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Say Her Name
In this chilling thriller from the bestselling authors of Spare Room, one woman just wants the truth about who she really is. But she’s not the only one looking…
It’s twenty years since Eva, a biracial woman, was adopted as an eight-year-old, and Cherry and Carlton ‘Sugar’ McNeil have always been the only parents she’s wanted or needed. But when she’s dealt the double blow of Cherry’s death and her own suspension from work, Eva decides it’s time to discover who she was before she was theirs.
Against Sugar’s advice, Eva joins a DNA database, desperate for a match that will unlock her identity. And when a positive hit comes, she’s excited to learn there are relations out there who might hold the key. But the closer Eva gets to uncovering her past, the more it appears someone is trying to stop her finally finding the truth…
As she continues to dig, Eva is drawn into a dark and merciless underside to society, where black women disappear without a word. Names erased from history, no search parties, no desperate pleas for their return. Once, someone tried to save Eva from all this. Someone wanted a better life for her. But now that she’s torn down the facade of her life, has she come too far to be spared again?
It’s twenty years since Eva, a biracial woman, was adopted as an eight-year-old, and Cherry and Carlton ‘Sugar’ McNeil have always been the only parents she’s wanted or needed. But when she’s dealt the double blow of Cherry’s death and her own suspension from work, Eva decides it’s time to discover who she was before she was theirs.
Against Sugar’s advice, Eva joins a DNA database, desperate for a match that will unlock her identity. And when a positive hit comes, she’s excited to learn there are relations out there who might hold the key. But the closer Eva gets to uncovering her past, the more it appears someone is trying to stop her finally finding the truth…
As she continues to dig, Eva is drawn into a dark and merciless underside to society, where black women disappear without a word. Names erased from history, no search parties, no desperate pleas for their return. Once, someone tried to save Eva from all this. Someone wanted a better life for her. But now that she’s torn down the facade of her life, has she come too far to be spared again?
308 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2022
5280 people are currently reading
10448 people want to read
About the author
Dreda Say Mitchell
46 books521 followersHer Majesty, The Queen appointed Dreda an MBE in her 2020 New Year’s Honours’ List. Dreda scooped the CWA’s John Creasey Dagger in 2004, the first time a Black British author has received this honour. Dreda and Ryan write across the crime and mystery genre – psychological thrillers, gritty gangland crime and fast-paced action books Spare Room, their first psychological thriller was a #1 UK and US Amazon Bestseller. Dreda is one of twelve acclaimed and bestselling international female writers contributing to a new Miss Marple anthology. Dreda is a passionate campaigner and speaker on social issues and the arts. She has been a frequent guest on television and radio including BBC Breakfast,, Celebrity Pointless and Celebrity Eggheads, The Stephen Nolan Show, Front Row and Woman’s Hour. She has presented Radio 4’s flagship books programme, Open Book. Dreda was named one of Britain’s 50 Remarkable Women by Lady Geek in association with Nokia. She was the 2011 chair of the Theakston Harrogate Crime Fiction Festival. Dreda was born and raised in the East End of London where she continues to live. Dreda’s family are from the beautiful Caribbean island of Grenada and her name is pronounced with a long ‘ee’ sound in the middle.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 723 reviews
April 7, 2022
I wasn't expecting for this book to be so good. It started with the main character Eva coming across as a bit annoying to be honest.
But then the web of lies and cover ups got so interesting that I couldn't stop reading, trying to logically unveil who was behind it all, and changing suspects every few pages.
This story will leave me thinking for a long while...
What an amazing book it was, a raw story with painful touches of utter truth.
This book is now sitting on the shelf of the best books I've read in 2022!
But then the web of lies and cover ups got so interesting that I couldn't stop reading, trying to logically unveil who was behind it all, and changing suspects every few pages.
This story will leave me thinking for a long while...
What an amazing book it was, a raw story with painful touches of utter truth.
This book is now sitting on the shelf of the best books I've read in 2022!
March 4, 2022
There was very little subtlety in this book. The characters were painted in broad strokes, and although I didn’t mind them, they didn’t strike me as fully fleshed out people. For example, the main character is a highly skilled and experienced doctor, yet she makes some very silly decisions and ignores some huge warning signs. On a related note, the plot was a bit clunky. I skimmed over chunks and didn’t miss much. Equally frustrating was the fact that the clues stood out in a pretty obvious way, so I was able to figure out the mystery about a third of the way through. The message was worthwhile and I liked that it tackled a modern social injustice, but for me the execution fell short of the book’s potential.
March 12, 2022
Weeping, unrealistic drivel
God this was overwrought and boring. From a grammar perspective, the authors were all over the place. Verb tense transitions, run-on sentences, lack of knowledge of punctuation were the most notable. (Very poor editing)
For a supposedly educated protagonist, this woman was just a mess. The authors describe her as naive AND stupid. I couldn’t imagine her making it out of grammar school or living past her teens. And we’re supposed to believe she’s an MD? AND she has poor impulse control over her actions and emotions. The worst character trait was her ability to cry at the drop of a hat; every other page!
For the U.S. readers,the “Britisisms can get in the way, but are usually translatable.
The plot was a well worn trope of who was related to the murder victims and why. There were Some nice twists, that should have been obvious to the protagonist if she wasn’t always crying. The obsession with crying and emotional angst took up most of the book.
I barely got through the first third of the book before I realized I could skip ahead to the last 10% and not miss anything but her constant crying and stupidity. Her total lack of self preservation was unbelievable.
The ending was a typical hammy television wrap up. The only feelings I had for this book were frustration and boredom.
Don’t recommend this book, and the only reason I read it was because it was free. I know I would have more fun going to the dentist.
God this was overwrought and boring. From a grammar perspective, the authors were all over the place. Verb tense transitions, run-on sentences, lack of knowledge of punctuation were the most notable. (Very poor editing)
For a supposedly educated protagonist, this woman was just a mess. The authors describe her as naive AND stupid. I couldn’t imagine her making it out of grammar school or living past her teens. And we’re supposed to believe she’s an MD? AND she has poor impulse control over her actions and emotions. The worst character trait was her ability to cry at the drop of a hat; every other page!
For the U.S. readers,the “Britisisms can get in the way, but are usually translatable.
The plot was a well worn trope of who was related to the murder victims and why. There were Some nice twists, that should have been obvious to the protagonist if she wasn’t always crying. The obsession with crying and emotional angst took up most of the book.
I barely got through the first third of the book before I realized I could skip ahead to the last 10% and not miss anything but her constant crying and stupidity. Her total lack of self preservation was unbelievable.
The ending was a typical hammy television wrap up. The only feelings I had for this book were frustration and boredom.
Don’t recommend this book, and the only reason I read it was because it was free. I know I would have more fun going to the dentist.
March 16, 2022
I had such high hopes for this book, but I am incredibly disappointed. And frankly, I’m surprised that a co-authored books could be so bad given the fact that it has multiple brains behind it! I’m going to release some spoilers here.
Ok, here we go.
The characters were incredibly underdeveloped. Eva is weird and even though she’s a physician specializing in respiratory therapy, she does NOT have her shit together in the least. She frequently flashes back to things and imagines people in her back seat, and goes into a catatonic state while gripping her hair “always straight, never curly” on way too many occasions. She’s a mess, but in the sense that either it was unintentional on the authors part (highly likely) or they did not go into enough emotional damage detail through young adulthood and university to make it seem plausible.
The voice of Hope, set in 1994, is reminiscent of a much older voice, replete with daddy-Os and ya digs. It is also incredibly inconsistent from one part to the next and in the ending scene, the lost 80s dialect is nonexistent.
Eva knew her biological dad and sister for like a hot minute and she’s already showing up at their places in crisis.
Eva’s husband (like I don’t even remember his name, that’s how vaguely his character was placed) is a whiny baby who lies and then drops his wife the second things get hard, like a little b*€#.
Why tf would she symbolically cut her hair while being drowned instead of the hands drowning her, which are OBVIOUSLY on her body, not just her hair? You can’t drown someone by holding their HAIR DOWN guys.
Why tf would someone grab a bread knife out of a block full of knives to defend themselves? Do these people even know what a bread knife looks like?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2022
Mitchell claims to love writing strong women, but I'm not sure she understands what "strong" means... and it should not be mutually exclusive from intelligence either! You can't be strong enough to survive in this big, harsh world without some common sense... right? RIGHT!?
Wrong, apparently. Eva, the main character we're supposed to love, is naive, emotionally messy, and has no true sense of what family or friendship are... despite going through childhood hardship that you'd think would teach her one or more of those things. Oh, and she'll remind you every few pages that she's a doctor, so throw in arrogance... As several other reviewers have said, the fact she made it through high school or college is hilariously improbable.
Long story short, the plot would be intriguing if Eva wasn't always having an emotional breakdown every few pages despite being a grown, married woman. 4 black women go missing in a single year and the case goes cold due to a mix of racism and corruption. Eva starts to uncover some faint, worrying clues as she learns more about both her adoptive and biological families. But here's where the story falls flat - she can't make a sound decision to save her life. She oscillates constantly between naively trusting and then mistrusting everyone, in alternate chapters. First she meets her biological father who, despite being mega-rich with tons of connections, never once tried to look for her and mysteriously has no info on her missing biological mother... seems legit right? A+ father material right? So she proceeds to believe every single nasty word he says about her adoptive father, who saved her from an abusive orphanage, raised her responsibly for ~20 years and taught her how to be independent and strong-willed (it didn't stick)... still seems legit right? Then she goes screaming/bawling at both fathers accusing each of them of all the hearsay she has on them. Did no one teach her not to directly confront people you suspect of shady, even murderous dealings? Or wander into dark, abandoned buildings alone at night knowing bad things happened there? Or are those lessons you can only learn when you're almost 30? Because everything can be solved by running headlong into it (with the occasional tantrum) like a child, right?
Don't get me wrong... I really wanted to like this book. The social issues it TRIES to deal with are worthwhile topics of research and reading (other books), but the message was muddled by Eva's constant tears of anger, sadness, joy you name it. Plus, her knowledge of racism is inconsistent. Please don't tell me someone who spent her early childhood dealing directly with racism can't fathom why missing black women get no coverage in the media. (She keeps thinking, until told straight to her face, that it just HAD to be due to lack of internet and media coverage. OH, you sweet summer child!!!) As a person of color myself who dealt with similar things, this was hilarious to the point of insulting - you not only do not forget traumatic memories like that, you know how to recognize related issues in the rest of the world as you are exposed to it. She must have never grown up in that way, I guess.
Needless to say, I'm glad I didn't spend a single penny on this book. The authors could do with some basic knowledge of human psychology, if they didn't have anything from personal experience to draw on, and maybe then they could have written actual adults for characters. If all the crying, whinging, yelling, and mood swings had any basis in reality... then I rest my case. Won't be reading any more from this author again.
Wrong, apparently. Eva, the main character we're supposed to love, is naive, emotionally messy, and has no true sense of what family or friendship are... despite going through childhood hardship that you'd think would teach her one or more of those things. Oh, and she'll remind you every few pages that she's a doctor, so throw in arrogance... As several other reviewers have said, the fact she made it through high school or college is hilariously improbable.
Long story short, the plot would be intriguing if Eva wasn't always having an emotional breakdown every few pages despite being a grown, married woman. 4 black women go missing in a single year and the case goes cold due to a mix of racism and corruption. Eva starts to uncover some faint, worrying clues as she learns more about both her adoptive and biological families. But here's where the story falls flat - she can't make a sound decision to save her life. She oscillates constantly between naively trusting and then mistrusting everyone, in alternate chapters. First she meets her biological father who, despite being mega-rich with tons of connections, never once tried to look for her and mysteriously has no info on her missing biological mother... seems legit right? A+ father material right? So she proceeds to believe every single nasty word he says about her adoptive father, who saved her from an abusive orphanage, raised her responsibly for ~20 years and taught her how to be independent and strong-willed (it didn't stick)... still seems legit right? Then she goes screaming/bawling at both fathers accusing each of them of all the hearsay she has on them. Did no one teach her not to directly confront people you suspect of shady, even murderous dealings? Or wander into dark, abandoned buildings alone at night knowing bad things happened there? Or are those lessons you can only learn when you're almost 30? Because everything can be solved by running headlong into it (with the occasional tantrum) like a child, right?
Don't get me wrong... I really wanted to like this book. The social issues it TRIES to deal with are worthwhile topics of research and reading (other books), but the message was muddled by Eva's constant tears of anger, sadness, joy you name it. Plus, her knowledge of racism is inconsistent. Please don't tell me someone who spent her early childhood dealing directly with racism can't fathom why missing black women get no coverage in the media. (She keeps thinking, until told straight to her face, that it just HAD to be due to lack of internet and media coverage. OH, you sweet summer child!!!) As a person of color myself who dealt with similar things, this was hilarious to the point of insulting - you not only do not forget traumatic memories like that, you know how to recognize related issues in the rest of the world as you are exposed to it. She must have never grown up in that way, I guess.
Needless to say, I'm glad I didn't spend a single penny on this book. The authors could do with some basic knowledge of human psychology, if they didn't have anything from personal experience to draw on, and maybe then they could have written actual adults for characters. If all the crying, whinging, yelling, and mood swings had any basis in reality... then I rest my case. Won't be reading any more from this author again.
March 23, 2022
*Thank you to Amazon publishing for sending me a copy of this book to read and review!*
A thriller combining widespread social injustice and personal character development? Sign me up. I often find a lot of thrillers to be emotionally detached, but this one really packed a punch with the emotional journey you take with the protagonist. I think it excellently spun real world issues into a fictitious plot that was easy to follow, consistently paced and engaging.
I found the writing to be a little hit and miss at times, but for the most part it served its purpose just fine. Some of the dialogue and internal monologues were a little bit cringey at times it took me out of the story, but not enough to make me want to stop reading. There was also a tiny bit of inconsistency with the coping strategies the protagonist uses at the beginning of the book seemingly disappearing a few chapters in.
I liked the discussions it had on identity and belonging, alongside the main thrilling storyline of trying to solve the crime/mystery at it’s heart. Speaking of, every time I thought I knew where this book was going I was wrong. The twists and turns got me every single time and my predictions were completely off. A lot more sinister than I anticipated, but it made for a fun and unpredictable read.
There were other tiny pet peeves I had with the story that brought my rating down a little. There was a side story about her losing her job that was mostly ignored, and her husband appeared to be non-existent for most of the book. Just tiny things I think if tweaked could’ve made the book a little better and more cohesive. Opening up multiple avenues of drama just to almost ignore them was a little frustrating. I enjoyed the ending though and the hope of it all, how it rounded off quite nicely.
Overall, this probably would’ve been a 3.5 if Goodreads did half stars. Definitely a unique thriller with real depth behind it, and wow did that finale have me on edge.
A thriller combining widespread social injustice and personal character development? Sign me up. I often find a lot of thrillers to be emotionally detached, but this one really packed a punch with the emotional journey you take with the protagonist. I think it excellently spun real world issues into a fictitious plot that was easy to follow, consistently paced and engaging.
I found the writing to be a little hit and miss at times, but for the most part it served its purpose just fine. Some of the dialogue and internal monologues were a little bit cringey at times it took me out of the story, but not enough to make me want to stop reading. There was also a tiny bit of inconsistency with the coping strategies the protagonist uses at the beginning of the book seemingly disappearing a few chapters in.
I liked the discussions it had on identity and belonging, alongside the main thrilling storyline of trying to solve the crime/mystery at it’s heart. Speaking of, every time I thought I knew where this book was going I was wrong. The twists and turns got me every single time and my predictions were completely off. A lot more sinister than I anticipated, but it made for a fun and unpredictable read.
There were other tiny pet peeves I had with the story that brought my rating down a little. There was a side story about her losing her job that was mostly ignored, and her husband appeared to be non-existent for most of the book. Just tiny things I think if tweaked could’ve made the book a little better and more cohesive. Opening up multiple avenues of drama just to almost ignore them was a little frustrating. I enjoyed the ending though and the hope of it all, how it rounded off quite nicely.
Overall, this probably would’ve been a 3.5 if Goodreads did half stars. Definitely a unique thriller with real depth behind it, and wow did that finale have me on edge.
March 23, 2022
Oh dear, this was terrible. It's such a shame because it had all the potential of a good story and also there were references to some really important things... but it was let down by bad writing.
There was a lot of clunky grammar and dialogue that felt bizarre at times and just unrealistic at others. But more than that - there were so many factually incorrect parts that I felt more and more annoyed reading it. I don't understand how a book that had two authors could be so flawed and have so many mistakes. And with things that could be easily checked online with one search.
There was a lot of clunky grammar and dialogue that felt bizarre at times and just unrealistic at others. But more than that - there were so many factually incorrect parts that I felt more and more annoyed reading it. I don't understand how a book that had two authors could be so flawed and have so many mistakes. And with things that could be easily checked online with one search.
April 14, 2022
High hopes dashed.
I got this book free as a Kindle first reads, and I’m glad I didn’t pay money for it. I found it a quick, easy read, and only at one or two points wanted to stop reading.
Pros:
1)The premise of the story was intriguing, and it made valid points about the lack of media coverage and police interest over missing women of color compared to their white counterparts.
2)Even though it became clear immediately that the the bio-dad was shady AF, I was curious to find out how all the pieces fit together, and felt it was worth reading for that reason.
Cons:
1) It KILLS my when the female lead character is an absolute IDIOT! Why is she so dumb? How could she be so naïve? How does she have such poor emotional regulation? Why did her adoptive parents, who clearly took good care of her in other ways, not get her treatment for her clearly debilitating PTSD? Why does she flip-flop from being overly-trusting to suspicious and back at the drop off s a hat? Why does she suspect her adoptive dad, when he has never given her reason to doubt his integrity? ALSO then she confronts him, he gaslights her, which makes her decide he’s ok after all?!? So many more examples exist of her foolishness, impulsivity, naïveté, poor emotional regulation, immaturity, mental illness, and lack of learning that she reads much more like a teenager than a 28-year-old married DOCTOR. Which brings me to my next complaint:
2) It seems to me the only reason the authors made Eva a doctor is so she has access to/knowledge of the haunted hospital annex. Because there’s no other indication of the thinking or behavior a person needs to be successful getting through medical school, residency, etc. Doctors need critical thinking skills, of which Eva had none.
3) What is up with her husband?!? He starts out as this supposedly great guy, disappears shortly thereafter, then reappears in the story only to bail as soon as there’s a bump in the relationship. Why does she take him back at the end? Has she learned NOTHING?! And why didn’t he come to the vigil if they’re back together?
3) Dropped threads/ Plot holes More info on the medical experiments could have easily upped the creepy factor, but it’s glossed over. The whole thing of WHY her bio-dad wanted Eva to take a DNA test in the first place is unclear. The husband’s involvement. Sugar’s dealings with Ronnie. The doctor job that she’s conveniently suspended from (otherwise the story arc might have had to be about work/life balance.
4) more but I’m bored listing them all— oh yeah, the writing style itself was annoying. Also the timeline was often unclear.
5) OMG why is she so stupid?!?!?!
Anyway the TL;DR is that the IDEA for this story was good, but the execution was a mess.
I got this book free as a Kindle first reads, and I’m glad I didn’t pay money for it. I found it a quick, easy read, and only at one or two points wanted to stop reading.
Pros:
1)The premise of the story was intriguing, and it made valid points about the lack of media coverage and police interest over missing women of color compared to their white counterparts.
2)Even though it became clear immediately that the the bio-dad was shady AF, I was curious to find out how all the pieces fit together, and felt it was worth reading for that reason.
Cons:
1) It KILLS my when the female lead character is an absolute IDIOT! Why is she so dumb? How could she be so naïve? How does she have such poor emotional regulation? Why did her adoptive parents, who clearly took good care of her in other ways, not get her treatment for her clearly debilitating PTSD? Why does she flip-flop from being overly-trusting to suspicious and back at the drop off s a hat? Why does she suspect her adoptive dad, when he has never given her reason to doubt his integrity? ALSO then she confronts him, he gaslights her, which makes her decide he’s ok after all?!? So many more examples exist of her foolishness, impulsivity, naïveté, poor emotional regulation, immaturity, mental illness, and lack of learning that she reads much more like a teenager than a 28-year-old married DOCTOR. Which brings me to my next complaint:
2) It seems to me the only reason the authors made Eva a doctor is so she has access to/knowledge of the haunted hospital annex. Because there’s no other indication of the thinking or behavior a person needs to be successful getting through medical school, residency, etc. Doctors need critical thinking skills, of which Eva had none.
3) What is up with her husband?!? He starts out as this supposedly great guy, disappears shortly thereafter, then reappears in the story only to bail as soon as there’s a bump in the relationship. Why does she take him back at the end? Has she learned NOTHING?! And why didn’t he come to the vigil if they’re back together?
3) Dropped threads/ Plot holes More info on the medical experiments could have easily upped the creepy factor, but it’s glossed over. The whole thing of WHY her bio-dad wanted Eva to take a DNA test in the first place is unclear. The husband’s involvement. Sugar’s dealings with Ronnie. The doctor job that she’s conveniently suspended from (otherwise the story arc might have had to be about work/life balance.
4) more but I’m bored listing them all— oh yeah, the writing style itself was annoying. Also the timeline was often unclear.
5) OMG why is she so stupid?!?!?!
Anyway the TL;DR is that the IDEA for this story was good, but the execution was a mess.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2022
Gritty Intense Psychological Shocking
I was fortunate enough to receive an advanced copy of this novel so thank you to the publishers so glad I did.
I have read most of the authors books and am a great fan. Normally full of class sass and kickass. But this is totally different gravy. It's deep psychological fayre. A deliberately slow start to the story it then just boils up fizzes and explodes.
You can tell this novel is a labour of love from The Authors (perhaps the wrong words given the content. An expose of racial intolerance and social exclusion more apt) Either way its deeply personal.
So what's happening? We have Little Eva saved from The Care System at the age of 8 by the wonderfully named Sugar and Cherry. (that's what I love about this writer just sets the scene who wouldn't want parents called Sugar and Cherry?) Eva could not have had had a more happy upbringing showered with love. Fast forward she's now married to Joe and is living her dream as a practicing junior doctor. Life don't get better but then tragedy strikes. Cherry passes away and in quick succession she is suspended (a fact she doesn't share with Joe) Given her mindset Eva has a fascination to find out more about her true parents. Enough from me but it basically just rips from there.
I think this is arguably the Authors best book. Given the subject matter its a bloody great read but also an education into things people turn there heads to. Teriffic read
I was fortunate enough to receive an advanced copy of this novel so thank you to the publishers so glad I did.
I have read most of the authors books and am a great fan. Normally full of class sass and kickass. But this is totally different gravy. It's deep psychological fayre. A deliberately slow start to the story it then just boils up fizzes and explodes.
You can tell this novel is a labour of love from The Authors (perhaps the wrong words given the content. An expose of racial intolerance and social exclusion more apt) Either way its deeply personal.
So what's happening? We have Little Eva saved from The Care System at the age of 8 by the wonderfully named Sugar and Cherry. (that's what I love about this writer just sets the scene who wouldn't want parents called Sugar and Cherry?) Eva could not have had had a more happy upbringing showered with love. Fast forward she's now married to Joe and is living her dream as a practicing junior doctor. Life don't get better but then tragedy strikes. Cherry passes away and in quick succession she is suspended (a fact she doesn't share with Joe) Given her mindset Eva has a fascination to find out more about her true parents. Enough from me but it basically just rips from there.
I think this is arguably the Authors best book. Given the subject matter its a bloody great read but also an education into things people turn there heads to. Teriffic read
February 26, 2022
Oh my days!!
What a fab read!
Eva’s character demonstrates that we all need to know who we are!
Fab writing with a great story line, you will love it!
What a fab read!
Eva’s character demonstrates that we all need to know who we are!
Fab writing with a great story line, you will love it!
April 8, 2022
ALL THE STARS and MORE! Say Her Name! I wonder if many of you actually could say the name of one POC who has gone missing in your area in the last year. Just one. Say Her Name. I can name three white girls who have repeated made the new in Indianapolis over the last decade because I see their very pretty innocent faces in the news all of the time. I assume there are no POC who go missing here. Right? WRONG! They do. Everywhere. But newspapers and news stations don't show you those people unless they are part of the "rich and famous. THAT is what this book is about.
I read Say Her Name from start to finish without once stopping - not to eat, not to sleep. I found it powerful, compelling and gut wrenching, especially when I realized that I, too, was guilty of looking the other way, of ignoring POC and the crimes that involve them because, well, that is how I have been conditioned. But enough is enough. This book IS well written. The characters are very well fleshed out, they may not be to your liking but they are exactly who they are. Not everyone looks or acts like the cookies that are cut out in your life. Thank goodness for that. And yes, I have noticed that far too many of the reviews here are 1 and 2 stars because this book is all about being "woke." You better believe it is!! Obviously, some people prefer living in the dark. The middle ages are over people. WAKE UP! Say Her Name, so far, is my best read of 2022. I haven't stopped thinking about it once since I finished it and I suspect you will not either. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!
I read Say Her Name from start to finish without once stopping - not to eat, not to sleep. I found it powerful, compelling and gut wrenching, especially when I realized that I, too, was guilty of looking the other way, of ignoring POC and the crimes that involve them because, well, that is how I have been conditioned. But enough is enough. This book IS well written. The characters are very well fleshed out, they may not be to your liking but they are exactly who they are. Not everyone looks or acts like the cookies that are cut out in your life. Thank goodness for that. And yes, I have noticed that far too many of the reviews here are 1 and 2 stars because this book is all about being "woke." You better believe it is!! Obviously, some people prefer living in the dark. The middle ages are over people. WAKE UP! Say Her Name, so far, is my best read of 2022. I haven't stopped thinking about it once since I finished it and I suspect you will not either. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!
April 17, 2022
Overwrought, practically incoherent trash. There’s not a single plausible character and the plot is utter nonsense. The writing is at best awkward and often simply terrible. I regret every minute reading this twaddle.
May 5, 2023
This is a fascinating look at relationships and how they manifest themselves, change, or even require coddling to survive. Eva, after losing her adoptive mother, is rabid about finding her birth mother and sends away a DNA kit. Husband Joe is supportive, but Sugar (the only father she's ever known) harbors secrets that's she's unaware of. And in her relentless search for answers, she discovers so many of those secrets as well as others that speak to the consequences of racism and how little we may know about those who claim to love us!
March 29, 2022
I kept going back and forth on how to review this one -- I'd give it a 3.5.
The pros:
What an important topic that needs to be discussed. While the story focuses on events that happened in the mid-90's, we still see (or don't see, rather) these things continue to happen - Missing people (usually well-off, white people) get a lot of media coverage, where as people of color tend to not. I think of a local news story of Jelani Day, whose mother has had to fight to get his disappearance (and unfortunate death) media coverage and keep his name in the news and the public eye. But this isn't the norm and unfortunately, thousands of individuals go missing and are never found. This book does a good job of addressing this topic, and the main character Eva fights to find answers for the women missing since 1994 (including her mother).
I also like how there's many twists and turns in this story that leaves you guessing how everything will turn out. It's a book I didn't want to put down because I wanted to know what happens next!
The Cons:
I still don't know if I actually liked Eva - her character was a bit all over the place and pretty naïve (example: Her father says ""Burning that building down was no accident. Someone was cleaning house." Eva says: "Cleaning house?" What does he mean? "I'm assuming you're not talking about someone vacuuming and dusting and mopping it." Like, what? How is this in the dialogue?) And she is supposed to be a medical doctor? Would not want her to be my doctor at all. While I'm sympathetic she is grieving, and that people do make mistakes, she has a responsibility to her patients to be professional and not accidentally overdose them with medication.
I also found certain actions or internal dialogue rather repetitive (which, if done well, can really add to the story) but I didn't find that here.
Overall, this wasn't my favorite, but still one of the better Kindle Firsts and I would be interested in reading more by these authors.
The pros:
What an important topic that needs to be discussed. While the story focuses on events that happened in the mid-90's, we still see (or don't see, rather) these things continue to happen - Missing people (usually well-off, white people) get a lot of media coverage, where as people of color tend to not. I think of a local news story of Jelani Day, whose mother has had to fight to get his disappearance (and unfortunate death) media coverage and keep his name in the news and the public eye. But this isn't the norm and unfortunately, thousands of individuals go missing and are never found. This book does a good job of addressing this topic, and the main character Eva fights to find answers for the women missing since 1994 (including her mother).
I also like how there's many twists and turns in this story that leaves you guessing how everything will turn out. It's a book I didn't want to put down because I wanted to know what happens next!
The Cons:
I still don't know if I actually liked Eva - her character was a bit all over the place and pretty naïve (example: Her father says ""Burning that building down was no accident. Someone was cleaning house." Eva says: "Cleaning house?" What does he mean? "I'm assuming you're not talking about someone vacuuming and dusting and mopping it." Like, what? How is this in the dialogue?) And she is supposed to be a medical doctor? Would not want her to be my doctor at all. While I'm sympathetic she is grieving, and that people do make mistakes, she has a responsibility to her patients to be professional and not accidentally overdose them with medication.
I also found certain actions or internal dialogue rather repetitive (which, if done well, can really add to the story) but I didn't find that here.
Overall, this wasn't my favorite, but still one of the better Kindle Firsts and I would be interested in reading more by these authors.
April 19, 2022
Tell us you are willfully ignorant without telling us you are willfully ignorant: write a bad review of this book and say it’s “political”.
This book is not political. It is fact based. Take even the quickest of glances at the statistics regarding the disappearance and murder of Black women and girls and you will see that, although fictionalized and dramatized, this book is putting forth uncomfortable truths. TRUTH, being the important part of that sentence.
OUR WOMEN AND GIRLS OF COLOR MATTER AND THEY WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN.
We fucking mean it and we will not stop fighting for them. Ever. We won’t stop looking for them. We will raise funds for Jane Does to be identified. We will spread their stories far and wide. And the killers will be found.
I will say that the plot left a bit to be desired and you know whodunnit right away. It was still compelling enough for me to read it in about 6 hours. Eva’s a mess but I don’t mind that. It’s weird AF that reviewers keep saying she is unrealistic because she is a doctor AND a mess. Ummmm…the two don’t really have anything to do with one another. Larry Nassar was a doctor, after all…so you can most definitely be a doctor and a hot mess. Also, yes, the bread knife was one of the stupidest creative decisions I have ever read and I can’t defend it in any way. Still loved the book though!
This book is not political. It is fact based. Take even the quickest of glances at the statistics regarding the disappearance and murder of Black women and girls and you will see that, although fictionalized and dramatized, this book is putting forth uncomfortable truths. TRUTH, being the important part of that sentence.
OUR WOMEN AND GIRLS OF COLOR MATTER AND THEY WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN.
We fucking mean it and we will not stop fighting for them. Ever. We won’t stop looking for them. We will raise funds for Jane Does to be identified. We will spread their stories far and wide. And the killers will be found.
I will say that the plot left a bit to be desired and you know whodunnit right away. It was still compelling enough for me to read it in about 6 hours. Eva’s a mess but I don’t mind that. It’s weird AF that reviewers keep saying she is unrealistic because she is a doctor AND a mess. Ummmm…the two don’t really have anything to do with one another. Larry Nassar was a doctor, after all…so you can most definitely be a doctor and a hot mess. Also, yes, the bread knife was one of the stupidest creative decisions I have ever read and I can’t defend it in any way. Still loved the book though!
March 18, 2022
Starts off pretty slow but if you hang in there, the action picks up. Great concept
April 5, 2022
I wanted to like this
Good idea that might have benefited from two more rounds with an editor. Everything is “told not shown” and then beat to death just in case the reader has never heard an incredibly common turn of phrase. Character is incredibly naive - somehow she’s experienced traumatic racism in her childhood but it never occurs to her that racism is a factor in why some cases aren’t investigated thoroughly. Characters go from zero to eighty in their interactions with each other with very little cause. It all adds up to be unreadable.
Good idea that might have benefited from two more rounds with an editor. Everything is “told not shown” and then beat to death just in case the reader has never heard an incredibly common turn of phrase. Character is incredibly naive - somehow she’s experienced traumatic racism in her childhood but it never occurs to her that racism is a factor in why some cases aren’t investigated thoroughly. Characters go from zero to eighty in their interactions with each other with very little cause. It all adds up to be unreadable.
July 18, 2022
3.8/5
Packs a wallop! And, this very scenario (4 missing African American girls go unnoticed and 1 missing White girl gets all the media in the US) has happened a lot.
My Kindle freebie for the month. I would have given it more stars, if there wasn’t so much missing from the narrative. It jumps around a lot. And, part of the plot was see through.
Packs a wallop! And, this very scenario (4 missing African American girls go unnoticed and 1 missing White girl gets all the media in the US) has happened a lot.
My Kindle freebie for the month. I would have given it more stars, if there wasn’t so much missing from the narrative. It jumps around a lot. And, part of the plot was see through.
March 18, 2022
Couldn't wait for it to end
I picked this book because i was super interested in the concept of black women being trafficked. The writing in this is so awkward and stilted - people don't speak like this! It was pretty obvious her birth father was involved from the beginning. I honestly couldn't wait for it to be over but it just kept droning on.
I picked this book because i was super interested in the concept of black women being trafficked. The writing in this is so awkward and stilted - people don't speak like this! It was pretty obvious her birth father was involved from the beginning. I honestly couldn't wait for it to be over but it just kept droning on.
March 11, 2022
Overall OK read. I found myself checking the lower right corner of my kindle to see how far I was from 100%. Some twists and turns and convenient circumstances to reach the end.
December 11, 2023
Hope, Poppy, Ameenah and Sheryl
The plot twists and turns in this book kept me engaged. I have had this book for a couple of years. I just decided to read. This book did not disappoint me. It is never what you think in this book. This isa complete book. Do yourself a favor and read the damn book 📚
The plot twists and turns in this book kept me engaged. I have had this book for a couple of years. I just decided to read. This book did not disappoint me. It is never what you think in this book. This isa complete book. Do yourself a favor and read the damn book 📚
March 1, 2022
I'm unfamiliar with Dreda Say Mitchell and Ryan Carter, but the synopsis of Say Her Name, along with an endorsement by one of my favorite authors in Lee Child, was enough to have me try this. I won't delve too deeply into plot details because I don't want to spoil anything. While dealing with the death of her adoptive mother Cherry, main character Eva engages in a search to track down her biological parents. This eventually ends up tying into the unsolved disappearance of several women thirty years earlier.
What you have here is an extremely well written and enthralling story. It's an intriguing thriller that also describes some uncomfortable truths about the world we live in. The characters, especially Eva, are wonderfully authentic - you can't help but feel what she feels no matter your gender or race. I can't remember the last time I sat down and read a book cover to cover in one sitting like I did with this one. One of the best books I've read in a long time and I'll be looking for more from these authors.
What you have here is an extremely well written and enthralling story. It's an intriguing thriller that also describes some uncomfortable truths about the world we live in. The characters, especially Eva, are wonderfully authentic - you can't help but feel what she feels no matter your gender or race. I can't remember the last time I sat down and read a book cover to cover in one sitting like I did with this one. One of the best books I've read in a long time and I'll be looking for more from these authors.
March 8, 2022
Poignant
I wasn’t so sure that I would be able to connect with this book. Then it threw all kinds of twists and turns at me. I became so invested. The social commentary is so relevant to mystery of what happened to Jelani Day. Addressing the disparity in the investigations and media coverage of missing Black children compared to their white counterparts is so necessary. I loved how this book kept me guessing. The villain was obvious, but their secrets were not. I really enjoyed the way it all wrapped up in the end. This was a very solid read.
I wasn’t so sure that I would be able to connect with this book. Then it threw all kinds of twists and turns at me. I became so invested. The social commentary is so relevant to mystery of what happened to Jelani Day. Addressing the disparity in the investigations and media coverage of missing Black children compared to their white counterparts is so necessary. I loved how this book kept me guessing. The villain was obvious, but their secrets were not. I really enjoyed the way it all wrapped up in the end. This was a very solid read.
March 28, 2022
Disappointing Ending
** Spoiler alert. ** I find it absolutely unbelievable that a bread knife would cut hair or Achillies tendons. And how is Danny not still dangerous with his hands free? And why does she go running back into the arms of a spouse who abandoned her when she had a rough time for a few weeks? Sorry, just no.
** Spoiler alert. ** I find it absolutely unbelievable that a bread knife would cut hair or Achillies tendons. And how is Danny not still dangerous with his hands free? And why does she go running back into the arms of a spouse who abandoned her when she had a rough time for a few weeks? Sorry, just no.
August 23, 2023
3.5 rounded down to 3.
It started really well, then it became a bit predictable and I worked out the plot around half way through. I carried on reading to see if I was right.
Some powerful themes about race and injustice, the characters didn’t do them justice.
It started really well, then it became a bit predictable and I worked out the plot around half way through. I carried on reading to see if I was right.
Some powerful themes about race and injustice, the characters didn’t do them justice.
April 26, 2022
Couldn’t put this book down. Eva eventually got justice.
February 25, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up
I finished this awhile ago. Probably the day after I started it. I'm behind in my reviews and updating.
I liked this.
I finished this awhile ago. Probably the day after I started it. I'm behind in my reviews and updating.
I liked this.
April 8, 2022
It’s not often a book renders me at a loss for words as we’ve come to know with my reviews. And I am sat with the quiet contemplation of my feelings and thoughts having read this novel. An advanced copy made its way into my hands and I’m sure it’s impact will be long lasting having just read the final chapter. Say Her Name centres on Eva, twenty eight and the adoptive daughter of Cherry and Sugar McNeil. Following the loss of her adoptive mother and suspension of her job at the hospital Eva is thrown through the loop of uncovering her biological father through a DNA test website. Ever hopeful, Eva agrees to meet him in order to learn more about her history and the mother she’s always wanted to know. But with these questions comes danger, distress and ties to missing cases that occurred the very year she was born. Is it wise to search out a woman that’s always been a mystery to her. And at what cost? From the first chapter I knew it’d be a whirlwind of emotions reading this book and I’m certainly not wrong. The women in this book and the injustices they suffer are not that dissimilar to cases that occur today. My heart was broken again and again as the web of lies and secrets unwound for Eva and the tenacity and strength displayed by this woman in her efforts made for a most compelling story. The authors don’t hold back as we witness themes like murder, drug abuse, corruption, manipulation and grief. It’s powerful and leaves the reader with so much to think about and a change in perspective that I believe is important. Mitchell and Carter emphasise the unequal measures taken to find missing women of colour, corrupt law enforcement and abuse of power that are not unseen in society today and impact so many. Thought provoking, heart wrenching and eloquently written. I hope that, should you come across this book, you take the opportunity to read it.
Read
May 13, 2022an interesting, hauntingly realistic plot. i couldn’t stop reading because i had so many questions
March 10, 2022
A mystery thriller that will have you checking over your shoulder at times. I read this book over 3 days as I was so busy. If I had allowed myself to just read it would have been done in a day.
Dreda Say Mitchell is such a skilled author she can weave a story that leaves you with a book hangover everytime she releases new one. This book is a duo write and together with Ryan Carter they have definitely spun a tale that is pretty original and intruding from the first page.
Her characters are always so well drawn and these ones are no exception. I felt for Eva from the start. I loved the twists and turns they really kept me reading and on the edge of my seat too.
A thoroughly thrilling tale from two authors who always put their heart and soul into their writing, and it very clearly shows.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a mystery thriller with unique characters and twists to the end.
Thanks to both authors and the publisher for my gifted copy. All opinions are expressly my own.
Dreda Say Mitchell is such a skilled author she can weave a story that leaves you with a book hangover everytime she releases new one. This book is a duo write and together with Ryan Carter they have definitely spun a tale that is pretty original and intruding from the first page.
Her characters are always so well drawn and these ones are no exception. I felt for Eva from the start. I loved the twists and turns they really kept me reading and on the edge of my seat too.
A thoroughly thrilling tale from two authors who always put their heart and soul into their writing, and it very clearly shows.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a mystery thriller with unique characters and twists to the end.
Thanks to both authors and the publisher for my gifted copy. All opinions are expressly my own.
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