Review: 99 Red Balloons by Elisabeth Carpenter

99 Red Balloons by Elisabeth Carpenter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So many books these days make promises about killer twists that will take your breath away or you won't see coming.So you start the book expecting something unexpected to happen but end up feeling disappointed by the time you get to the end.This brilliant debut thriller actually does have a totally unexpected twist that took my breath away and had me sitting in my comfy chair for at least five minutes waiting to get over the shock of what I had just read before I could carry on reading.

Eight year old Grace was last seen in a sweetshop.Her mother Emma is living every parents worst nightmare.But as her loved ones rally round her cracks begin to emerge.

What are the emails sent between her Husband Matt and her sister Stephanie? Why does her mother take so long to join the search? And is there more to Grace`s disappearance than meets the eye?.

Meanwhile ageing widow Maggie Taylor sees a familiar face in the newspaper.A face that jolts her from the pain of her existence into a spiralling obsession with another girl - The first girl who disappeared decades ago.

This riveting story is voiced by a number of characters in the alternating chapter format but it is mainly voiced by Emma,Stephanie and Maggie.If I'm honest although Maggie's chapters where integral to the story I didn't think they where as gripping or Intreguing as Emma and Stephanie`s chapters.There is also some chapters that are narrated by a little girl that where really heart breaking,the authors portrayal of the thoughts and feelings of a scared young girl where scarily realistic.Almost all of the adults in this story are not very likeable or trustworthy and I had my doubts and suspicions about most of them as the story unfolded.

It's a Intreguing,riveting debut thriller about families,secrets,lies and revenge.It's very well written,keeps the reader guessing and contained a twist that honestly took my breath away.I really enjoyed reading this and look forward to reading more books by this author in the future.

Many thanks to Avon Books UK/ Harper Collins for a arc of this book via netgalley in exchange for a honest review