Earlier this year, I reviewed a book about a park rescue specialist. It was called Have You Seen Her. Now, I’m here to review (at least) the second book of 2023 to bear that title, except this one has a question mark at its end. That would be Have You Seen Her? by author Dea Poirier.
I first discovered Dea Poirier online, and ended up securing a review copy of her first book through NetGalley, then did the same with its sequel. Both were quite good, so I’ve tried to purchase and/or read everything since. This is the first novel I’ve actually read since, though, and I once again received a review copy through NetGalley. Thanks to them and the publisher for approving me, but these thoughts are all my own.
Have You Seen Her? begins as our narrator and main character, Blair, lands in Seattle. When she turns her phone back on, she sees that there are numerous calls and a text from her brother-in-law; a man she’s never met due to being estranged from her only sister. These messages state that she’s to call him immediately, upon which she finds out that Eviana has gone missing. That is, despite Blair having just left her house within the last day, after coming to visit following an admission that her sister has cancer.
Blair soon flies back to Orlando, Florida, where she’s met by Simon, who lets her stay with him as they try to figure out what happened to Eviana, or why she disappeared. Simon doesn’t seem too worried, though, and cares more about keeping Eviana’s brand alive. That’s because she’s an influencer, and he thinks that her going missing will damage her brand, thus his decision to keep posting as if she hasn’t.
As readers, we follow along as Blair investigates her sister’s going missing, by talking to friends, following leads and doing whatever it takes despite their estrangement. At times, this book also goes back in time to when they were kids and young adults, to highlight their troubled childhood. It all fits together in the end.
I can’t say any more without threatening to spoil this thing, so I’ll stop here with regards to the narrative.
Like Dea Poirier’s other novels — that I’ve read — Have You Seen Her? is pretty well written. It has a couple of inconsistencies, but it’s possible those will be caught in a final edit. The writing and grammar are mostly good, but there are a few sentences that don’t really work well. Keep in mind, though, that I read an advanced reader’s copy that wasn’t final.
Alas, the question remains. Is this book any good? Well, the answer is yes. It’s quite good, actually, but doesn’t have the best ending. With how much I enjoyed the rest of the book — which I devoured in a few days — I was hoping for more.
If you’re looking for a good mystery/psychological thriller, Have You Seen Her? by Dea Poirier is well worth reading.
This review is based on an ARC that we were provided.