[Review] Bring Me Back - B. A. Paris

Summary: Finn and Layla are young, in love, and on vacation. They’re driving along the highway when Finn decides to stop at a service station to use the restroom. He hops out of the car, locks the doors behind him, and goes inside. When he returns Layla is gone—never to be seen again. That is the story Finn told to the police. But it is not the whole story.
Ten years later Finn is engaged to Layla’s sister, Ellen. Their shared grief over what happened to Layla drew them close and now they intend to remain together. Still, there’s something about Ellen that Finn has never fully understood. His heart wants to believe that she is the one for him...even though a sixth sense tells him not to trust her.
Then, not long before he and Ellen are to be married, Finn gets a phone call. Someone from his past has seen Layla—hiding in plain sight. There are other odd occurrences: Long-lost items from Layla’s past that keep turning up around Finn and Ellen’s house. Emails from strangers who seem to know too much. Secret messages, clues, warnings. If Layla is alive—and on Finn’s trail—what does she want? And how much does she know?
A tour de force of psychological suspense, Bring Me Back will have you questioning everything and everyone until its stunning climax. (Pub Date: Jun 19, 2018)

This was my first book by B. A. Paris, and it won't be my last. Still, it doesn't mean I wasn't disappointed.

Finn lost his beloved Layla after an argument of which he doesn't remember much, just the result: Layla wasn't where he had last seen her. It's been twelve years and now he is about to get married to Ellen, secret messages start to arrive to both of them. It seems more than possible they come from Layla, who was supposed to be dead. Is it?

This book never managed to grip me. It's easy and fast to read, I never considered abandoning it, but it's also a little predictable. The way the messages escalate wasn't that thrilling, for example. They start with Russian dolls, they end with Russian dolls. Nothing much really happens to compensate.

As for the conclusion, I think it was as predictable as the rest. If you've been reading the most recent thrillers, you'll guess it at the 20% mark, I bet. I wasn't bored, though. Paris is an excellent writer. Even though I wasn't fond of any of the main characters, I didn't hate any. It was a delightful reading, even if I had higher expectations considering how successful Paris's thrillers have been.

Not a book I recommend if you have anything else to read but it wasn't a bad experience.



Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

Rating: 3 out of 5.