BOOK REVIEW - 11 Missed Calls by Elisabeth Carpenter

Anna has always believed that her Mum Debbie who disappeared over 30 years ago whilst she was on holiday in Tenerife is dead.

But when her Father informs her that his wife Monica has received a email that is allegedly from her dead mother,Anna realises that she has never been told the full story of what happened on that night on the cliff.

Confused and upset,Anna starts digging into the secrets of the past.Is her mother really still alive? Why is her Grandad the only member of her family willing to help her uncover the truth? It even appears that her husband is keeping secrets from.Her.

And why does she keep feeling like she is being watched.....

After hooking you in with a first chapter that ends on a gripping cliff hanger,the story continues in chapters that alternate between Debbie and Anna`s points of view and flip back and forth between the 1980`s and the present day.Any reader who is a parent will struggle not to have sympathy and understanding for poor Debbie.New born baby who is constantly crying,lack of sleep,non understanding,unsympathetic husband and a best friend who always looks perfect while all Debbie feels is fat and useless.In the chapters set in the 1980`s we follow the events in Debbies`s life leading up to the night that she disappeared.The author has included references to the music and culture of the time that brought back memories of when I was younger.Playing outside all day,only going indoors when you were called in for your tea by your mum,only having three channels on the tv,Jackie magazine and tape recording the charts on a Sunday evening.I really liked Debbie whereas with Anna during the chapters set in the present day,although I understood her yearning to know the truth.I also thought she came across as rather opinionated,selfish and self centred at times.My favourite character was the private investigator Sally Munroe who was helping Anna with her investigation into the past.She had a wicked sense of humour,was blunt and got straight to the point but was also motherly and caring.I hope Elisabeth Carpenter plans for her to appear again in the future.

This is a well written,riveting,part domestic drama,part mystery thriller.All the characters are fleshed out,vivid and realistic,the words flow from the page with ease.None of the story comes across as padding and the story held my attention throughout the whole book.The only part that I felt a bit disappointed with was the ending but I can't say why without giving away spoilers

                                                                  AUTHOR BIO

Elisabeth Carpenter lives in Preston with her family. She completed a BA in English Literature and Language with the Open University in 2008.

Elisabeth was awarded a Northern Writers’ New Fiction award, and was longlisted for Yeovil Literary Prize (2015 and 2016) and the MsLexia Women’s Novel award (2015). She loves living in the north of England and sets most of her stories in the area, including the novel she is writing at the moment.

PUBLICATION DATE: 26th July 2018
PRINT LENGTH: 384 pages
PUBLISHER: Avon
GENRE: Psychological Thriller

PURCHASE LINK....

https://www.amazon.co.uk/11-Missed-Calls-gripping-psychological/dp/0008223548/ref=sr_1_1?crid=29CYZC9RECO44&keywords=11+missed+calls&qid=1576417759&s=books&sprefix=11+missed+%2Cstripbooks%2C308&sr=1-1