The word pageturner to describe a book can be thrown around a lot - but for me that’s the best way to describe Safe.

Jenny Kristal went missing when she was 6 years old - she was allowed to walk by herself to a friend’s house just a few doors down but she never made it. Twelve years later an 18 year old arrives in town and says she’s Jenny - she’s managed to escape her captors and wants to return to her parents.

At first - this felt similar to other books I’ve read and I thought I knew right where it was headed - and then it took a sharp turn. From that point on, I couldn’t put it down and read the rest in one sitting. I think you’ll be hearing a lot about Safe this summer!

Content Warning: there are some very difficult scenes involving abuse of children - mental, physical and sexual.

This one fell short for me.
It's not an overly long book, but I felt like the buildup was too long and the climax barely a blink in the story. It was fine, but not great.

I couldn't see where this was going at first and in the last third of the book, I couldn't put it down. I felt a certain anger in the wrong place initially and then a huge sense of understanding and empathy. It has some shocking moments in places, they are brief glimpses of sickening horror, but they don't make it impossible to read, they are necessary to paint the picture or we wouldn't be able to have the understanding we need.

Will be exploring more from this author, definitely had me gripped

3 and half stars a little bit predicable

You know the feeling when you read a really good thriller that makes your stomach churn and mind reel? Safe gave me that feeling for the entire book. Totally unrelenting. And I loved it.

Safe follows the harrowing journey of Jenny, who was kidnapped outside of her home at the age of 6. 12 years later, she returned, but something isn’t right...

All I can say is wow. I guessed one plot twist in this story and was so proud, thinking that I had figured it out super early in the game, aren’t-I-so-smart-and-good-at-predicting-thrillers?

Yea well, let’s just say, if this story is an ice cream sundae, my singular accurate prediction is just one little sprinkle on top of a loaded ice cream trellis. I obviously can’t say much more or else I would give away the rest of the ice cream... I mean story... but I can say that this thriller/drama/psychologically twisted story will shock you in every possible way. Twisted, dark, shocking, confusing, surprising, exciting, and unputdownable: all words that describe this delectable creation. Perfect when paired with yet another Ben and Jerry’s pint (this time chocolate fudge brownie), the kindle light blinding you as the sun goes down, and a Snuggie keeping your legs warm since getting up (and putting this book down) to close the screen door is not an option. 4.8 ⭐️

Read June 2023

¿Cómo te sentirías si tu hija, que lleva 12 años desaparecida, apareciera delante de tu puerta sana y salva? Este es el inicio de esta novela contada en primera persona por Jenny (la hija desaparecida) y como es el reencuentro con su familia, los Kristal: madre, padre y hermano mayor.

Es una novela negra llena de giros inesperados y personajes que, pese a que desde mi punto de vista no están lo suficientemente desarrollados, hacen que el lector se lea el libro sin darse cuenta. Con misterios y situaciones bastante difíciles narradas de una forma ágil y sin recrearse en ellos, dándolos a entender sin necesidad de ahondar en descripciones muy explícitas.

Recomiendo mucho su lectura para todo amante del género y para el que quiera iniciarse en él.