A gripping psychological thriller with a shocking twist

After ending a series I was looking for a new book and came across Girl last seen, after reading the reviews I decided to give it a try and I'm glad I did. GLS is nothing like anything I've read lately I'd recommend to anyone.
*spoilers/triggers*
Laine AKA Ella Santos was a unfortunate soul whose life was turned upside down when she was a child. Kidnapped tortured abused but she lived. Thirteen years after her abduction another girl disappears and that girl ends up being her daughter, the child she gave up for adoption, the child that was conceived during her time in captivity. Laine is torn with how she feels she pretends that she doesn't care about poor Olivia but deep down her resolve is pushing her forward into the abyss to save her daughter from her fate. As Laine makes strides she begins to find herself and will not stop till she knows the truth not just Olivia's but her own. I had sneaking suspicion throughout the book of who done it but the book is so well written that anyone could have been the perp there was never a real front runner. Def keeps you on the edge of your seat. I look forward to more work by Nina Laurin.

I just didn't like any of the characters. These were all sort of "dysfunctional, under-belly" type people. And that can be very endearing and expansive, but not this time. I thought the main character would be redeemed a bit more,

Where do I start with this book? I really wanted to like it. The premise was wonderful, but this book fell way off. At most it was ok. That was all it was. *SPOILERS* The characters were not fleshed out at all. We get a general description of our main character. She has curly hair and brown skin....is she African American, Spanish....I have no idea. My guess is the former but who knows. She's kidnapped as a young girl and abused. She ends up giving birth to his child who is then adopted. That little girl is later kidnapped also by the same man or so were led to believe.

There were many, many times while reading this book that I wanted stop reading it. It was contradicting as in this instance: she gets a new name in the hospital because she's too traumatized to tell them what it is yet when she was discovered by the police they knew who she was right away. Yeah, that makes a lot sense. How did the note in her cigarette pack get there? Jacqueline put it there the book says but the pack of cigarettes Laine bought was in a store a long way from where Jacqueline was and they didn't see each other until after Laine discovered the note was there with her number on it. It just made no sense.

Moving on, our heroine is obnoxious, annoying and tragically clichéd. She's so damaged, a junkie, a whore etc. Her phone is always one bar away from dying. I seriously got tired of reading about her phone. I never grew to like her probably due to her lack of character building. I feel like the author watched a show about drug users and used every cliché she could.

I have no idea what to think about the relationship between her and Sean other than really wrong and unnecessary. Her mother's involvement in the last half of the book was unnecessary as well. What she did could have been revealed by the kidnapper. Speaking of him, how the hell did he get to adopt his own child that he conceived by force?? Too convenient.

My conclusion is that this book is just poorly written. It's the first book for this author and while I commend her for publishing a book I will not be reading anymore of her work.

I read this in only a couple sittings as it was intriguing and the writing was decent. Not a lot of dialogue, which can kill a good suspense story quickly. However, as a psychologist, I figured out the ending about a third of the way in. It took one sentence, which I won't spoil for anyone else, but I bet you can figure that out too.
Overall I would recommend as a short, gripping read.

I noticed this book at B&N and bought the Kindle version because it cost substantially less and was really an impulse read. I read the entire book in one day.
I can't say I loved it, mostly because the gritty world the main character lives in isn't one I can admire.
I can't remember the last time I read a novel, so I was just unprepared for that.
The heroine wasn't a "good" person with upstanding moral character; I found her persona and choices to be both disgusting and compelling at the same time. Whatever research the author did to portray this character must have been pretty accurate. She seems to have nailed what a broken person will look like. In terms of the plot, it was fairly interesting, if slow moving at times, and the end twist was mostly unpredictable.

The description for this book is chilling. This is a dark psychological thriller with plenty of suspense, and I believe this will be one of the most talked about books this year. Nina Laurin has an excellent writing style and descriptive imagery that grabs you from the prologue and never lets go. She taps into the main characters thoughts and shares them as an internal narration throughout the book. The character development is extensive and very well done. I believe this is Laurin's debut thriller, and I look forward to more reading more novels from her.

The first big plot twist that I didn't see coming comes about 10% into the book. Definitely an "oh boy" moment. As the book progresses, Lainey (Laine) gets pulled deep into the investigation of the current abduction. The detective on the current case was involved in Laine's abduction a decade before. She is naturally apprehensive about getting involved in the new case, and the detective also voices his concerns against it.

Laurin does an excellent job portraying Laine's internal struggles with her past, and her many coping mechanisms to deal with her past and the present situation. A series of plot twists ensue that will keep you guessing, because nothing is as it seems. Laine scrambles to keep up and desperately tries to stay in front of the dangers around every corner. She soon comes to the startling realization that she's all alone again, and her desperation and determination intensifies. Before long her past and present worlds collide and crash down around her, and she must scramble to figure out a way to resolve things before it's too late. The conclusion is shocking and explosive.

I hope this book will be adapted into a movie, but of course there is no way the movie could match the caliber of the novel. I would recommend this book to fans of suspense and psychological thrillers. I received this as a free ARC from Grand Central Publishing on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really tried to like this one. I am an avid reader and recently found a interest in the "Psychological Thriller" genre. But this particular story fell flat for me. Although, I was immediately sucked in I quickly discovered that the writing was a little immature. It was very cliche' and some-what predictable. The main character was a little annoying and I found it difficult to feel any real depth within the character development.

This book opens with the escape of Ella Santos from her captor, who’s held the 13 year old for three years. We next meet her a decade later, where she lives in anonymity under a pseudonym (Lainey) assigned to her many years earlier.

We soon learn Ella was the child of a fairly disinterested mother and it took a while for anyone to actually notice that she’d gone missing after her mother was imprisoned. It made it hard therefore, for investigators to understand when and where she was taken. And given her family background and how little the 13 year old could share on her release about her masked captor, investigators perhaps looked less fervently than they might have otherwise done.

It’s now ten years later and newly-missing Olivia is from a wealthy family and a world away from the child Ella was. There are similarities though (although for me drawing the link was a bit of a stretch other than the physical similarities between Olivia and Ella) so Lainey’s spidey senses are tingling.

There were a few surprises in this book – and they weren’t necessarily just the whodunnit kind. They actually helps link the two cases so it becomes obvious they’re somehow connected. We don’t learn a lot more about Lainey’s own kidnapping and time spent with her captor, but she finally confronts her past and it’s something she needs to do – not to mention heightening the intrigue for we readers.

I actually liked that Laurin wasn’t tempted to have Lainey turn her life around completely and the young woman is obviously still struggling with her history. She works two jobs to make ends meet but is dependent on an array of pharmaceuticals to get her through the day. Her addiction only increases as she deals with the anxiety of police scrutiny and media attention.

Similarly Olivia’s parents and detective Sean Ortiz are complex enough that we’re not sure we can completely trust them. It adds to the suspense, along with the unexpected revelations thrown in along the way.

Girl Last Seen is this author's debut novel and for her first book it was pretty darn good. I can't wait to watch her grow because this book hit a lot of fears. Because of some of the subject matter it may be hard for people who are sensitive to such things to read. It didn't go into detail which I was very thankful for but it was made very clear what had happened. Knowing what had happened without many of the details didn't lessen the horror but it did help keep the visuals out of my head.

Once I started reading the book I didn't want to put it down. I needed to find out what and the who. The heroine wasn't the hero they wanted but she was the one they needed and the one she herself needed. It was a suspense for sure. The thriller part was that it played on my own personal fears and they are legion when it comes to my children. But it also is full of hope and a fight of a different kind. I just really liked this book. I can't wait to see what this author has in store for us next. Her first book was a hit with me and I would recommend it to any who like suspenseful thrillers.
**I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in hopes of my honest and fair review. I was never obligated to ever write this review.

Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings

Laine is working two jobs and trying to support herself and it is revealed early on that she had a hard childhood with a major experience that forever changed who she was. While working one of her jobs, she sees a missing report, but this one seems different from the rest and pulls her in to figure out what happened to this girl.

I loved the premise of this story and the first half worked so well for me, but somewhere half way thru I got lost and couldn't really get back into it. There was a big thing about her past and what happened to her and how it happened that I just didn't get nor enjoy. I actually rolled my eyes and got frustrated with the book because I just didn't think it worked with the rest of the story.

Girl Last Seen is a great thriller and filled with twists and turns that I never saw coming! I thought I knew who to suspect, but Girl Last Seen had me guessing until the very end.

Ella, now Lainey - or Laine, as she prefers, was kidnapped thirteen years ago. She has suffered physically, mentally, and emotionally. As a young adult, she has panic attacks, finds it hard to keep a job, and is addicted to drugs to help her keep the demons at bay.

However, one day when she arrives at work at her day job, she finds out a young girl has been kidnapped. It turns out Laine and this new girl, Olivia, have a special connection. Olivia is the daughter Laine was pregnant with when she escaped her kidnapper 13 years ago.

Suddenly, Laine is unwillingly drawn back into the spotlight with the same detective who found her 13 years ago and Olivia's adoptive parents. Due to her current lifestyle, she may also be a suspect in Olivia's disappearance.

It's awfully sad to read about the tremendous amount of self-loathing Laine feels for herself throughout the book. Obviously, I have no idea what she would be feeling, but it's heartbreaking to see how the system can fail a child so miserably. And she is incredibly self destructive for most of the book. You can see why the police see her as a suspect in her daughter's kidnapping.

I appreciated Olivia's adoptive mother's affection for Laine. Jacqueline Shaw seems to see beyond Laine's gruff exterior and tries to see the hurt teenage girl she was underneath. Laine doesn't do well with Jacqueline's efforts, but she does seem to grown to understand her somewhat.

The ending was a huge surprise for me and I'll admit - I stayed up late to finish the book because I had to see how it ended! It was certainly a shock for me. In the end, I was satisfied to see how everything was resolved. I can't always say that for a thriller!

Content: Language

Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Girl Last Seen. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

When Olivia Shaw goes missing from her elementary school, the case has similarities to the disappearance of Ella Santos thirteen years before. The missing girl bears a striking resemblance to Ella, who now goes by the name of Laine Moreno. When the police reveal the girl's true identity to Laine, will she work with the detective in charge to save her?

The beginning of Girl Last Seen was quite good, with the suspense building over both Olivia's disappearance and Ella's unexpected release by her captor. The book quickly goes off the rails, however, with regards to the plot. Certain twists are put into the plot with no anchor to any backstory. The reader is left to flounder with the new information until such time that the author gets around to explaining it. Some of the aspects of the plot just did not seem realistic, especially the police response to both Laine's story and her investigation. For these reasons, I would be hesitant to recommend Girl Last Seen to other readers.

This was a good page-turner, nothing too heady or complicated. I like books like this when I want to relax and don't want to take on any heavy topics. It's different than the cookie-cutter mystery books I've read - I enjoyed the plot line. Something really bothered me about this book though - it's so lazy in the details. I know this is nit-picky, but I'm from Seattle, so the glaring inaccuracies in the book were a huge distraction for me. I'm wondering if the author has ever even been to Seattle. For starters, the crime takes place in Hunts Point, which is described as an upscale Seattle neighborhood. It's not. Hunts Point is an entirely different city. You need to cross a body of water to get there. So, it makes zero sense that the SPD would be involved in the case. There are little things too. For example, there is no such thing as a strip club with alcohol being served in Washington state. You can't smoke inside. The author makes cartoonish assumptions about the weather. Lots of little things like that. I realize that this won't distract a majority of readers, but I just think that if you don't want to research the location of the book, just don't go into detail describing things that aren't true. It's not necessary to make the location a focus, so don't.

Lainey was ten when she was taken. She spent three horrible years in her kidnapper's basement, enduring horrible things. Lainey is supposed to be "lucky," since she escaped, but it's hard for her to see it that way sometimes. Her entire life has been formed by that awful period in her life. And now, another girl has gone missing. Olivia Shaw, who looks exactly like Lainey did thirteen years ago. Lainey's kidnapper was never found: the police say because she could never give strong enough evidence to identify him. So Lainey has spent these years afraid, living in a haze of pills and booze, and waiting for something bad to happen. Well, something bad has happened. How exactly is Lainey involved, and is she ever going to be safe again?

I definitely have some mixed feelings about this one. It certainly grabs you from the beginning and has some moments that make you go "what?!" Parts of the story are very unique--I enjoyed the plot of two young women/girls aligned by a potential kidnapper--but the story was marred somewhat by the focus on Lainey's drinking and drugs. She's presented as an unreliable narrator, which I understand, and as a flawed heroine. Some of the scenes with her nearly make you cringe: you feel a mix of such sympathy and frustration, because she's such a stressful protagonist. The trend toward these frustrating, unreliable narrators lately has grown a bit old for me.

My other issue was Lainey's strange dynamic with the detective investigating Olivia's disappearance, Sean: the same detective, coincidentally, who found Lainey thirteen years ago as she stumbled helplessly along the road after escaping her horrible fate in the basement. Their dynamic, frankly, is just odd, and I found it almost distracting from the main story. Romance? Just a side story? Is he involved? It was less a bit of intrigue though and, as I mentioned, a distraction. And honestly, a little confusing. After a while, I started to get a little bored with Lainey's helplessness, her interactions with Sean, and the overall lack of things moving forward.

That changed about 3/4 in, when things picked up and became interesting again. There are definitely some fascinating moments in the book, and I did find it engaging overall, despite some stumbles along the way. This is a first novel and I see room from improvement, for sure. I'm going for a 3-star rating -- this is based on a combination of 2.5 stars for some stilted/cheesy writing combined with 3.5 stars for some exciting plot twists, including one near the end that pretty much made it all worth it. I would certainly be intrigued to read Laurin's next book. Don't let my review scare you from this one: I read a lot of thrillers, so I get bit jaded reading some similar plot devices. There's still plenty of pieces to like here.

I was actually pleasantly surprised at how much I ended up liking Girl Last Seen. The story involves Laine who was kidnapped and escaped 13 years before. Now, another little girl has gone missing and she bears a resemblance to Laine as a child. Laine's life is not great, having never really been able to move past all that happened to her. She ends up getting involved in the hunt for the missing child.

I will admit that I almost DNF'd the book because the main character was extremely unlikable as well as unreliable in the beginning. Sometimes it's hard to connect with a character like Laine. However, as I got to know Laine, I found myself rooting for her. Because, really, she never had a chance at a great life. I didn't always agree with her decisions, but I could understand her motivation behind them.

I am glad that I stuck with it. The book is definitely dark and not a "cozy" mystery. There were a few scenes that made me uncomfortable, so readers should know that going into the book. There were a few twists that surprised me. One is right toward the beginning. It was definitely that twist that made me want to keep reading the book. I highly recommend this debut novel. I look forward to more from this author in the future.

*I received a copy of this book from the Publsiher

Not only did this book start out unbelievable (not to mention her relationship with Sean, the detective) but I couldn't even get half way through. No character development other than booze, cigarettes, bars, and sex with whoever; and I can't stand a booked filled with the f-word! If you can't write without using it then you shouldn't try to be a writer.

This book actually made me sweat. Like, full on, I’m so scared right now, you’re messing with my head, type of sweat. And I loved it. I was recommending this all over social media and was so highly invested I didn’t want to go to my weekly volleyball game when things started getting realllll twisty towards the end. If you can handle a disturbing thriller, get this one, because it will stick with you. I will say if you can’t handle disturbing situations such as child sexual abuse, you need to avoid this one, because the ending gets extremely dark. Absolutely chilling, a book that will keep you up at night, and one I highly recommend if this is your genre.
I received a review copy

The cover leads you to believe you’re diving into a twisted who-dun-it, full of shocking turns. But this “suspenseful page turner” only had me going because i was eager to get to a page that had something happening other than her popping pills and playing out her “who cares about me, i died 13 years ago” whoa is me attitude. What could have been better as a 42 minute law & order SVU episode, was dragged over 340 pages of unnecessary information finally ending with a “scooby doo” style unveiling of the bad guy and a few pages that tie up this disaster into weak little happy ending, sort of? Idk

Girl Last Seen is the debut book by Nina Laurin and it's an exciting thriller that engrossed me from the moment I started to read the book. One of the reasons for the book to be so darn good is that Laine, the first girl that was taken was so well written that one could really feel her torment through the pages. She may have escaped her tormentor, but she is still not free. And, now another girl, Olivia has gone missing and the girl looks just like her. Is it a coincidence or has the man that took taken Olivia as well?

Now, there were things I saw coming that didn't surprise me, as things happen that made me perceive how it probably would go. Not that the book was without surprises. The last part of the book was definitely not lacking surprises. It's a book that pulls you in as you follow Laine being pulled into the investigation and even being suspected of being involved in Olivia's disappearance.

There was just one thing that bothered me in the book, but it's a spoiler thing so I can't really discuss it so much, but it's something that happens when the police officer in charge is at Olivia's school with Laine. They learn something there about Olivia that the school shouldn't know as far as I know when it comes to the law and I found that really puzzling. And, that's all I'm going to say about that! Other than that was the book really good!

Hmmm...I think I liked it. The fact that two similar girls were taken ten years apart was fascinating. When you find out why the second girl was taken and then by whom, I think you'll be surprised! There were a lot of twists and turns throughout the story that kept me guessing. What I didn't like was it was almost hard to like the heroine of the story because of her constant self sabotage, drug use, selflessness, and so forth. I wanted to throw a bucket of cold water on her and tell her to get it together! There were some unbelievable situations within the story, and some story lines that needed further description, but overall I'm not disappointed that I read the book!

A fresh and unabashed voice, Laurin's protagonist is brave enough to deal honestly, eyes wide open, with the dark - even as she reaches for the light. The light she pursues by faith, as it's been alienated from her for some time. It's engaging to watch Ella navigate through the disordered personalities around her, allowing herself to trust, On tenterhooks, those who offer support and growth. Ella leads that solitary life that many of us daydream about from time to time. It's nice to see this solitude morph into the very beginning of connections and shared experiences among beautiful, flawed people.

4.5 stars. I picked this up on a whim at B&N and started reading it at red lights. By the time I got home, I was hooked. For a debut novel, it's fantastic. It's gritty and creepy with intense characters. I felt like I really started to understand Laine and her demons, and I appreciate that the author didn't glamorize Laine's situation. I read this in bits over the span of a day and a half and was hooked until the end. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

This is one of those books that you think about well after you are done reading it. A truly haunting tale with a flawed but so rootable protagonist and some memorable supporting characters and villains. Also this is an author who knows how to end a book, which is always a plus. I doubt it will happen but I would really like to see the author write a series with Ella as the protagonist as she was probably one of my top ten favorite fictional characters from all the many mysteries and thrillers I have read.

Girl Last Seen is the debut book by Nina Laurin and it's an exciting thriller that engrossed me from the moment I started to read the book. One of the reasons for the book to be so darn good is that Laine, the first girl that was taken was so well written that one could really feel her torment through the pages. She may have escaped her tormentor, but she is still not free. And, now another girl, Olivia has gone missing and the girl looks just like her. Is it a coincidence or has the man that took taken Olivia as well?

Now, there were things I saw coming that didn't surprise me, as things happen that made me perceive how it probably would go. Not that the book was without surprises. The last part of the book was definitely not lacking surprises. It's a book that pulls you in as you follow Laine being pulled into the investigation and even being suspected of being involved in Olivia's disappearance.

There was just one thing that bothered me in the book, but it's a spoiler thing so I can't really discuss it so much, but it's something that happens when the police officer in charge is at Olivia's school with Laine. They learn something there about Olivia that the school shouldn't know as far as I know when it comes to the law and I found that really puzzling. And, that's all I'm going to say about that! Other than that was the book really good!

Hmmm...I think I liked it. The fact that two similar girls were taken ten years apart was fascinating. When you find out why the second girl was taken and then by whom, I think you'll be surprised! There were a lot of twists and turns throughout the story that kept me guessing. What I didn't like was it was almost hard to like the heroine of the story because of her constant self sabotage, drug use, selflessness, and so forth. I wanted to throw a bucket of cold water on her and tell her to get it together! There were some unbelievable situations within the story, and some story lines that needed further description, but overall I'm not disappointed that I read the book!

A fresh and unabashed voice, Laurin's protagonist is brave enough to deal honestly, eyes wide open, with the dark - even as she reaches for the light. The light she pursues by faith, as it's been alienated from her for some time. It's engaging to watch Ella navigate through the disordered personalities around her, allowing herself to trust, On tenterhooks, those who offer support and growth. Ella leads that solitary life that many of us daydream about from time to time. It's nice to see this solitude morph into the very beginning of connections and shared experiences among beautiful, flawed people.

4.5 stars. I picked this up on a whim at B&N and started reading it at red lights. By the time I got home, I was hooked. For a debut novel, it's fantastic. It's gritty and creepy with intense characters. I felt like I really started to understand Laine and her demons, and I appreciate that the author didn't glamorize Laine's situation. I read this in bits over the span of a day and a half and was hooked until the end. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

This is one of those books that you think about well after you are done reading it. A truly haunting tale with a flawed but so rootable protagonist and some memorable supporting characters and villains. Also this is an author who knows how to end a book, which is always a plus. I doubt it will happen but I would really like to see the author write a series with Ella as the protagonist as she was probably one of my top ten favorite fictional characters from all the many mysteries and thrillers I have read.

Debut author Nina Laurin has created a stunning dark and gritty thriller. Just when you think you know what's going to happen next, Laurin veers hard left and takes you down an unexpected and intriguing path. The plot is full of twists and sure to keep you turning pages late into the night.

Main character Lainey is, first and foremost, a survivor. But the three years she spent suffering under the hands of a sadistic kidnapper left their mark on her, both physically and mentally. Now a young adult, she is appalled to learn that another young girl has gone missing...and that this girl's case bears some remarkable similarities to hers. She's enlisted to help in the hunt for the missing girl and must face hard truths about her own past that threaten to consume her.

The effects of Lainey's abuse and resulting PTSD filter into every aspect of her life. She self-medicates her intense anxiety with drugs (prescription and otherwise) and keeps her distance emotionally from those around her. The author handles Lainey's mental state with deft compassion and truth. At no point do you pity Lainey, but you always empathize with her. Lainey is raw and real, and you flinch every time she makes a bad mistake while understanding exactly why she's doing it.

GIRL LAST SEEN is character-driven suspense at its finest. You suspect everybody and trust nobody. Exactly what I want in a psychological thriller. Highly recommend.

*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Wow, just wow. I was captivated by the premise of this book, and Nina Laurin lived up to the promise of the premise!
I so appreciate an author that can keep rolling out the twists and turns, make them believable within the context of the story, and not telegraph. The pacing of Girl Last Seen is even though fast - the fun of a rollercoaster for sure. Character profiles are rich and layered, and the story is woven tightly and well. I would love to read more from Nina Laurin based on the skill displayed in Girl Last Seen.

The writing was okay but a little forced and cliche at times, especially the last chapter which is basically a bunch of trite, overused sayings strung together. I hate when they headline a book as having a "shocking plot twist" because that makes the twist obvious, as it did in this book. Nothing too far off from what I hypothesized a few chapters in. And there were some mysterious things brought up that were never really explored, which made the story fall flat. I finished it because I was listening on Audible and it was good driving background noise, but I won't be seeking out the author's other work.

I think this is a very thrilling book to read and an excellent whodunit but I did struggle with the protagonist. I swung back and forth from understanding to frustration that she wouldn't get herself together enough to handle things. She continuously creates her own problems by not reporting things, going places she shouldn't, and of course her drug use. All that being said, this is still a very interesting read, I just don't side with the main character like I typically would. I frequently struggle with books where your main character is not likeable or relatable

Girl Last Seen by Nina Laurin is a gritty, suspense-laden mystery.

In the ten years since her pedophile kidnapper inexplicably freed her, Laine Moreno has never fully recovered from her three year ordeal. Now twenty-three, she holds down two jobs to support herself and she relies on alcohol and drugs to keep her dark memories at bay. Laine comes face to face with her past when ten year old Olivia Shaw goes missing and Detective Sean Ortiz suspects there is a connection between Laine’s still unsolved case and Olivia’s kidnapping. Laine wants nothing more than to help find the young girl, but will she help or hinder the investigation?

Laine’s ordeal at the hands of abductor was horrendous but little was done to find her captor after her release. The daughter of a junkie, Laine was quickly forgotten as she became a ward of the state and soon turned to unhealthy methods of coping with what happened to her. Now on probation and still undergoing counseling, Laine is her own worst enemy as she numbs her pain with a plethora of prescription drug addictions and alcohol. She wants to help rescue Olivia, but Laine is impulsive and unable to cope with the traumatic memories from her time in captivity.

Since Olivia is from a wealthy family, her disappearance is a high profile case with intense media scrutiny. There is also a great deal of pressure on the police to locate the missing girl and Sean’s reason for reaching out to Laine is two-fold: rule her out as a suspect and check to see if she has recalled any new details about her own case. Laine implicitly trusts Sean due to their history but is her faith in him misplaced? Laine soon discovers she can rely on no one but herself as she continues trying to find Olivia on her own while she becomes progressively more paranoid as her downward spiral continues.

With plenty of unexpected twists and turns and an increasingly unreliable narrator, Girl Last Seen is a somewhat dark mystery that delves into some difficult subject matter. Although Laine is initially a sympathetic protagonist, it is easy to become frustrated with her erratic behavior and poor choices. Sean is not exactly impartial when it comes to Laine and he, too, makes some very ill-advised decisions. Nina Laurin brings the investigation to an adrenaline-fueled (but slightly improbably) conclusion and the novel ends on a surprisingly upbeat note.

Girl Last Seen is such a unique thriller. The story opens up with Laine Moreno (born Ella Santos but having changed her name after the horrible experiences she had under that name) sort of floating through life, trying not to make connections or long-term commitments but being satisfied with menial work that requires very little from her. She's been covering up her obvious PTSD with drugs and alcohol, always keeping one eye on the door and the other on the missing children's posters, waiting for her abductor - who was never caught - to strike again. Then he does and Laine's life is irrevocably changed forever. While most of this is highlighted in the synopsis above what isn't made clear is just how twisty and tormented Laine's story is and just how painful a journey it will be before the reader turns that last page.

Laine is such a wonderfully complicated character and unlike any other narrator I've come across before. So often with these sorts of thrillers it seems the victim/main character is a middle-class (or higher) white woman who has an adequate amount of resources and support as she navigates whatever dangers her story presents. Not Laine. She's a young Hispanic woman who grew up poor and unloved by her mother, who's disappearance when she was kidnapped as a ten-year-old went unknown for some time because her mother had been arrested and no one was looking after her. Years later, when we meet Laine on the day she discovers Olivia Shaw has been kidnapped, she's living in a squalid apartment and making herself numb to all the buried hurt and horror she has inside with drugs, working two jobs just to pay for this sad little life. She's treated like dirt and, even worse, like some sort of criminal when the police come looking for her help in trying to find Olivia. Given the life she's had it's not surprising that Laine has issues with authority and lashes out at others, more often than not hurting herself in the process. She's a fighter and a survivor but also a very vulnerable person who needs understand and care as much as anything else. I absolutely loved her even when I sometimes wished I could shake her into not doing something stupid.

I also loved how twisty the plot was and how so many of these twists her sort of casually dropped within normal narration or dialogue to be picked up by the reader. I can't really go into any of the twists as it would ruin so much enjoyment, but I will say that, while I had an inkling for some of what was eventually revealed, the ending had me completely stumped. I absolutely love when that happens!

I should warn those thinking about reading Girl Last Seen that it can get quite gritty and dark. There are a lot of horrible things happening to some of these characters, some of which involves children, and there is heavy profanity throughout as well. This in no way bothered me during reading - to be honest I think it brought the story home and made it feel quite realistic given the story I was reading - but I do like to warn others as I know this bothers some reader a lot.

Girl Last Seen is a quick-paced psychological suspense/thriller with plenty of turns to keep even the most discerning fan of the genre entertained and guessing. It's not an easy story to envelop yourself in by any means, but it's a poignant one and one I think needs to be told. There are more women than I would care to venture a guess at who have experienced the kinds of horrors than Laine has but, given their poverty and background, haven't gotten the help or even understanding they deserved. I'm very interested to see what Nina Laurin writes next.

It was interesting, I'll give it that much. I liked how complicated it showed her life being, since these stories usually end with people being rescued. I did not like the massive plot holes and the way a cop took sexual advantage of a victim developing feelings for him because he was the one who rescued her when she was barely a teenager. Feckin yikes. That whole relationship made me uncomfortable. And just...the whole case going on with the missing girl, so much of it felt contrived. But I'm still three starring it because it was interesting. So there's that.

I liked this book a lot. It is a page turner and an easy read. It is gritty and may not be for everyone, but reminds me of Gillian Flynn's style, if that helps.
I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 for a couple of reasons. While the plot twists were entertaining, IMO, there were a few holes left that were not quite filled in. And there is one instance were the main character drives to a location, gets a ride away with someone else, then has her car back. Did I miss how that happened?
Also, because I am very picky - it's not realistic to write characters in present day smoking inside a diner in Seattle.

This book falls short for a "gripping psychological thriller" and basically reads like a bad Lifetime Movie. Last Girl Seen was chosen as our monthly book club read. All of us agreed the book was terrible, some did not even finish it due to the poor--not well researched and holey--plot, lack of character depth, and believability.

1. The book is set in Seattle. How is there one detective tied to the case? Where is the constant media coverage? Search parties? Hello!!! It's not small town, middle America.
2. The main character does not help in moving the story along. She's just not likeable or even believable. The other characters are not well-developed either.
3. The ending. Oh, the ending! Not spoiling it, but I actually rolled my eyes and skipped through it because it was so rushed and far-fetched, even by psychological fiction standards.

I understand this is the author's debut. She does have the potential, but this story didn't do it for me or my book club.

This book was very scary! I brought it along on a trip where I was often on a plane or train or bus, and it helped the hours fly by. It's a suspenseful story where I remained suspicious of everyone's motives until the end. But Laine is a main character I always trusted, even when she seemed to be unraveling. She has demons to fight, and must slay them just to get through each day. I wanted justice for her, and was satisfied at the ending, although she has a long road ahead of her.

Great read... It'll garner some deserved chatter and accolades... You're hooked from the very first page, and proceed to be reeled in;). The narrative perspective really makes this novel... Through Lane/Ella's eyes and voice you experience a tangled and turbulent life exacerbated by her nightmares coming back to roost... Fantastic pace w/ some deft and unexpected turnabouts... The underlying mystery/mysteries are plotted well, and you'll be given all the clues... Up to you to figure it out, and even if figured out earlier you'll still feel the tension and suspense as the climax comes... Some very uncomfortable subject matter that's delivered w/ realism, sensitivity, and understanding... In the end it's a bit of a story of survival in all its various connotations... Gut punches abound... Narrator fits the voice of the story perfectly imo... Only caviats are that the procedural aspects are a little thin, and a plot point or two took an effort to swallow... Still a great read, finished it in a day w/ room to spare, couldn't put it down... Worth the listen, price/credit, and a bit of thought afterward...

Are we doomed to repeat the mistakes of our past? This book leaves the reader questioning how far a family will go to hide their secrets and the damages they inflict on others along the way. Can you ever really trust anyone? Can you redeem yourself for mistakes you didn't know you were making? This book does deal with trigger issues: incest, addiction, rape, child pornography and suicide. Redemption? The author leaves it open ended.

This book was interesting and easy to read. Liked authors writing style. Only one thing kept the plot somewhat unrealistic. The attraction and relationship between the police detective and a messed up, drug addled girl was distracting to the story, because it was not plausible. Touching her and kissing her was ridiculous.

Like most other low star reviewers state, the book had such a good premise but was so poorly written. So many things didn’t make sense, the main character was annoying, the ending was ridiculous. I watch a ton of dateline style shows and I swear this writer took every twist, from every possible episode, and tried to force them into one book.
Put it this way, I was stuck on a 10 hour international flight and I ended up skimming the last 40 pages because I lost interest.... and I literally had nothing else to do. Don’t waste your time or your $15 bucks.

Had me from the start! Kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time! Read it in one sitting.

I usually avoid reading books that dwell on drug addiction, but tolerated it in this one. The main character frustrated me and broke my heart repeatedly.

I only have two complaints: we're told almost nothing that happened to the main character between ages 10-23 and we never learn the location of where she was held captive for 3 years.

Girl Last Seen is a hauntingly good tale that had me intrigued from the first page, it was suspenseful, dark, and packed with many twists and turns that left me more than a little shocked!

When Detective Sean Ortiz walks back into Lainey's life she instantly knows that it isn't for a pleasant visit, she can see it in his face, he's brought trouble with him, trouble that is certain to turn her carefully constructed life upside down. He needs her help finding a missing girl, and he has a hunch that the person who took her all those years ago, is involved. But she isn't so sure she is willing to travel down that road again, she has just now gotten to where she can breath a small sigh of relief, and look over her shoulder a little less. But then again the thought of another little girl suffering the same fate she found herself in all those years ago, makes her want to help... but at what cost?

This was my first read from this author and I have to say I am quite impresses with what I found, I was looking for a read that would keep me on the edge of my seat and this one did that for sure! The story line was well crafted, contained lots of emotion and suspense, and it had my thoughts swirling more than once. Highly recommend this one, it's a gripping read, that is sure to have you on the edge of your seat and holding your breath the whole way through!!

Girl last seen, by debut author Nina Laurin, is a deeply disturbing thriller that keeps you on edge as you become lost in a maze of twists, turns and a whole lot of emotion.

Laine is at the center of this thrilling book.  Kidnapped at age 10, she’s held captive by a depraved pedophile for 3 years.  10 years later she’s struggling through life trying to cope with the severe trauma she’s suffered; typically through the use of prescription drugs and alcohol. She's utterly destroyed.

"I've barely been able to leave a mark on my own life."

This girl gets no breaks!  Prior to her kidnapping she’s neglected by her junkie mother and after her captivity she’s thrown into an institution becoming a faceless ward of the state.  Being a poor girl with no support and no family to speak of the police didn’t make much effort to find her captor.  She simply isn’t seen as important enough to spend a lot of resources on.

She’s doing the best she can but her constant anxieties follow her around like a dark shadow she can’t quite shake without “help”.  Then one day Laine sees a photo of a missing 10 year old girl named Olivia Shaw who seems to bear some resemblance to her.  Her world is suddenly turned upside down as dread begins to seep into her mind.  Is her captor involved or is she just being paranoid?

Sean Ortiz, the cop assigned to Olivia’s case, was the one who found Laine 10 years prior.  There is an immense amount of pressure to find Olivia because unlike Laine’s case Olivia’s is high-profile.  He has a hunch that there’s a connection between Olivia’s abduction and Laine’s.  He has no choice but to track down and question Laine, but he’ll have to face some demons of his own when he sees her again.

Sean carries around guilt when it comes to Laine.  He’s fully aware that the effort the police put into Laine’s case was minimal and can’t help but feel he let her down.  Now he has to ask her for help to find Olivia and he knows he’s asking a lot.  When Laine sees Sean again she’s overwhelmed but despite her fears she agrees to help bringing her face to face with her past.

As the investigation continues Laine is progressively becoming more fragile.  She’s trying to cope with the added anxiety and is growing more paranoid by the day.  Coupled with drugs she’s heading towards a breakdown.  BUT is her paranoia warranted?

The author doesn’t hold anything back!  Through Laine’s troubled eyes I see what she sees, felt what she felt and it’s visceral!  The emotion is so honest and messed up.  I not only question the characters motives but Laine’s very account of what she’s experiencing and learning about the case.  Some very uncomfortable questions arise that keep her constantly on edge.  I fell into a downward spiral with her as she struggles with her memories, anxiety, new found obsession with Olivia’s case and cocktail of prescription drugs.  I was so eager to see what happened next!

The overall character development is very well done. Laine was endearing and willing to try her best to fight her own fears. Even at her most vulnerable there was a piece of her that just wouldn’t give up.  I could not, however, connect with Sean.  I couldn’t quite put my finger on what kind of person he was.

In terms of plot, there were minor moments when I felt that parts of the story were moving in an interesting direction and then left hanging without tying up loose ends.  It almost felt like the author wasn't a hundred percent sure which direction to go with the story. That's what kept me from giving full ratings. But it was minor so didn't detract too much from the story. Regardless, fabulous debut novel with a wonderfully satisfying ending that wasn't what I expected.

Raw, gritty and fast paced, Girl Last Seen is a highly enjoyable read that will keep the “who dunnit” lovers eagerly flipping those pages to see what happens next. Nina Laurin is definitely an author to watch out for and I look forward to future books!

I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

Yowza! I started reading this at around 8 p.m. last night and COULD NOT put it down until I finished it at midnight. The characters were well-rounded, imperfect and full of fallibility. I did not see the twist coming until nearly the end and it was a book I simply had to finish, sleep be damned.

Good job. I look forward to reading more from this author!

I picked up this book because of the synopsis on the back. I started reading and I was gripped. Unfortunately, that only lasted for the first half of the book. It went downhill from there. I thought at first this was going to be a five-star read for sure. When I reached one-third to one-half of the story or thereabouts, I knew everything I needed to know about the who-done-it part. Then it got progressively worse. There are too many inconsistencies. For a book that went through a mainstream publisher which means she actually got a literary agent, I was surprised by all the plot holes that weren't addressed. I'll mention a couple but they're spoilers so if you want to read it stop here.

There's confusion with regards to the adoption of the baby (how this happened so easily especially without the mother's consent and how this particular family got the baby--all too convenient), the age of the main character when she was kidnapped (seemed to change a couple of times), suddenly throwing in the mother of the protagonist at the end and the real reason she killed herself after all those years, how long the pedophile had been married and how the wife didn't know anything, and the list goes on.

Personally, I didn't like the ending at all. It wasn't satisfying to me. The writing felt child-like at times. Then, at the end, when I noticed the age of the author, I understood why. Though, since it was written in the first person form, I suppose that makes sense to a point. However, the girl never seemed to grow. I understand she went through a horrific, unspeakable tragedy, but she remained child-like through the entire story. After everything, you'd expect her to mature somewhat.

The detective was great, quite likable, in my opinion, but her behavior toward him was annoying. He was attempting to help her and she kept fighting him. For someone whom she was supposed to be in love with, she kept dismissing him. There was a whole plot line it seemed regarding the cell phone. There's another example of the age of the author. The phone is so important in the telling of the story, it got to the point where it became distracting especially when she kept calling Sean and hanging up without leaving messages.

This author could probably be good one day when she gets some experience under her belt and a literary agent and publisher who doesn't ignore all the plot holes. I've read Indie books that were more polished. Just goes to show you, just because a book isn't published by a mainstream publisher, doesn't mean it's not as good, or even better than one that is self-published.

I like to listen to audiobooks while I game, which means I ended up reading Girl Last Seen by chance. It is the first book I’ve read by Nina Laurin and may very well be the last – harsh, I know. When I choose to read a thriller, suspense, or mystery book, I expect… well, the elements of those genres. Girl Last Seen was devoid of any excitement whatsoever and a bit too stereotypical for my taste.

Time and time again, I’ve made it clear that I hate slow plots. I want to feel urgency in a book, especially if it deals with a kidnapped child. In Girl Last Seen, the characters were underwhelming. It becomes obvious early on that things are going to go exactly the way the reader feels they are: girl disappears, guy everyone knows is at fault, oh dear god how can it possibly be. The main character is more unlikable than her own despicable mother, considering she’s drug addicted. There’s even a sex scene that’s a bit on the descriptive side thrown in for what feels like the hell of it. And that annoys me.

Fortunately, the narrator is an excellent choice and I would gladly listen to more books read by her.

This book started out great. I was feeling it for the first third of the way. Than, the story and my excitement weaned. Despite the twist early in the story, there really was not a lot of movement in the storyline with anymore big intense movements like the first one. In fact, I jumped ahead to get the story moving again. Which, at the point that the story did, I found myself more just going through the motions.

Lainey was fine but she was not strong enough to help hold the story; despite her being the one that got away. Sean on the other hand was good. He was the cop that found Lainey years ago. I liked his motivation and his tough but kind exterior. This book really had the makings for a great thriller but it missed a few ingredients.

Ten years ago, Ella now Laine was discovered along the roads by an officer. She was found raped and pregnant and with no memory of her time in captivity. She had no family to go back to either as they didn't want her. Now ten years later, Laine looks every day as a hobby and compulsion at the missing person posters, waiting for her killer to strike again. This time he has as a girl at ten years old has gone missing, and she bears a strong resemblance to Laine. Ten-year-old Olivia Shaw has disappeared, and it seems she has been abducted and her family wants her back. They will do anything to get her back even going as far as to contact her biological mother - Ella/ Laine. With the clock ticking, can Ella/Laine work with the detectives and the Shaw family to find Olivia? What will happen though when secrets and dark ones at that about the Shaw family start to trickle out and put both Ella and Olivia in more danger? I have to admit, this was a slow mystery, and I would have liked to have read a bit more about Ella's disappearance and time in captivity, but I did have to say the twist and identity of her captor surprised me as I didn't see that coming. If you are in the mood for a new author to read and love missing person stories, then check out Girl Last Seen by Nina Laurin today.

Excellent debut novel from a very promising author! I finally understand when people say "I couldn't put it down" as I literally read the whole thing in two sittings. If you like good psychological thrillers and mystery books, this one is a must for your summer reading list!
I'm looking forward to what Nina Laurin writes next.

Crazy, crazy ending. This one had me very confused at times, due to the main character, Ella/Lainey. She was a very strange bird, but I guess I would be also if I had been abducted and held captive for 13 years.

That being said, I enjoyed reading the book. And the ending blew me away. Definitely recommend!

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Really was not at all impressed with this thriller, and I went in with high hopes. I feel like it was poorly and sloppily written, to begin. Much of the narrative was rushed and hastily put together. It left out descriptive details that could have added to the story or brought things together better. I often found myself rereading paragraphs for clarity-author seemed to jump from thought to thought with no bridge. Character were all incredibly flat- no dimension.

I loved the plot and the story itself. I read the whole thing in a day. It had so much potential, but ultimately fell short.

I didn't want to say I don't like it but since 3 stars means 'just okay' then that works for me.

I didn't think it was very well written and it didn't keep my attention on each and every page so it reached a point that I just skipped forward and got enough of the 'what' and the 'who' (the why didn't matter), that was all I wanted to know.

I do get tired of it always being about drugs and whores, maybe Laurin needs to read a 'great' author and take some helpful tips from some of the more experienced writers.

If you like The Girl on the Train you're going to love this one!

I've read many novels about missing people, but never one from this perspective. An imperfect but sympathetic heroine. A suspenseful, unpredictable plot. I couldn't put it down!

I wanted to like the main character, but she's probably the most hated main character out of all the books I've read. I understand that it's supposed to be a story following the struggle of a victim, but she's wasted her life and has done nothing to improve her situation. She continues down the path of destruction and everything is pretty easy to predict.. I was expecting a lot more involvement with the girl that was missing, but it was mostly just following the hot mess that was the main character's life. Would not recommend..

I prefer to "read" books, however, I order them in audio format when I'm traveling and I typically love that option. The woman who reads this book in the audio version ruined the entire experience for me...FLAT OUT HORRIBLE. DO NOT ORDER THIS IN THE AUDIO FORMAT.

Something in the synopsis of Girl Last Seen hooked me right in. Maybe it's because "The Face on the Milk Carton" was one of my all-time favorite books as a young adult and this seemed a little reminiscent, with the main character seeing a familiar face on a missing poster, much like the Janie saw her's on a milk carton... but oh man. In this novel, Lane sees a face that looks like her own and is immediately pulled back into her past, and the hell she experienced at the hands of a kidnapper, the same kidnapper she suspects has taken Olivia Shaw.

Girl Last Seen can be intense, uncomfortable, and raw, as Lane recounts the physical, sexual, and emotional abuse she experienced and struggles to cope with its physical and emotional scars. Unlike some of the other reviewers, I thought Laurin's character development was phenomenal, particularly with Lane's character. I don't think she was stupid, but I do believe she makes some rash, reactionary decisions, something a traumatized young woman like her might also do if left with so little support.

I liked the pace of Girl Last Seen and found the plot line to be pretty interesting, holding my interest through a few twists and turns, but it didn't blow me out of the water. I also found the last hour or so of the book to be somewhat rushed, as if Laurin was trying to tie up all of the loose ends in a hurry. Overall, Girl Last Seen was a good read and I'd recommend it, with a trigger warning for those who find reading or listening to another's stories of abuse traumatic.

I adored the narrator's voice and am looking forward to listening to more of Vanessa Johansson's work. I would give her narration a five and the book an overall three.  Overall, a book that I didn't love or hate - it kind of felt like a "take it or leave it" story.

Debut author Nina Laurin has created a stunning dark and gritty thriller. Just when you think you know what's going to happen next, Laurin veers hard left and takes you down an unexpected and intriguing path. The plot is full of twists and sure to keep you turning pages late into the night.

Main character Lainey is, first and foremost, a survivor. But the three years she spent suffering under the hands of a sadistic kidnapper left their mark on her, both physically and mentally. Now a young adult, she is appalled to learn that another young girl has gone missing...and that this girl's case bears some remarkable similarities to hers. She's enlisted to help in the hunt for the missing girl and must face hard truths about her own past that threaten to consume her.

The effects of Lainey's abuse and resulting PTSD filter into every aspect of her life. She self-medicates her intense anxiety with drugs (prescription and otherwise) and keeps her distance emotionally from those around her. The author handles Lainey's mental state with deft compassion and truth. At no point do you pity Lainey, but you always empathize with her. Lainey is raw and real, and you flinch every time she makes a bad mistake while understanding exactly why she's doing it.

GIRL LAST SEEN is character-driven suspense at its finest. You suspect everybody and trust nobody. Exactly what I want in a psychological thriller. Highly recommend.

*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I liked this book a lot. It is a page turner and an easy read. It is gritty and may not be for everyone, but reminds me of Gillian Flynn's style, if that helps.
I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 for a couple of reasons. While the plot twists were entertaining, IMO, there were a few holes left that were not quite filled in. And there is one instance were the main character drives to a location, gets a ride away with someone else, then has her car back. Did I miss how that happened?
Also, because I am very picky - it's not realistic to write characters in present day smoking inside a diner in Seattle.

Great read... It'll garner some deserved chatter and accolades... You're hooked from the very first page, and proceed to be reeled in;). The narrative perspective really makes this novel... Through Lane/Ella's eyes and voice you experience a tangled and turbulent life exacerbated by her nightmares coming back to roost... Fantastic pace w/ some deft and unexpected turnabouts... The underlying mystery/mysteries are plotted well, and you'll be given all the clues... Up to you to figure it out, and even if figured out earlier you'll still feel the tension and suspense as the climax comes... Some very uncomfortable subject matter that's delivered w/ realism, sensitivity, and understanding... In the end it's a bit of a story of survival in all its various connotations... Gut punches abound... Narrator fits the voice of the story perfectly imo... Only caviats are that the procedural aspects are a little thin, and a plot point or two took an effort to swallow... Still a great read, finished it in a day w/ room to spare, couldn't put it down... Worth the listen, price/credit, and a bit of thought afterward...