figured this one out early and it has a bit of soap opera drama to it, but it was a fun ride. It gets a 3.5 from me, worth the read for suspense lovers who want an easy read with high stakes and a lot of drama.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Net Galley and The Last Bureau, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
Her co-workers dig into the investigation, determined to save their jobs and find out what happened to little Molly, completely unaware that Molly is in the same room. How can she continue to hide her past while pretending to work on uncovering it? And how can she keep herself and her loved ones safe from the real murderer?
Super engaging plot and easy to read, I enjoyed this one. I'm happy to be the first reviewer on Good Reads! I've enjoyed this author before, and I'm sure I will again. The main character often comes across as younger than she is, sometimes unaware of the meaning of words I'd consider relatively simple, which I was confused by at first but then realized it was down to her abnormal childhood. I figured this one out early and it has a bit of soap opera drama to it, but it was a fun ride. It gets a 3.5 from me, worth the read for suspense lovers who want an easy read with high stakes and a lot of drama.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Net Galley and The Last Bureau, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
March 19, 2019
This mystery-thriller was very weak. I don’t understand all the rave reviews. I think I was supposed to wonder, at a certain point, if Molly was delusional. It wasn’t a psychological thriller.
So, Molly positively identifies the guy who murdered her family and wants to kill her. She knows her best friend is dating him. I don’t buy that this bad guy owns a huge company, is the son of the mayor, yet there are zero pictures of him to be found on the internet. She could’ve paid for a background check, or, I dunno, told her friend to ask to look at his drivers license? He fooled her boyfriend because he answered his business line using a different voice? Puh-leeez!
Molly is so stoooopit. She invites this murderer/BFF couple to her HOME for dinner and has her 3yo daughter at the table. Hmmmm? I wonder what the bad guy will do with this new info?
Bad guy and his dad were just perversely evil, no character development at all. So much missed potential! They were just mustache twirlers, no true villain feel.
Molly, her boyfriend, and daughter didn’t feel like a real family. All characters were flat, I couldn’t get emotionally invested in anyone. Molly’s actions were foolish, and she came across as TSTL rather than traumatized.
The mental hospital apparently lets anyone and everyone in for a visit. Complete strangers can walk into your room, in the middle of the day, while you are asleep and helpless. No ID or check-in required.
Did I read this book wrong? It’s got a 4+ star average rating. Meh.
So, Molly positively identifies the guy who murdered her family and wants to kill her. She knows her best friend is dating him. I don’t buy that this bad guy owns a huge company, is the son of the mayor, yet there are zero pictures of him to be found on the internet. She could’ve paid for a background check, or, I dunno, told her friend to ask to look at his drivers license? He fooled her boyfriend because he answered his business line using a different voice? Puh-leeez!
Molly is so stoooopit. She invites this murderer/BFF couple to her HOME for dinner and has her 3yo daughter at the table. Hmmmm? I wonder what the bad guy will do with this new info?
Bad guy and his dad were just perversely evil, no character development at all. So much missed potential! They were just mustache twirlers, no true villain feel.
Molly, her boyfriend, and daughter didn’t feel like a real family. All characters were flat, I couldn’t get emotionally invested in anyone. Molly’s actions were foolish, and she came across as TSTL rather than traumatized.
The mental hospital apparently lets anyone and everyone in for a visit. Complete strangers can walk into your room, in the middle of the day, while you are asleep and helpless. No ID or check-in required.
Did I read this book wrong? It’s got a 4+ star average rating. Meh.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 21, 2022
I give this book three stars instead of two due to Barelli’s ability to keep the suspense going. But, there was just so many plot holes. For example; If Molly had the proof all the time, why wait until the last opportunity to get it? And if she had a photograph of her and Gabriel why didn’t her husband see it and believe it? I also found her choices to be incredible stupid. Also the overall covering up situation felt forced to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 8, 2019
Audiobook...read by Lucy Price-Lewis.
The girl who got away....
is *Molly*....
Ha, guess the title gave that away, huh?/!
This psychological suspense novel was ‘ok’...
I mean - honestly - it was like eating junkie calories....but sometimes junkie-calories satisfy the ‘here&now’. Only to remind us - that we promise ourselves to eat better at our next meal.
It’s somewhat interesting to imagine what it would be like to bury your original name - create a new identity- re-build a completely new life...and pull it off.
It’s also ‘somewhat’ interesting when the seams begin to split open....
which they do....
This book is very predictable from start to finish.
At the same time I liked ‘something’ about it.
Rachel - our lead protagonist - was squirming!!!!
Her secret was at risk.
Rachel ‘is’ Molly.
Believe me - you’ll know soon enough why ‘nobody’ knows Rachel’s- Molly past. Including her husband Matt or her daughter, Gracie.
Rachel’s co-workers at the local newspaper had no idea of Rachel’s hidden-survival secret.
The team at the newspaper was about to dig open the unsolved case of “Missing Molly”. ( 15 year old case)
Rachel wanted to KILL
THE FRICKEN PROJECT!
She’s been surviving/ running/hiding on her own since she was 12 years of age.... after her parents and sister were killed.
The friction-dialogue between Vivian ( co-worker and best friend to Rachel)...
gave this story strength.
A few plot-tricks- teasers - has the reader consider that nothing is at it seems...
But...most readers won’t be fooled...
Things are very much as they seem.
Good in the same way a jelly donut might be good.
A need for a more nutritious meal soon!!
The girl who got away....
is *Molly*....
Ha, guess the title gave that away, huh?/!
This psychological suspense novel was ‘ok’...
I mean - honestly - it was like eating junkie calories....but sometimes junkie-calories satisfy the ‘here&now’. Only to remind us - that we promise ourselves to eat better at our next meal.
It’s somewhat interesting to imagine what it would be like to bury your original name - create a new identity- re-build a completely new life...and pull it off.
It’s also ‘somewhat’ interesting when the seams begin to split open....
which they do....
This book is very predictable from start to finish.
At the same time I liked ‘something’ about it.
Rachel - our lead protagonist - was squirming!!!!
Her secret was at risk.
Rachel ‘is’ Molly.
Believe me - you’ll know soon enough why ‘nobody’ knows Rachel’s- Molly past. Including her husband Matt or her daughter, Gracie.
Rachel’s co-workers at the local newspaper had no idea of Rachel’s hidden-survival secret.
The team at the newspaper was about to dig open the unsolved case of “Missing Molly”. ( 15 year old case)
Rachel wanted to KILL
THE FRICKEN PROJECT!
She’s been surviving/ running/hiding on her own since she was 12 years of age.... after her parents and sister were killed.
The friction-dialogue between Vivian ( co-worker and best friend to Rachel)...
gave this story strength.
A few plot-tricks- teasers - has the reader consider that nothing is at it seems...
But...most readers won’t be fooled...
Things are very much as they seem.
Good in the same way a jelly donut might be good.
A need for a more nutritious meal soon!!
January 10, 2018
Oh my goodness..... that was one crazy ride!
Rachel Holloway has a big secret..... and that secret is about to be exposed. The small local paper that she works for decides to start a series of podcasts in order to attract advertisers. The subject is Missing Molly.. the 9 year old girl who has been missing for 15 years since her family was murdered in front of her. only Rachel knows where Molly is and has been... she is Molly.
I really felt for Rachel and her desire to keep her family safe by keeping her secret. She does everything she can to stop the podcast and keep herself protected. This is a very fast paced page turning story that you will just not want to put down.
Thanks to The Last bureau via NetGalley for a copy of this book to read in exchange for my honest opinions. A fantastic book that gets in your head
Rachel Holloway has a big secret..... and that secret is about to be exposed. The small local paper that she works for decides to start a series of podcasts in order to attract advertisers. The subject is Missing Molly.. the 9 year old girl who has been missing for 15 years since her family was murdered in front of her. only Rachel knows where Molly is and has been... she is Molly.
I really felt for Rachel and her desire to keep her family safe by keeping her secret. She does everything she can to stop the podcast and keep herself protected. This is a very fast paced page turning story that you will just not want to put down.
Thanks to The Last bureau via NetGalley for a copy of this book to read in exchange for my honest opinions. A fantastic book that gets in your head
January 13, 2018
* Trigger warnings include sexual assault and domestic violence *
When I first saw the cover for Missing Molly I wasn’t overly interested in the book as it’s fairly generic and doesn’t really capture your imagination. The blurb, however, really grabbed my attention and I had to read it.
Rachel Holloway works for a small struggling newspaper, the South Hackney Herald, and to try to generate some much needed interest and advertising dollars the team decide to embark upon a new venture - podcasting. Piggybacking off the idea of Serial, an extraordinarily popular investigative podcast, the Herald team decide to focus on a nearby unsolved true crime story.
They’re going to find Molly Forster, whose parents and older sister were murdered fifteen year ago when she was a child. Molly has been missing ever since. The problem is that Rachel Holloway is Molly Forster and there’s a good reason why she doesn’t want to be found.
While I was definitely interested in knowing what came next and I enjoyed the slow reveal of the information discovered during the investigation and its impact on the various characters, I don’t imagine it’s going to be one of those books that lingers in my mind, with me thinking about the characters weeks later. I didn’t particularly love or hate any of the characters and unfortunately I didn’t emotionally connect to any of them.
I was entertained and I liked the guessing game of whether Rachel really was Molly or if in fact she was psychotic, although I found myself searching for red herrings that I never found and didn’t get caught up in unexpected twists and turns like I’d hoped. There was one incident that initially surprised me but one I’d read it it made perfect sense and I was able to come up with the reasons behind this and who had done what quite easily.
Favourite quote: “Memories, unpleasant ones, are like a scab. You hate them but you pick at them anyway” (93%)
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley (thank you so much to NetGalley, The Last Bureau and Pikko’s House for the opportunity) in exchange for honest feedback.
When I first saw the cover for Missing Molly I wasn’t overly interested in the book as it’s fairly generic and doesn’t really capture your imagination. The blurb, however, really grabbed my attention and I had to read it.
Rachel Holloway works for a small struggling newspaper, the South Hackney Herald, and to try to generate some much needed interest and advertising dollars the team decide to embark upon a new venture - podcasting. Piggybacking off the idea of Serial, an extraordinarily popular investigative podcast, the Herald team decide to focus on a nearby unsolved true crime story.
They’re going to find Molly Forster, whose parents and older sister were murdered fifteen year ago when she was a child. Molly has been missing ever since. The problem is that Rachel Holloway is Molly Forster and there’s a good reason why she doesn’t want to be found.
While I was definitely interested in knowing what came next and I enjoyed the slow reveal of the information discovered during the investigation and its impact on the various characters, I don’t imagine it’s going to be one of those books that lingers in my mind, with me thinking about the characters weeks later. I didn’t particularly love or hate any of the characters and unfortunately I didn’t emotionally connect to any of them.
I was entertained and I liked the guessing game of whether Rachel really was Molly or if in fact she was psychotic, although I found myself searching for red herrings that I never found and didn’t get caught up in unexpected twists and turns like I’d hoped. There was one incident that initially surprised me but one I’d read it it made perfect sense and I was able to come up with the reasons behind this and who had done what quite easily.
Favourite quote: “Memories, unpleasant ones, are like a scab. You hate them but you pick at them anyway” (93%)
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley (thank you so much to NetGalley, The Last Bureau and Pikko’s House for the opportunity) in exchange for honest feedback.
August 30, 2021
Rating 5
Woah. This book surprised me in the best possible way. I wanted to listen to an audiobook and found this one on Hoopla. I knew nothing about it except the short description that was provided which sounded interesting. I had no idea I would love it as much as I did. The narrator was what made this story for me. She did such a great job of connecting herself with the character. At times I would forget I was listening to a book and not an actual podcast or behind the scenes of a podcast. That is exactly how good the writing was and how well the narrator connected to this story. I could feel the emotion and when the main character was in pain I could feel it. When she was screaming out for her daughter it literally gave me knots in my stomach.
While the plot was good I did find myself having a couple of issues with it. Some situations that happened I didn’t agree with ethically and do wish the author did a better job of explaining. I can’t say too much due to staying spoiler free. But something happened to a certain side character and the main character never addressed it and I wish she had. Also, some situations didn’t seem to add up with details given. For example, certain medical issues were given to a character but later on in the book those medical issues were forgotten about. Overall, though these are just very minor issues I had with the plot. I liked that the plot wasn’t too far fetched and instead followed what really could have happened to someone in that situation. It really kept me engaged in the story and made me want to listen to the end.
The main character was written perfectly. She was strong, confident, down to earth, and would do whatever it took for her family. She loved her boyfriend Matt and her daughter more than anything. After she gave birth to her daughter her paranoia increased because she was worried someone would hurt her. This is completely normal due to the tragedies she witnessed as a young girl. She knows who murdered her family and she knows that if she is found they will murder her new family as well. All she wanted was a life of her own, one that she didn’t have to constantly look behind her shoulder. To find out if she ever receives this you will have to read the book. The side characters were also well written. They all had their own personalities and characteristics. I really loved the best friend. She was exactly what Molly needed in a friend and was able to trust her more than others. I loved how much Matt loved Molly. It was so obvious he was crazy about her and really wanted to get her the help she needed.
Should you read “Missing Molly”?
You shouldn’t read Missing Molly but instead listen to it. I recommend you listen to it because it is an experience you don’t want to miss out on. It’s a great mystery/psychological thriller that will keep you engaged and asking questions.
Woah. This book surprised me in the best possible way. I wanted to listen to an audiobook and found this one on Hoopla. I knew nothing about it except the short description that was provided which sounded interesting. I had no idea I would love it as much as I did. The narrator was what made this story for me. She did such a great job of connecting herself with the character. At times I would forget I was listening to a book and not an actual podcast or behind the scenes of a podcast. That is exactly how good the writing was and how well the narrator connected to this story. I could feel the emotion and when the main character was in pain I could feel it. When she was screaming out for her daughter it literally gave me knots in my stomach.
While the plot was good I did find myself having a couple of issues with it. Some situations that happened I didn’t agree with ethically and do wish the author did a better job of explaining. I can’t say too much due to staying spoiler free. But something happened to a certain side character and the main character never addressed it and I wish she had. Also, some situations didn’t seem to add up with details given. For example, certain medical issues were given to a character but later on in the book those medical issues were forgotten about. Overall, though these are just very minor issues I had with the plot. I liked that the plot wasn’t too far fetched and instead followed what really could have happened to someone in that situation. It really kept me engaged in the story and made me want to listen to the end.
The main character was written perfectly. She was strong, confident, down to earth, and would do whatever it took for her family. She loved her boyfriend Matt and her daughter more than anything. After she gave birth to her daughter her paranoia increased because she was worried someone would hurt her. This is completely normal due to the tragedies she witnessed as a young girl. She knows who murdered her family and she knows that if she is found they will murder her new family as well. All she wanted was a life of her own, one that she didn’t have to constantly look behind her shoulder. To find out if she ever receives this you will have to read the book. The side characters were also well written. They all had their own personalities and characteristics. I really loved the best friend. She was exactly what Molly needed in a friend and was able to trust her more than others. I loved how much Matt loved Molly. It was so obvious he was crazy about her and really wanted to get her the help she needed.
Should you read “Missing Molly”?
You shouldn’t read Missing Molly but instead listen to it. I recommend you listen to it because it is an experience you don’t want to miss out on. It’s a great mystery/psychological thriller that will keep you engaged and asking questions.
March 5, 2019
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Australian author Natalie Barelli knows how to write a GREAT thriller. I have read two of her novels and they are both pure escapism/enjoyment, but this one is my top favorite. MISSING MOLLY is an unbelievably riveting story. Audiobook narration by Lucy Price-Lewis is perfection!
Australian author Natalie Barelli knows how to write a GREAT thriller. I have read two of her novels and they are both pure escapism/enjoyment, but this one is my top favorite. MISSING MOLLY is an unbelievably riveting story. Audiobook narration by Lucy Price-Lewis is perfection!
October 21, 2022
Mildly entertaining, not sure I loved the setup of the story and the fact that you knew so many pieces of important information so early on.
There were very few twists and turns for it being a thriller.
There were very few twists and turns for it being a thriller.
March 2, 2018
3.5 Stars
Little Molly Forster has been missing since that awful day when her entire family was murdered. People wonder where she is, but the town has kept that night and the secrets that came with it quiet. Until now. A small newspaper is determined to grow their numbers through a podcast focused on finding the missing girl. Their bookkeeper, Rachel Holloway, fight to keep the podcast from kicking off, but soon she too is caught up in the hunt to find Molly. Only, she knows exactly where Molly is, it's a secret she's kept to herself since the day she ran away.
I hated the blurb for this book, it gave away far too much, but ultimately I couldn't stay away from a book that featured a modern day mystery story told through a podcast. Podcasts are all the rage and this made those stories I'm just used to hearing through my headphones come to life. I enjoyed the background of how it all worked, really appreciated Rachel's story as she fought to keep her secrets, and definitely felt shock and surprise as the true story of that evening unraveled. Parts of it were predictable, as most mysteries are, but parts of it did truly surprise me and how it was written made it interesting even when I knew what was coming. There's quite a lot of suspense and a nicely done psychological twist, the novel becoming all the more enjoyable as Rachel became more unstable and less reliable. I liked reading the mystery from the future and appreciated that the glimpses into Rachel's past didn't reveal everything, but rather left more questions.
Missing Molly is an entertaining psychological thriller that features a pile of unique, well developed characters and a current theme that fits with the times. Some of it is unbelievable and at times the relationships fell flat, but I was swept up in this story, desperate to know why Rachel had left her name behind and had done so much to hide it. I really appreciated her weakening resolve to keep it quiet and loved how the mystery finally was revealed to the characters only at the very end.
ARC provided.
Little Molly Forster has been missing since that awful day when her entire family was murdered. People wonder where she is, but the town has kept that night and the secrets that came with it quiet. Until now. A small newspaper is determined to grow their numbers through a podcast focused on finding the missing girl. Their bookkeeper, Rachel Holloway, fight to keep the podcast from kicking off, but soon she too is caught up in the hunt to find Molly. Only, she knows exactly where Molly is, it's a secret she's kept to herself since the day she ran away.
I hated the blurb for this book, it gave away far too much, but ultimately I couldn't stay away from a book that featured a modern day mystery story told through a podcast. Podcasts are all the rage and this made those stories I'm just used to hearing through my headphones come to life. I enjoyed the background of how it all worked, really appreciated Rachel's story as she fought to keep her secrets, and definitely felt shock and surprise as the true story of that evening unraveled. Parts of it were predictable, as most mysteries are, but parts of it did truly surprise me and how it was written made it interesting even when I knew what was coming. There's quite a lot of suspense and a nicely done psychological twist, the novel becoming all the more enjoyable as Rachel became more unstable and less reliable. I liked reading the mystery from the future and appreciated that the glimpses into Rachel's past didn't reveal everything, but rather left more questions.
Missing Molly is an entertaining psychological thriller that features a pile of unique, well developed characters and a current theme that fits with the times. Some of it is unbelievable and at times the relationships fell flat, but I was swept up in this story, desperate to know why Rachel had left her name behind and had done so much to hide it. I really appreciated her weakening resolve to keep it quiet and loved how the mystery finally was revealed to the characters only at the very end.
ARC provided.
February 5, 2025
For the life of me, I can't figure out how this book has a 4-star rating. I am really stretching it to give it 3 stars. 2.5 would be more accurate.
The premise is nonsensical, primarily because of the colossal coincidence that a woman who has hidden her identity since she was twelve years old finds herself in the middle of making a podcast dedicated to finding - herself! That's a horse pill of suspension of disbelief to swallow.
Second, understandably but still, Rachel (aka Molly of "Missing Molly") is dithery and has panic attacks over things large and small and in between. I suppose if you've been running for your life since you were twelve years old, it's going to have an effect on you.
The only reason I made it all the way through this book is I thought maybe there would be some kind of twist at the end. It seemed unlikely, but one can always hope, right? I'm not saying whether there is or there isn't. You can plow through all 300+ pages for yourself to find out.
The premise is nonsensical, primarily because of the colossal coincidence that a woman who has hidden her identity since she was twelve years old finds herself in the middle of making a podcast dedicated to finding - herself! That's a horse pill of suspension of disbelief to swallow.
Second, understandably but still, Rachel (aka Molly of "Missing Molly") is dithery and has panic attacks over things large and small and in between. I suppose if you've been running for your life since you were twelve years old, it's going to have an effect on you.
The only reason I made it all the way through this book is I thought maybe there would be some kind of twist at the end. It seemed unlikely, but one can always hope, right? I'm not saying whether there is or there isn't. You can plow through all 300+ pages for yourself to find out.
July 12, 2018
I read the description and knew I had to read this one. I loved that it was revealed in the beginning that Rachel thought she was Molly. So many books would have tried to beat around the bush and make it a big reveal toward the end. I thought the flow of the book and the writing were solid and definitely kept me reading. I will be looking for more titles from Natalie Barelli.
September 6, 2022
Women's Psychological Fiction
Publication date : January 5, 2018
Everyone has secrets, and Rachel Holloway is no exception...
I enjoyed Barelli's Unforgivable, The Accident and The Housekeeper, so MISSING MOLLY was next book on my TBR list. Perhaps I had too hight hopes but I found this book very slow and questionable.
As the big secret was revealed already in the book description, then it was quite boring to read how Molly tried to avoid the discovery of her true identity and secrets. There are lots of thrillers that use the podcast angle, so I'm a bit tired of them. Molly was emotional, often acted irrationally and didn't seem to think clearly. She went through horrible trauma and tragedy but neverless her reactions didn't sound true and plot seemed forced (is it really so easy to change identities and create new life for yourself as that?). Also why keep the secret and let the killer walk free for so many years?
Publication date : January 5, 2018
Everyone has secrets, and Rachel Holloway is no exception...
I enjoyed Barelli's Unforgivable, The Accident and The Housekeeper, so MISSING MOLLY was next book on my TBR list. Perhaps I had too hight hopes but I found this book very slow and questionable.
As the big secret was revealed already in the book description, then it was quite boring to read how Molly tried to avoid the discovery of her true identity and secrets. There are lots of thrillers that use the podcast angle, so I'm a bit tired of them. Molly was emotional, often acted irrationally and didn't seem to think clearly. She went through horrible trauma and tragedy but neverless her reactions didn't sound true and plot seemed forced (is it really so easy to change identities and create new life for yourself as that?). Also why keep the secret and let the killer walk free for so many years?
April 3, 2018
Another great story from Natalie Barelli. Rachel Holloway is a bookkeeper at a regional newspaper. The paper is struggling to get advertising revenue so they decide to spice things up a bit by producing a true crime podcast. But when Rachel hears that the subject is to be finding Molly Foster she is horrified. Molly was nine years old when her entire family was murdered. She was the sole survivor but eventually disappeared completely and changed her name as she was constantly afraid that the killer would find her and come after her. Nothing has been seen or heard from Molly since.
Rachel knows why because she IS Molly. She now has a boyfriend and a daughter and is scared for them if the truth comes out. At first she tries to sabotage the podcasts but later she gets on board by revealing the truth. Only her boyfriend doesn't believe her.
Oh this was a lovely, twisty psychological thriller. What really happened when Molly's family was killed. I had previously enjoyed Until I Met Her by Barelli but hadn't realised there was a sequel - so I guess that will be on the menu soon.
Rachel knows why because she IS Molly. She now has a boyfriend and a daughter and is scared for them if the truth comes out. At first she tries to sabotage the podcasts but later she gets on board by revealing the truth. Only her boyfriend doesn't believe her.
Oh this was a lovely, twisty psychological thriller. What really happened when Molly's family was killed. I had previously enjoyed Until I Met Her by Barelli but hadn't realised there was a sequel - so I guess that will be on the menu soon.
January 17, 2021
I was initially intrigued by the concept of this story. Molly has been missing for over 12 years following the gruesome murder of her family. She is hiding out in plain sight, working at a small local newspaper when they decide to run a podcast on the missing girl.What is she to do? Now calling herself Rachael, she has eked out a new identity and life for herself. She has a partner Matt and young daughter Grace. She fears for all their lives if her cover is blown. This story should have been a lot more exciting than what is was, but the culprit is revealed very early in the piece so there is little, to no suspense. None of the characters are particularly memorable or relatable either. I found Rachael to be curiously detached from her partner and young daughter. They didn t seem like a family at all to me. I also found the concept of a 12 year old Molly surviving on the streets for all those years totally implausable.How did she manage to eventually get herself to school(after missing some years) without red flags being raised by authorities? Surely they would have gotten wind of her being homeless? How did she manage to score herself a good job with so little education? Totally unrealistic. Also for a girl who spent years living on the streets Rachael doesn t come across as being very street smart, rather she appears quite naïve and young. And some of her actions are just plain reckless. She suspects that the man her best friend Vivien has started seeing, is the one who murdered her family. So what does she do?, why she invites him around to her house for dinner with her 3 year old daughter? We are supposed to accept she would do this, despite the fact in the past she has suffered from crippling panic attacks at the mere mention of his name. So unbelievable and far fetched. Ending felt rushed and anticlimactic. I enjoyed earlier novel 'The loyal wife' very much so will give this author another chance. I hope this is just a one off blimp from her.
February 3, 2021
I cannot get enough of Natalie Barelli’s books. This is the fourth one I have read this year and have enjoyed them all. Her storylines are original and the way she writes her books engross me and I can’t put them down.
Rachel has a good life with husband Mark and 3 year old daughter grace. She loves her job as a bookkeeper for a paper until the day a podcast is suggested that is just a little too close to home. Because Rachel has a past, a past no one knows about; not even her husband or closest friends.
The whole time reading this, I found myself talking to Rachel in my head. I found myself wanting to protect her as she is heading for a train wreck
This was such a good book. After the first book I read by this author, I enjoyed it so much I downloaded the rest of hers. I think I only Have three left. I don’t know whether I should devour them or savour them.
Rachel has a good life with husband Mark and 3 year old daughter grace. She loves her job as a bookkeeper for a paper until the day a podcast is suggested that is just a little too close to home. Because Rachel has a past, a past no one knows about; not even her husband or closest friends.
The whole time reading this, I found myself talking to Rachel in my head. I found myself wanting to protect her as she is heading for a train wreck
This was such a good book. After the first book I read by this author, I enjoyed it so much I downloaded the rest of hers. I think I only Have three left. I don’t know whether I should devour them or savour them.
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April 20, 2019Gripping premise... audiobook held my attention throughout, despite a few "now why would [character] do that?" moments.
September 25, 2021
I was mildly entertained at first but this plot has more holes than Swiss cheese. I only finished by cranking the audio speed to 2.5x.
June 23, 2023
This book was really good. It had so many twists and turns and it was impossible to put down. Totally recommend!
July 15, 2019
I got the audiobook version of Missing Molly, which is quite possibly the only reason why I was able to finish listening to it. It has its enjoyable moments if you can ignore all the plot holes, but the plot holes are many and so glaring that they became embarassingly painful for me to continue listening at times.
One plot hole that people keep pointing out is Rachel inviting the bad guy, the murderer of her family, to dinner at her own house, fully knowing who he is and what he is capable of (which protective, sane mother would do this?). The climax of the dinner scene is bizarre, too; after the call Rachel got from her boss about her blunder with the broadcast sign-off, somehow it didn't occur to her that dinner with her family's murderer would be a bad idea, even after she had pretty much admitted on air that she was Molly Foster? Also, why would her best friend and boyfriend think the sign-off blunder is funny instead of be concerned about it when she hasn't had history of saying things like that?
Another plot hole to me is earlier in the book when Rachel/Molly pretends to be a friend of a dead Molly Foster on the internet and another stranger chimes in and says that he is a detective. The entire office decides to believe the stranger claiming to be a detective but not the stranger claiming to be a friend of Molly Foster. Why? They have no reason to believe or doubt either of them.
Speaking of the detective, when he followed Molly to Spain and got Molly's then boyfriend killed, somehow the police in Spain brushed it off as an accident despite obvious signs that it was not. It feel to me that either the author is claiming that Spanish police are that stupid, ignorant, or are part of the conspiracy to let this supposed affluent family from rural England with murderous tendencies roam free to do their dirty deeds. Either way, it doesn't feel logical for the Spanish police to drop it so easily.
The build toward the climax is one plothole stampeding into another. Best friend and boyfriend believing absolute stranger rather than a beloved friend/girlfriend, a mental asylum that lets absolute strangers come and visit patients when they're drugged out of their skulls and half passed out, same mental asylum letting patients roam free in the dead of the night... I'm not even going to go through the last 90 minutes of the book, which, while full of suspension of disbelief, is at least fast-paced and lacking in depth enough to be painless.
The most glaring hole for me is the murder that is the basis of this book. A family got murdered by the police commissioner's son. The youngest daughter ran out of the house, escaped the murderer twice, ran to the police station, and told the police commissioner who the true murderer was. The commissioner calmed her down then called his son over to "take care of it". The girl overheard the call, got spooked, and bolted, never to be seen again.
Are you telling me that a whole police station worth of cops somehow missed a 12-year-old coming into the station, crying and covered in blood? The same girl who had gone missing, same girl whose family had been found murdered, same girl who everyone had been looking for? Everyone somehow just didn't pay attention to this girl coming in, just didn't hear her say who the killer was, somehow missed her run out again? Really? Nevermind the entire police station, you're telling me somehow all the streets that she passed by on her way to the police station and on her way leaving the police station and leaving the town just happened to be empty of people? That's quite a conspiracy theory right there.
The book has an interesting premise, but the execution doesn't fulfill its potential. I personally would give this book a two. The audiobook gets a three because the performance really gives it emotional lift, which made me able to connect to Rachel when I least expected to.
Overall, this book is worth a few hours of mindless entertainment. Get it in audiobook format if it's at a discounted price. Otherwise, skip it.
One plot hole that people keep pointing out is Rachel inviting the bad guy, the murderer of her family, to dinner at her own house, fully knowing who he is and what he is capable of (which protective, sane mother would do this?). The climax of the dinner scene is bizarre, too; after the call Rachel got from her boss about her blunder with the broadcast sign-off, somehow it didn't occur to her that dinner with her family's murderer would be a bad idea, even after she had pretty much admitted on air that she was Molly Foster? Also, why would her best friend and boyfriend think the sign-off blunder is funny instead of be concerned about it when she hasn't had history of saying things like that?
Another plot hole to me is earlier in the book when Rachel/Molly pretends to be a friend of a dead Molly Foster on the internet and another stranger chimes in and says that he is a detective. The entire office decides to believe the stranger claiming to be a detective but not the stranger claiming to be a friend of Molly Foster. Why? They have no reason to believe or doubt either of them.
Speaking of the detective, when he followed Molly to Spain and got Molly's then boyfriend killed, somehow the police in Spain brushed it off as an accident despite obvious signs that it was not. It feel to me that either the author is claiming that Spanish police are that stupid, ignorant, or are part of the conspiracy to let this supposed affluent family from rural England with murderous tendencies roam free to do their dirty deeds. Either way, it doesn't feel logical for the Spanish police to drop it so easily.
The build toward the climax is one plothole stampeding into another. Best friend and boyfriend believing absolute stranger rather than a beloved friend/girlfriend, a mental asylum that lets absolute strangers come and visit patients when they're drugged out of their skulls and half passed out, same mental asylum letting patients roam free in the dead of the night... I'm not even going to go through the last 90 minutes of the book, which, while full of suspension of disbelief, is at least fast-paced and lacking in depth enough to be painless.
The most glaring hole for me is the murder that is the basis of this book. A family got murdered by the police commissioner's son. The youngest daughter ran out of the house, escaped the murderer twice, ran to the police station, and told the police commissioner who the true murderer was. The commissioner calmed her down then called his son over to "take care of it". The girl overheard the call, got spooked, and bolted, never to be seen again.
Are you telling me that a whole police station worth of cops somehow missed a 12-year-old coming into the station, crying and covered in blood? The same girl who had gone missing, same girl whose family had been found murdered, same girl who everyone had been looking for? Everyone somehow just didn't pay attention to this girl coming in, just didn't hear her say who the killer was, somehow missed her run out again? Really? Nevermind the entire police station, you're telling me somehow all the streets that she passed by on her way to the police station and on her way leaving the police station and leaving the town just happened to be empty of people? That's quite a conspiracy theory right there.
The book has an interesting premise, but the execution doesn't fulfill its potential. I personally would give this book a two. The audiobook gets a three because the performance really gives it emotional lift, which made me able to connect to Rachel when I least expected to.
Overall, this book is worth a few hours of mindless entertainment. Get it in audiobook format if it's at a discounted price. Otherwise, skip it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 28, 2019
I very much enjoyed this! It was interesting, engaging, and the story was excellent. I loved the narrator for the audible version, which was how I read this book. I do a good chunk of my reading through audiobooks. :D It's a great way to "read" while driving or doing chores. I particularly like listening to books when I go to the park for exercise. :D
Rachel was a great main character, and I really liked how the story progressed along with the podcast. but I think my favorite part of the story was the narrator. :D Whenever the bad guy said "... Molly..." I I got shivers. like, legit creeped out. It takes talent to do that! :D
Highly recommended for fans of thrillers! And Audiobooks. If you're an audiobook lover like me, give this one a try.
Rachel was a great main character, and I really liked how the story progressed along with the podcast. but I think my favorite part of the story was the narrator. :D Whenever the bad guy said "... Molly..." I I got shivers. like, legit creeped out. It takes talent to do that! :D
Highly recommended for fans of thrillers! And Audiobooks. If you're an audiobook lover like me, give this one a try.
March 26, 2019
Molly Foster disappeared almost 12 years ago seemingly without a trace after the murder of her family. Now as a ploy to save their little newspaper they want to find Molly. Rachel doesn't want anyone looking for Molly. Rachel doesn't want Molly found but why? What is Rachel really hiding? And what will it cost them all to learn the truth?
This was a great read with many twists that keeps you guessing and surprised until the very end. I short but action packed story you will never see coming.
This was a great read with many twists that keeps you guessing and surprised until the very end. I short but action packed story you will never see coming.
April 9, 2019
Unoriginal, unsurprising and unbelievable. I listened to the audiobook. The story was fast paced. The dialogue was pretty good, but I just didn't buy the story and many of the actions of the characters, especially Molly, Hugo and his dad.
July 23, 2019
Too ridiculous- not worth your time.
August 10, 2022
Wow wow wow
A few hrs and I had read the entire book! It help me from the first word to the last. With every sentence I could feel the characters pain and anxiety as she navigated the world trying to keep her true identity a secret. I don't know where the author drives such inspiration but I pray she never looses it
A few hrs and I had read the entire book! It help me from the first word to the last. With every sentence I could feel the characters pain and anxiety as she navigated the world trying to keep her true identity a secret. I don't know where the author drives such inspiration but I pray she never looses it
January 25, 2018
4.25/5 stars for Missing Molly by Natalie Barelli!
Thank you, Pikko's House, The Last Bureau, and NetGalley, for the ARC I was given of Missing Molly by Natalie Barelli. My rating and review are nothing but honest and non-biased.
Missing Molly is a psychological thriller that kept me at the edge of my seat. It was honest, intriguing, and cunning. I must admit, it didn’t have a grasp on me during the first few chapters. However, after that, I couldn’t stop reading.
Missing Molly is about a woman, Rachel Holloway, that witnessed a tragic incident when she was just at the age of 9 years old, wherein a family was brutally murdered at the comforts of their own home. The parents, Jack and Mary Forster, as well as their daughter, Grace, were killed. There was one survivor, however. And her name was Molly Forster, another daughter of Jack and Mary, and sister of Grace. No one knew what exactly became of her fate, except for Rachel Holloway, because Rachel Holloway is Molly Forster. She has been in hiding, changing identities and locations, in fear of the man that murdered her family, who was still out there, looking for her.
The first few chapters were a bit slow, but it was understandable because it was just the beginning. I’m glad I didn’t put it down. The plot had a lot of turns, but not as much twists as I had expected. I loved Barelli’s easy writing and the fact that this novel went on for how long it needed to be.
As I mentioned, I found the novel very true and real. Some people may think that this plot has too many wounds and that it is very heavy, when it is in fact reality, and shouldn’t be shielded for being that way. Although, I do understand that plots like these aren’t for everybody, and that it may trigger emotions. I don’t exactly recommend this novel for those who couldn’t take works like ‘Too Late’ and ‘It Ends With Us’ by Colleen Hoover. Please take the warnings seriously, and don’t just read the book knowing you might not handle it and write a review on how bad it is for that matter.
Natalie Barelli did a fine job with this novel, and I’m looking forward to reading more of her work.
Thank you, Pikko's House, The Last Bureau, and NetGalley, for the ARC I was given of Missing Molly by Natalie Barelli. My rating and review are nothing but honest and non-biased.
Missing Molly is a psychological thriller that kept me at the edge of my seat. It was honest, intriguing, and cunning. I must admit, it didn’t have a grasp on me during the first few chapters. However, after that, I couldn’t stop reading.
Missing Molly is about a woman, Rachel Holloway, that witnessed a tragic incident when she was just at the age of 9 years old, wherein a family was brutally murdered at the comforts of their own home. The parents, Jack and Mary Forster, as well as their daughter, Grace, were killed. There was one survivor, however. And her name was Molly Forster, another daughter of Jack and Mary, and sister of Grace. No one knew what exactly became of her fate, except for Rachel Holloway, because Rachel Holloway is Molly Forster. She has been in hiding, changing identities and locations, in fear of the man that murdered her family, who was still out there, looking for her.
The first few chapters were a bit slow, but it was understandable because it was just the beginning. I’m glad I didn’t put it down. The plot had a lot of turns, but not as much twists as I had expected. I loved Barelli’s easy writing and the fact that this novel went on for how long it needed to be.
As I mentioned, I found the novel very true and real. Some people may think that this plot has too many wounds and that it is very heavy, when it is in fact reality, and shouldn’t be shielded for being that way. Although, I do understand that plots like these aren’t for everybody, and that it may trigger emotions. I don’t exactly recommend this novel for those who couldn’t take works like ‘Too Late’ and ‘It Ends With Us’ by Colleen Hoover. Please take the warnings seriously, and don’t just read the book knowing you might not handle it and write a review on how bad it is for that matter.
Natalie Barelli did a fine job with this novel, and I’m looking forward to reading more of her work.
April 2, 2021
Wow !!! This one keeps you guessing and makes you think, 'Oh, its only three in the morning and I listen to just one more short chapter ...'
Grabbed this audiobook as a limited-offer deal on Chirp. The premise of the story sounded intriguing, a reluctant podcast assignment is given to Rachel that could dredge up her well hidden past. Sounds like a fun read. Maybe I'll give it a try ...
The book starts and gets you hooked on the characters from the first few short audio chapters. The story is from the point of view of Rachel Holloway, our slightly naive and unstable heroine. Lucy Price-Lewis does a great job of vocally defining the coworkers and other characters that dialog with Rachel. I was especially impressed with her vocal of Gracie, her three year old daughter.
Then the story line takes off. Get on the ride. Sit down and hold on!
It not often that an audiobook will get you to the point of audibly yelling to warn the characters.
Yes, our heroine make some small blunders in her passion and desperation to keep hidden.
Natalie Barelli and Lucy Price-Lewis in tandem do a great job of the drunken 'pissed' Rachel and her inebriated ramblings to her boyfriend before passing out.
As the story moves to the climax you begin to strongly wonder - is Rachel over-the-edge insane or is she just young, naive, lost, and can't logically find her way to safety and security?
This one makes me think back to Rebecca and the style of Dame Daphne du Maurier.
Give this one a try! I think you will be as pleasantly surprised as I was.
Grabbed this audiobook as a limited-offer deal on Chirp. The premise of the story sounded intriguing, a reluctant podcast assignment is given to Rachel that could dredge up her well hidden past. Sounds like a fun read. Maybe I'll give it a try ...
The book starts and gets you hooked on the characters from the first few short audio chapters. The story is from the point of view of Rachel Holloway, our slightly naive and unstable heroine. Lucy Price-Lewis does a great job of vocally defining the coworkers and other characters that dialog with Rachel. I was especially impressed with her vocal of Gracie, her three year old daughter.
Then the story line takes off. Get on the ride. Sit down and hold on!
It not often that an audiobook will get you to the point of audibly yelling to warn the characters.
Yes, our heroine make some small blunders in her passion and desperation to keep hidden.
Natalie Barelli and Lucy Price-Lewis in tandem do a great job of the drunken 'pissed' Rachel and her inebriated ramblings to her boyfriend before passing out.
As the story moves to the climax you begin to strongly wonder - is Rachel over-the-edge insane or is she just young, naive, lost, and can't logically find her way to safety and security?
This one makes me think back to Rebecca and the style of Dame Daphne du Maurier.
Give this one a try! I think you will be as pleasantly surprised as I was.
July 25, 2019
This was an Audible Daily Deal I picked up a week or so ago. Missing Molly was pretty much what I expected: you can half listen and then take it or leave it. It was good enough to fill the commuter hours, but I doubt I would've kept on reading if I had it in print or had to devote my whole attention to listening.
June 19, 2019
A pretty decent psychological thriller. At first, I thought it was somewhat dumb, but I found myself getting more and more into it. It ended up not being as farfetched as I originally thought and had a hard time putting it down.
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