Still Here

This is an atmospheric story about manipulation, corruption and secrets leaving readers to wonder who they can trust … and who they shouldn't.

I went into this book thinking, based on its blurb, that was a stand-alone thriller but it's actually the third book in a series. I'm one of those people who like to read series in order so Still Here didn't quite work for me as a stand-alone.

I enjoyed the ominous, small town setting and found the mystery, which touches on larger issues of abuse, exploitation and the ongoing effects of trauma, intriguing, but I couldn't stop this nagging feeling that I was missing details about Clare's past. There are a lot of layers to PI Clare O'Dey -- she's a survivor, she's gritty and she empathizes and sees the darkness in others, but I needed to understand more about her past so I could understand her and feel invested in her life.

Overall, this was a good thriller that sounded great in its blurb but could have used more depth to its story and depth in its characters. While I appreciate that Clare is a troubled and unreliable main character, I would have enjoyed it more if I wasn't always struggling to piece Clare's past together while also focusing on the mystery.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to the publisher for providing me with a complimentary digital copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.

My Rating: 3 stars

Author: Amy Stuart

Genre: Suspense, Canadian

Type and Source: eBook from NetGalley

Publisher: Gallery Books

First Published: August 11, 2020

Opening Lines: Clare blinks and pats at the back of her head. Warmth. 
She looks down at her fingertips, red wit her own blood. 
Strange, she thinks. I feel on pain.

Book Description from GoodReads: From the internationally bestselling author of the “utterly compelling and intriguing” (Liz Nugent, bestselling author of Unraveling Oliver) Still Mine and Still Water comes a new stand alone psychological thriller featuring PI Clare O’Dey, who’s on the hunt for two missing persons but who may be hunted herself.

Malcolm is gone. Disappeared. And no one knows where or why.

His colleague and fellow private investigator, Clare, is certain she can find him, as she holds the key to his past. She arrives in the oceanside city where he last lived and starts digging around. Not only is Malcolm gone without a trace, so is his wife, Zoe. Everyone who knew the perfect couple sees Malcolm as the prime suspect in his wife’s disappearance. Everyone except Clare. She’s certain there’s more at play that has nothing to do with Malcolm, a dark connection to Zoe’s family business and the murder of her father years ago.

As Clare pulls back the layers, she discovers secrets the entire community is trying desperately to leave in the past. As for Malcolm, his past is far more complex—and far more sinister—than Clare could ever have imagined. He may not be innocent at all. As she searches for the man who helped her build her career as a private eye, Clare discovers that many women are in grave danger. And she is among them.