User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
This is one of those books I want to tell everyone to read. Just say READ IT. End of Story. I loved that this book worked perfectly as a stand-alone for me. Not having read the other books in the series, I did not feel as if I was missing out at all. Having said that, now that I have read this book, I am inclined to go back and read both Detective D.D. Warren and Gardner Universe book series. Seriously, how great was it that she combined two of her popular series and combined them? Brilliant!
In this book, Gardner combined three strong and compelling female characters: Detective D.D. Warren, Flora Dane, and Kimberly Quincy. My hand is in the air, enthusiastically waving for more books with this combination of women.
FBI Special Agent, Kimberly Quincy, and Sergeant Detective D.D. Warren have formed a task force to follow deceased serial kidnapper and rapist Jacob Ness. Flora Dane was kidnapped by Ness and having survived her horrifying time with him, is now dedicated to helping the investigators and others who have been harmed as she was.
This trio of women along with Keith, a computer analyst and true crime enthusiast (who has eyes for Flora), has come to Niche, a small town in the hills of Georgia where the bodies are piling up and no one is talking. There they meet a young female, who does not speak except through her art, who has been named "the girl" by "family". Could she be the answer? Is she the missing link or clue they have been looking for? Will they ever find the extent of the damage that Jacob Ness has committed? Is this only the beginning? Is there even evil out there?
The Hills in Georgia are not alive with the sound of music, they are alive with the sounds of evil. Evil, that has been around a long time. Small towns hold secrets. Secrets that the inhabitants will do anything to keep buried. There is a web of lies, deceit, evil, murder, and depravity.
This book was a real page-turner for me. There was tension throughout the book. I loved how the story was told from various points of view. This added to the tension and helped set the mood for the book. This book was dripping with suspense. There is the mystery of course, but the human factor, really made this book unputdownable for me. I was riveted to the pages and didn't want to put this book down. Like the team, I was on the case trying to figure out who the evil man was, hoping for Bonita /the girl's safety, and hoping that everyone makes it out alive.
I really enjoyed that this felt like a fresh, new unique tale. I mention this because lately, I have been feeling as if I am reading the same story just wrapped up in a different package (cover). Not this one. This felt completely original and was a breath of fresh air for this mystery/thriller book lover. Gardner did her research in interviewing a nonverbal subject and spoke with many consultants to get aspects of an FBI investigation correct. You will still need to suspend some disbelief while reading this one, but I didn't mind and I don't think anyone else will either.
Highly Recommend.
Thank you to Lisa Gardner, Penguin Group Dutton, NetGalley and Edelweiss who provided me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, I loved it! All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Rating: really liked it
Compelling, nerve-racking, & absolutely unputdownable!Oh my goodness this is exactly why I have been a faithful fan for so many years of LISA GARDNER. She keeps knocking out fantastic books that’s why! I absolutely loved this latest installment in her Detective D.D. Warren series with Book # 11. This is an author that I can always count on that never disappoints and always delivers such fantastic mystery/thrillers that are gripping, emotional, action-packed and packed full of nail-biting suspense. It’s no secret that I am a huge fan and I have read all of her novels to date. She is one of the few authors that I have read right from the very beginning and have continued on throughout the years, getting super excited with each new release. That speaks volumes of how talented this author is!
WHEN YOU SEE ME by LISA GARDNER (Detective D.D. Warren #11) is a complex, gripping, suspenseful, twisty, emotional and intense thriller which unites three of my most favorite characters ever - Detective D.D. Warren, Flora Dane, and Kimberly Quincy.
LISA GARDNER creates such compelling, well-developed, fabulous and dynamic characters that you can’t help but love and be emotionally invested in. I absolutely loved that this story was told from multiple perspectives of all the key players here. This definitely added to the tension for me and definitely helped to set the mood. Although this story is quite intense it was also quite fun, touching and emotional to read. There was a scene with Flora and Keith that completely warmed my heart. I have never ever read anything so beautiful.
Norma’s Stats:
Cover/Title: Intriguing, appealing, and fitting representation to storyline.
Writing/Prose: Compulsively readable, notable, strong, impressive, well-written, entertaining, engrossing, and prolific.
Plot: Suspenseful, emotional, complex, riveting, fast-paced, dark, thrilling, captivating, taut, twisty, and entertaining.
Ending: An action-packed, surprising, thrilling, and explosive ending!
Overall: Another stellar read from the Queen of Thrillers that had me immediately hooked and completely riveted. Would highly recommend!
Thank you so much to Edelweiss, Dutton and Lisa Gardner for the opportunity to read this book.
This review can also be seen at Traveling Sisters Book Reviews blog:
https://travelingsistersbookreviews.com/
Rating: really liked it
Lisa Gardner, the queen of crime thrillers writes a brilliant if traumatic addition to the Detective Sergeant DD Warren series as DD leaves her family in Boston, joining a local and FBI task force in Appalachian Niche in Georgia led by SSA Kimberly Quincy. Two hikers discover human bones that turn out to be those of the missing Lilah Abenito, assumed to be a victim of the now dead predator Jacob Ness. Efforts to dig into Ness's criminal past had ground to a halt, but it looks as if they might just find out more about the other missing girls. Joining the task force are civilians Flora Dane, a survivor of Ness, a prisoner of his for over a year, still suffering PTSD from her harrowing experience and Keith, a gifted computer analyst and true crime enthusiast. There is no doubt that Flora has come a long way from the broken woman rescued from the evil Ness, but she is yet to thrive, she just cannot contemplate being in a relationship, despite being attracted to Keith.
The town of Niche appears quaint, wholesome, a picture perfect tourist destination. However, as more and more bodies are uncovered, it begins to feel sinister, beneath the veneer it is a town that is a graveyard, a hubbub of dark deeds, murder and secrets that go back a long time. In the narrative is the voice of a young girl, her mother murdered, living in terror and a life of servitude, unable to speak with a gift when it comes to drawing pictures to communicate. It is DD's sharply honed senses that intuit the young girl with no name is traumatised and terrorised. Flora finds herself back down the nightmare of a rabbit hole, shell shocked, having to face her worst fears about her time with Ness, but is it possible that this experience offers an opportunity to finally lay her horrifying past and the ghost of Ness to rest? In a narrative that takes in fresh murders amidst the rising count of cold cases, more of Ness's past comes to be known, but was he a loner or part of a bigger criminal enterprise?
This is a well researched novel from Gardner, she provides technical details and descriptions of FBI task forces, procedures and forensic techniques when it comes to digging up the long dead. When it comes to writing tense, fast paced, gripping and unputdownable thrillers, the author has few rivals. She has created characters we have already come to care about, whilst introducing new people, I hope to encounter Bonita again in future additions to this series. I should warn there are hard to endure upsetting coverage of the misery of human trafficking, murder and more in this novel. A fantastic nail biting read, you are always in safe hands when it comes to Lisa Gardner, she always comes up with the goods. Cannot wait for the next in the series! Many thanks to Random House Cornerstone for an ARC.
Rating: really liked it
UnrestrainedWhen You See Me is an outstanding crime detective story that affirms Lisa Gardner as one of the best thriller writers of today. It has so many attributes from location, atmosphere and great characters to an intricate shocking plot that is compelling and keeps you guessing to the end.
It has been a long time since I read Lisa Gardner and I worried about reading her new book without some background to her previous novels in the series. I have to say, in no way did I feel I had missed some history or background to make this story work. This is a unique novel that can be treated as a standalone.
Detective DD Warren, Special Security Agent Kimberly Qunicy and serial killer survivor Flora Dane, are all fascinating characters, full of energy, depth, intrigue and resolve. While they appear in previous Lisa Gardner novels, there is a freshness to their role in this story. They have been called together as part of a task force to investigate the human remains of a young woman thought to be another victim of the serial killer, Jacob Ness. Flora was once a kidnapped prisoner of Ness for over a year, but she killed him as part of her escape to freedom. Flora is psychologically wounded as a consequence and undoubtedly struggles with PTSD and survivor’s guilt. It is fascinating to observe Flora as a very determined person, brave but introspective and places huge barriers against human relationships and a fear of vulnerability. Her good friend Keith may become more if she can overcome her resistance to trust and fight the images of horror she endured.
The task force investigation faces many complex situations in the little town of Niche, Georgia. A town that seems idyllic but gradually darker and darker secrets are revealed. To what extent are the people of Niche involved in the horror unfolding, as more and more women are found buried in the woods? An encounter with a young mute girl, terribly deformed from an accident, and living with the mayor and his wife as their niece, brings about a personal mission from DD that she will protect her and get to the bottom of these deaths. The life of the young girl is heartbreaking and gives our sense of justice an adrenaline shot.
The story is told from the perspective of the four main women; Flora, DD, Kimberly and an unknown female. The mix of characters and how they interact with others is wonderfully told and it is absorbing how their dialogue and relationships keep this story full of surprises and fears. Some people are obviously involved behind the public masks they wear and the ring-leader is elusive and very difficult to guess. A superb psychological mystery that progresses at a mighty rate, right to the dramatic finale.
I feel remiss not to have read more of Lisa Gardner but this novel has reacquainted an old author and I'll be looking for her other books shortly. I would highly recommend this book and I would like to thank Century Books, Random House UK Cornerstone and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC copy of the book in return for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
5 Stars
A Complex, Compelling and Taut Mystery/Thriller.
When human bones are found in the deep woods of Georgia, FBI Agent Kimberly Quincy is called in. To her, the findings mean something specific and for this investigation, she needs D.D. Warren and Flora Dane on board. The bones found belong to the body of Lilah Abenito who was reported missing fifteen years ago and is assumed to be a victim of Jacob Ness. Ness, as we all know is the man who kidnapped and tortured Flora Dane for 472 days.
Flora, must once again face her past - this time however, she is not alone- she has D.D., and her friend/computer whiz Keith beside her.
When more bodies are found and mass graves are uncovered and suspicions arise.
Is Jacob Ness solely responsible?
From The Mayor and his wife, who are the owners of the most popular B&B in town, to The Town Clerk and several others, it becomes clear that the Town of Niche isn’t so nice after all.
Bonita, the “niece” of the Mayer and his wife, is scared every day of her life. She has good reason.
The tension ratchets up here in a way that only Lisa Gardner is capable. Fear rose in my throat.. for Flora Dane, D.D. Warren, Keith and Bonita. I had several moments of panic while reading this novel, afraid for my favorite characters. Admittedly, I also smiled and shed a few tears. What can I say except that Lisa Gardner knows how to get me every time. I simply love the characters of Flora Dane and D.D. Warren together. They are like ying and yang. What I love about Lisa Gardner’s writing is that she never phones it in. Each novel that I’ve read is as strong as the last, and for me that speaks Volumes.
This was another incredible buddy read with Kaceey. We both love these characters and feel like we are visiting old friends as soon as we start a new novel. Thanks for sharing this one with me Kaceey!
Thank you to Edelweiss, Penguin Publishing - Dutton and Lisa Gardner for the arc.
Published on Goodreads and Edelweiss on 12.15.19.
Rating: really liked it
I’ve been a devoted Lisa Gardner fan for years, having read every book she’s released to date.
Her best series' are known to revolve around FBI Special agent Kimberly Quincy and Sergeant Detective DD Warren with the Boston Police department. Now Flora Dane, who survived a sadistic serial killer has being introduced as a new essential character, tying these women together.
When a couple hiking in the Georgia wooded mountains stumble across some bones, it’s quickly assumed to be connected to the horrific kidnapping that Flora herself survived. Along with Flores’ new friend and computer geek Keith, all three women converge on the small secluded town to assist the local sheriff. And the deeper they dig...
With the aid of a young girl with no name and no voice will they find the evil force behind these killings before they themselves become the next victims?
I have to say this was probably the best in the series so far! I was thoroughly locked-in right from the start and loved how these characters all worked together. The ending? One word...perfect! Just loved it!
I cannot wait to see where Lisa Gardner takes these incredible characters next!
A buddy read with Susanne that we both just loved!💖
Thank you to Edelweiss, Penguin Publishing - Dutton and Lisa Gardner for an ARC to read and review.
Rating: really liked it
Thanks for the fun buddy read Karly and SabiReads 💖💖 Chatting with you saved me from setting this book on fire.
Writing: the saving grace of this crapshow/5 | Plot: never heard of her/5 | Ending: pls/5 SYNOPSIS After remains are found in rural Georgia, FBI SSA Kim Quincy calls in BPD DD Warren and her gang of misfits (Flora "vigilante" Danes and Keith "Google Earth" ???) to figure out if there's a connection with Flora's deceased kidnapper, Jacob Ness.
MY OPINION I never want to read about Flora again. Period. In order from best to never should've been written, here is my ranking of books featuring Flora:
1. Find Her hands down the best.
2. Never Tell was interesting minus the ending.
3. This book.
4. Look For Me
So once again, Lisa Gardner's writing skills saved this from an abysmal one star rating. First of all, this book was SLOW AF. Legit nothing happened until about 130 pgs in. There was a lot of explanation about police procedurals, so I guess I learned something at least. There's a lot of Flora exploring her feelings for tights-wearing Keith. But there's no action, and there's no emotional impact.
Tbh this book would've been MUCH stronger without Flora and Keith. The other mystery in this book would've been fine on its own. It was a hop, step, and a leap to connect it was Flora's backstory. There was too much citizens gone rogue/dumbass in this story; leave the detecting to the detectives. And I didn't even enjoy the unknown narrator's flashbacks. Too repetitive. It wasn't spooky at all.
Also as per usual I hated the male love interest. He's supposed to be a computer engineer or some shit yet the only impressive tech stuff he did was read facts from Wikipedia and use Google Earth. I nearly lost it when he was using Google Earth to do "recon" on a suspect's property and Flora thought he was as skilled as the criminals behind the SolarWinds hack FFS.
SPOILERS SO SCROLL AGGRESSIVELY Apparently this is supposed to be a resolution to Flora's arc, but she was giving me nothing. Imagine you revisit the place where the most horrible experiences in your life began; I for one would be crying, throwing up, shaking. Flora on the other hand reacted like it was visiting the zoo for the 1000th time. A scene that could've held so much emotion was as powerful as a dandelion in a hurricane. And then you have Flora being intimate for the first time in seven years and she gets ON TOP????? NAH!!!! There's no way after all that sexual trauma you're just gonna jump back into the sack and cow boy ride em. I refuse to believe that.
Why was Walt needed? So Flora meets her kidnapper/rapist/all around abuser's father, who BTW KNEW she was being held in a coffin, and instead of strangling him with his bare hands, she says how about some chick fil a??? I mean WHAT?? I would be SICK knowing that this man had the power to call the authorities and save my life but Flora was like anywayzzzz Keith you tryna f*** or nah?? I call top!
Also don't get me started on DD adopting "Bonita." I mean... HOW??? You don't just bring home a kid like it's a dog from the Humane Society.
PROS AND CONS Pros: great bitch sesh with Karly and Sabrina
Cons: citizens gone rogue, slow af, no emotional impact, math did not math, etc....
Rating: really liked it
***NOW AVAILABLE***
This is only the second book that I have read in this series but it can definitely be read as a stand alone. I will tell you that this book scared the heck out of me! It didn’t help that I was reading it at night and way past my bedtime, bad idea, had trouble falling asleep!
At any rate the story is told from three different points of view. Flora Dane is a survivor, she was held captive (kidnapped, raped and terrorized) for over a year by Jacob Ness, until she herself was able to kill him. She has spent the last 7 years since then trying to help other victims and now is part of this task force which is sent to a small mountain town in the deep woods of Georgia. Skeletal remains have been found and it is possible that these may be linked to Jacob Ness, the man who had held Flora captive.
The other members of the team include detective D.D. Warren and FBI Agent Kimberley Quincey. We are told the story from these three POV’s and Italicized paragraphs in the voice of an unknown person. There are many others who will become a part of the investigative team including Keith, a computer analyst who adds his talents at decoding what will become a tangled web of evil.
This Georgia town’s inhabitants are all potentially involved in what has been going on, particularly the mayor and his wife who own the updated and beautiful Victorian B & B at the town’s center. They basically “run” the town and many of the townspeople are fearful of saying anything against them.
It isn’t long before more skeletons are found and more forensic teams are called in. All the while the on scene teams split into two teams, one to interrogate inhabitants of the town and the others to use an ATV to canvas the area where the skeletal remains have been found.
This isn’t a slow burn of a mystery, it becomes a thriller quite quickly and the tension just keeps on building. It is very difficult with a thriller so multi-layered to say much more without giving away any part of the plot. It would be best to just start reading and let the story drawn you in, and it will I promise you.
There are, of course, some believability issues with how many people can be evil in one small town, but that is the nature of the genre and I was willing to just go along for the ride. I really enjoyed the strong female characters in this novel, all of whom have had their own personal struggles.
I highly recommend this book to readers of the D.D.Warren series but anyone can pick up this novel and read it on it’s own merit.
I received an ARC of this novel through NetGalley. This book is set to publish on January 28, 2020.
Rating: really liked it
I'm really glad to have discovered this series, even though I jumped in and started from book number eleven. 'When you see me' can be read and enjoyed as a standalone, as there is enough background and characterization to help the reader navigate the world created by this talented author.
We get a glimpse of DD Warren's family life, as she is about to go on a special trip to Georgia where she will join a special FBI task force unit led by SSA Kimberly Quincy that is trying to follow the digital traces of Jacob Ness, an evil serial kidnapper and killer. Flora Dane who knows Jacob Ness' mentality better than anybody else is asked to provide her expertise. She is still suffering from PTSD and has dedicated her life to hunting predators like Ness and saving innocent victims from having her own horrifying experience with an evil criminal. When remains of Lilah Abenito, reported missing by her parents years ago, are found near a montain trail, the task force needs to check out carefully the little town of Niche to see if any more bodies of Ness's victims can be found nearby.
Being new to the series, I was surprised how detailed and well-researched the descriptions of forensic procedures were. The story is told from multiple points of view which gives it emotional depth and helps the author create dramatic tension. From the very beginning when we see a harrowing crime through the eyes of an unnamed girl, we know the story is going to deal with dark and uncomfortable topics.
A gripping story with fascinating characters, When you see me kept on the edge of my seat until the very end. Recommended for all lovers of mysteries and thrillers who appreciate strong female leads.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Dutton for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
Rating: really liked it
Hot Diggity dang!!! Lisa Gardner brings back three of my favorite characters, serial killer survivor turned vigilante Flora Dane, Sergeant Detective D.D. Warren and FBI Agent Kimberly Quincy here in When You See Me. This team go together like tea and biscuits with Flora being the strong bag of leaves here as she faces her worse fears and traumatic past with kidnapper Jacob Ness. The dynamics between these strong characters are fresh, humorous and exciting. Computer analyst and true crime enthusiast Keith is by Flora's side and I loved the warm relationship growing between the two.
The story is intriguing, a bit different with some great twists and turns but it's all about the characters and connections for me here. D.D. warmly takes a character under her wing and I hope to see more of the character in the future.
I read this in our Traveling Sister reading group and one sister read this one as a stand-alone and thought it worked however if you are new to these characters I suggest starting with Find Her where we first meet Flora Dane.
I received a copy from the publisher on NetGalley
Rating: really liked it
All I can say is READ THIS!! don't worry about your next read make it THIS One
Flora Dane has survived a serial killer Jacob Ness & yeast later teams up with Kimberly Quincy & DD Warren in this un put downable thriller that will keep you reading late into the night.
Now Flora Dane is a tough outspoken gritty character that i loved her back story is interesting & still holds horrible recollections of her 472 days kidnapped by Hess still haunting her are the scars that she cannot leave behind her, bodies being found in the Appalachian mountains a burial ground for Jacob Ness, i wont go into a full review as i don't want to spoil this for readers who haven't read her amazing series of DD Warren Profiler series & now Flora Dane Lisa is my favourite author of this genre.
This was a dark compelling read with wonderfully written characters i loved every cotton picking minute yes characters were flawed & unlikable but it made the prose go smoothly i wanted to read more of Flora Dane looking forward to her next instalment.
Rating: really liked it
4.5 heart-pounding stars
Another stellar installment in the D.D. Warren/Flora Dane series. Flora is my favorite! This one is scary but so well done. I have not read all of the D.D. Warren books, but I’ve read all of them that include Flora. It’s nice to have books where women are the strong lead characters and don’t have men swooping in to save the day!
This one also has Kimberly Quincy who is with the FBI. The three women are part of a task force put together after a grisly discovery is made. The women dig deeper into the situation and there is definitely tension building in this one! The town has a deeply sinister aura and I wasn’t sure who to trust.
As often is the case with Flora, there is a connection to her kidnapper Jacob Ness and he is as creepy as ever in this one. We learn Jacob’s back story in the dark depths of Georgia. Flora has to wrestle with her past with Jacob in order to hopefully put it behind her. There’s definitely investigation work in this book, but for me the characters are the most important element.
Book #8 “Find Her” is the first Flora book – my advice is start there. I hope that Lisa Gardner keeps Flora in this series!
Thank you to Lisa Gardner, Dutton, and Edelweiss for an early copy of this one to read and review. This one is out next month, 1/28/2020.
Rating: really liked it
When I pick up a new book by Lisa Gardner I expect to be treated to something good and so far she has never let me down. When You See Me turned out to be outstanding.
After ten books the characters are like old friends. Detective D.D.Warren , FBI Special Agent Kimberley Quincey and Flora Dane team up to investigate recently discovered bones belonging to a victim of Jacob Ness, Flora’s own past nemesis. A search turns up more and more skeletons plus a whole lot of unanswered questions and the small Georgia town they are staying in starts to turn very spooky.
After so many books it is a real pleasure to see D.D. and Quincey both settled in their private lives and in top form at work. Flora too is changing and there is even some romance in the air. This book is just a great read, well-paced, scary in parts with lots of action and a very satisfactory ending. I hope the author keeps them coming.
Rating: really liked it
This is the eleventh book in the Detective DD Warren series. I have been hooked since book one!!
Flora Dane was kidnapped and kept captive by Jacob Ness for 472 days, she is a survivor.
When a mass grave is discovered in Georgia, FBI Special Agent Kimberley Quincy partners up with DD Warren, as they suspect the bodies may be early victims of Jacob Ness. Flora the only survivor goes with the team alongside Keith a Computer Analyst who is close to Flora.
When more bodies are uncovered it becomes apparent that they may be more than one perpetrator at work. This thriller kept me engrossed, no one can be trusted and there are secrets galore.
Loved the ending and looking forward to seeing what happens to Flora and Bonita.
Be warned this is a highly addictive series. I highly recommend this author!!
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
Rating: really liked it
D.D. Warren, Kimberly Quincy, and Flora Dane make quite the trio. But I can’t exclude Keith Edgar, so the four make quite the team!
“Bonita” is a girl, age 5 when she shares her memories, but a teenager in the present day. She’s the heart and soul of this book. She has experienced trauma after trauma and yet she survives. Like Flora.
And Flora! Even knowing her history, she has always been hard to warm up to, but by God, she’s fantastic in this book! She’s starting to thrive!
If you’re a fan of the D.D. Warren series, you will love this installment. As always, for the uninitiated, I recommend starting with the first book. Get to know D.D. and eventually Flora. Every book has been an exciting read.
