Where I Left Her by Amber Garza

Release:August 24th 2021
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Mira Books
Source: Harlequin – Harpercollins Tours
Find it at: Goodreads, Amazon, Audible, B&N, ibooks, Kobo

From the author of When I Was You comes a spine-tingling new thriller about a mother’s worst nightmare come true, when her teenage daughter goes to a sleepover and doesn’t come back.

Whitney had some misgivings when she dropped her increasingly moody teenage daughter, Amelia, off at Lauren’s house. She’d never met the parents, and usually she’d go in. But Amelia clearly wasn’t going to let something so humiliating happen. So instead Whitney waved to her daughter before pulling away from the little house with the roses in front.

But when she goes back the next day, an elderly couple answers the door—Amelia and Lauren aren’t there, and this couple swears they never were, that she’s at the wrong house. As Whitney searches for Amelia, she uncovers a trail of lies her daughter has told her—from the Finsta account to rumors of a secret relationship. Does she really even know this girl she’s raised? And Amelia’s not the only one with secrets. Could Whitney’s own demons have something to do with her daughter’s disappearance, and can Whitney find her before it’s too late?

About the Author:

Amber Garza has had a passion for the written word since she was a child making books out of notebook paper and staples. Her hobbies include reading and singing. Coffee and wine are her drinks of choice (not necessarily in that order). She writes while blaring music, and talks about her characters like they’re real people. She lives with her husband and two kids in Folsom, California, which is also home to another Amber Garza. .

Website

Where I Left Her Review:

“Where I Left Her” is a gripping psychological thriller that keeps you guessing what happened to Whitney’s daughter and how she will find her.

What I liked about the story is how it becomes blurry midway. In the beginning, the story is pretty straightforward as you see Whitney searching for Amelia. However, once you start seeing Whitney’s past and how it impacts the present, you realize that it is not as simple as it seems. You don’t know who to trust and who is telling the truth. The author added quite a few twists that I did not expect, and I enjoyed the reveal towards the end.

Whitney is a complex character, and I had mixed feelings about her. On the one hand, I admired how protective she is towards Amelia and wants to keep her safe. I also felt sorry for her in the flashbacks when you see her storyline between Millie and Mitch. On the other hand, my opinion of her changed when we learn more about her later in the story. I loved how the author brought in different layers to the character.

Similarly, I was not too fond of Amelia from the first chapter on her attitude towards her mother. While I understand why she feels suffocated, some of her actions were uncalled. I also liked Dan and Natalie in the supporting role and wished she had been more prominent.

However, I felt the ending was a bit anticlimactic. Although it certainly shocked me, it is not an ending I would have ideally imagined. It left me hanging, feeling like something was missing.

Apart from that, I enjoyed reading “Where I Left Her” and found it a decent psychological thriller.