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After Anna
The real nightmare starts when her daughter is returned…
A bone-chilling psychological thriller that will suit fans of Daughter, by Jane Shemilt, and The Girl on the Train, by Paula Hawkins.
A girl is missing. Five years old, taken from outside her school. She has vanished, traceless.
The police are at a loss; her parents are beyond grief. Their daughter is lost forever, perhaps dead, perhaps enslaved.
But the biggest mystery is yet to one week after she was abducted, their daughter is returned.
She has no memory of where she has been. And this, for her mother, is just the beginning of the nightmare.
309 pages, ebook
First published July 30, 2015
About the author
Alex Lake
10 books852 followersAlex Lake is a British novelist who was born in the North West of England. After Anna, the author’s first novel written under this pseudonym, was a No.1 bestselling ebook sensation and a top-ten Sunday Times bestseller. The author now lives in the North East of the US.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,747 reviews
August 9, 2015
Every parent's worst nightmare...
If only...
If only you weren't running late at work, if only you had remembered to charge your phone, if only the school was paying attention. These are the things that Julia is thinking when she arrives at her daughter's school and realizes 5-year-old Anna is not there. The search is on but Anna is nowhere to be found. She's vanished without a trace. No one saw anything.
But a week later Anna is returned safe and sound. Everyone is desperate to know what happened. Anna remembers nothing about when she was taken or where she was the time she was gone.
Right from the beginning I had a very hard time putting this book down. I found it quite different from other missing children books. Really able to get into the abductors head as part of the story is told from their point of view....a very twisted and psychotic point of view. At first I was a little put off by Julia. Right at the beginning before Anna went missing. She just seemed cold when describing the possible end of her marriage with almost an "Oh well" attitude. However, as the story progressed I started to warm to her. Her strong love for her daughter showed in her thoughts and actions. All of the characters were intruiging. The fast pace of the book kept me interested... I thought I had it figured out at one point but I was only partly right. Even so I was still very invested in the story and how it would all play out.
As a parent it was absolutely terrifing to imagine how this would feel if it happened to me. Knowing that my child would be safe if I had just been on time or had my phone charged. The guilt would be crippling. The story had me gripped and I really wanted to know who took Anna and why.
I definitely recommend this book!
If only...
If only you weren't running late at work, if only you had remembered to charge your phone, if only the school was paying attention. These are the things that Julia is thinking when she arrives at her daughter's school and realizes 5-year-old Anna is not there. The search is on but Anna is nowhere to be found. She's vanished without a trace. No one saw anything.
But a week later Anna is returned safe and sound. Everyone is desperate to know what happened. Anna remembers nothing about when she was taken or where she was the time she was gone.
Right from the beginning I had a very hard time putting this book down. I found it quite different from other missing children books. Really able to get into the abductors head as part of the story is told from their point of view....a very twisted and psychotic point of view. At first I was a little put off by Julia. Right at the beginning before Anna went missing. She just seemed cold when describing the possible end of her marriage with almost an "Oh well" attitude. However, as the story progressed I started to warm to her. Her strong love for her daughter showed in her thoughts and actions. All of the characters were intruiging. The fast pace of the book kept me interested... I thought I had it figured out at one point but I was only partly right. Even so I was still very invested in the story and how it would all play out.
As a parent it was absolutely terrifing to imagine how this would feel if it happened to me. Knowing that my child would be safe if I had just been on time or had my phone charged. The guilt would be crippling. The story had me gripped and I really wanted to know who took Anna and why.
I definitely recommend this book!
July 25, 2015
This is the story of Julia and Brian and what happens when their five year old daughter Anna is abducted in broad daylight – every parent’s worst nightmare indeed. I really think that is all you need to know – in this read, less is better. Unfortunately for me though, the book just didn’t live up to expectations for a number of reasons.
First of all, I think the product description gives a little too much away. Because you know the outcome of the abduction and coupled with the fact that the perpetrator becomes apparent fairly early on – most of the tension is missing from this read.
I was quite surprised at how the police handling of the case was shown – in that there didn’t seem to be too much of a police presence at all. Julia and Brian were virtually left to their own devices after the abduction without even so much as a family liaison officer. Their only contact with the detective handling the case seemed to be by telephone and were allowed to wander around willy nilly throughout.
I also got really fed up with the author’s constant over explaining of conversations. I didn’t need to be told exactly why Julia said everything or did the things she did and it got in the way of the story line.
I could have forgiven quite a lot of the above if the characters weren’t so unlikeable. If a mother’s child is missing, then it is only human nature to sympathise but Julia was so shallow that it was almost impossible to care about her one way or the other. Brian just showed himself to be totally weak.
Thanks to the publishers for the review copy.
First of all, I think the product description gives a little too much away. Because you know the outcome of the abduction and coupled with the fact that the perpetrator becomes apparent fairly early on – most of the tension is missing from this read.
I was quite surprised at how the police handling of the case was shown – in that there didn’t seem to be too much of a police presence at all. Julia and Brian were virtually left to their own devices after the abduction without even so much as a family liaison officer. Their only contact with the detective handling the case seemed to be by telephone and were allowed to wander around willy nilly throughout.
I also got really fed up with the author’s constant over explaining of conversations. I didn’t need to be told exactly why Julia said everything or did the things she did and it got in the way of the story line.
I could have forgiven quite a lot of the above if the characters weren’t so unlikeable. If a mother’s child is missing, then it is only human nature to sympathise but Julia was so shallow that it was almost impossible to care about her one way or the other. Brian just showed himself to be totally weak.
Thanks to the publishers for the review copy.
October 31, 2017
This was a good basic thriller. Anna is taken and returned one week later. We have no idea who could have done this and why. I was quite heavily vested in this one keen to know whodunnit.
A common theme I notice in many books lately are those of weak sons and strong forboding mothers. It is easy to get swept up into dispising these vindictive and hateful characters.
I have not come across this author before and enjoyed the angsty feelings and the righteousness that built for the mother of Anna, and trying to work out what was going on. The ending was neat, but I am not a huge fan of the second person narrative attached to the abductor, or maybe it was used to increase the 'crazy' of that person's character.
A common theme I notice in many books lately are those of weak sons and strong forboding mothers. It is easy to get swept up into dispising these vindictive and hateful characters.
I have not come across this author before and enjoyed the angsty feelings and the righteousness that built for the mother of Anna, and trying to work out what was going on. The ending was neat, but I am not a huge fan of the second person narrative attached to the abductor, or maybe it was used to increase the 'crazy' of that person's character.
October 10, 2015
I really thought I'd enjoy this book after reading so many good reviews. But in my opinion it was predictable and boring.
In the parts that should of been filled with heightened suspense there were for too many wordy and repetitive sentences and paragraphs which ruined the narrative.
I ended up skimming through the book just to get to the end. A big disappointment
In the parts that should of been filled with heightened suspense there were for too many wordy and repetitive sentences and paragraphs which ruined the narrative.
I ended up skimming through the book just to get to the end. A big disappointment
May 24, 2024
A psychological thriller with a twist here, a twist there and a bit of reveal everywhere. After Anna is for fans of a well written psychological thriller that keeps the tension and suspense levels up.
I liked the fact that this novel had me trying to outguess the plot and characters from the very start and kept me on my toes until the very satisfying end.
The real nightmare starts when her daughter is returned…
A bone-chilling psychological thriller that will suit fans of Daughter, by Jane Shemilt, and The Girl on the Train, by Paula Hawkins.
A girl is missing. Five years old, taken from outside her school. She has vanished, traceless.
The police are at a loss; her parents are beyond grief. Their daughter is lost forever, perhaps dead, perhaps enslaved.
But the biggest mystery is yet to come: one week after she was abducted, their daughter is returned.
She has no memory of where she has been. And this, for her mother, is just the beginning of the nightmare.
A mothers horror, her girl is missing and the local community and press don't take too kindly to her, quickly making her the bad mother in this awful predicament.
We are introduced to the family. The dysfunction within the family especially between her husband and her mother- in-law is fascinating. I had the cogs of my brain in gear.
After Anna is returned home unharmed and the police and the family are baffled as to the entire reason for her abduction in the first place. Why would a child be abducted then returned home unharmed? Statistically it rarely happens, and Anna can't recall a thing...for a while.
As reveals start to creep in, the suspense levels go up and I found myself trying to be the armchair detective, the book successfully kept it's secrets from me.
More and more the book builds up and by big reveals it's really edge of your seat stuff. The plot is quite unique, certainly unexpected with some very well written complex characters.
Who took Anna, returned her home and most importantly WHY? You must read this one to discover for yourself, highly recommended with 4 paw prints from Booklover Catlady.
I received a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review from the publisher via NetGalley, many thanks.
::~~~~~~:::::~~~~~:::::~~~~~:::::~~~~~~::
Thanks so much for reading my review!
I hope you enjoyed it, if you did I’d be delighted if you leave me a “like” and I love to read your comments. If you’d like to connect you can follow me or please send me a friend request.
You can also find me on Twitter (X) @bookishcats and on Amazon U.K. where I am a Top 500 Reviewer as Booklover Catlady.
If you are an Author or Publisher and you’d like me to consider reading and reviewing your book(s) please just message me.
I liked the fact that this novel had me trying to outguess the plot and characters from the very start and kept me on my toes until the very satisfying end.
The real nightmare starts when her daughter is returned…
A bone-chilling psychological thriller that will suit fans of Daughter, by Jane Shemilt, and The Girl on the Train, by Paula Hawkins.
A girl is missing. Five years old, taken from outside her school. She has vanished, traceless.
The police are at a loss; her parents are beyond grief. Their daughter is lost forever, perhaps dead, perhaps enslaved.
But the biggest mystery is yet to come: one week after she was abducted, their daughter is returned.
She has no memory of where she has been. And this, for her mother, is just the beginning of the nightmare.
A mothers horror, her girl is missing and the local community and press don't take too kindly to her, quickly making her the bad mother in this awful predicament.
We are introduced to the family. The dysfunction within the family especially between her husband and her mother- in-law is fascinating. I had the cogs of my brain in gear.
After Anna is returned home unharmed and the police and the family are baffled as to the entire reason for her abduction in the first place. Why would a child be abducted then returned home unharmed? Statistically it rarely happens, and Anna can't recall a thing...for a while.
As reveals start to creep in, the suspense levels go up and I found myself trying to be the armchair detective, the book successfully kept it's secrets from me.
More and more the book builds up and by big reveals it's really edge of your seat stuff. The plot is quite unique, certainly unexpected with some very well written complex characters.
Who took Anna, returned her home and most importantly WHY? You must read this one to discover for yourself, highly recommended with 4 paw prints from Booklover Catlady.
I received a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review from the publisher via NetGalley, many thanks.
::~~~~~~:::::~~~~~:::::~~~~~:::::~~~~~~::
Thanks so much for reading my review!
I hope you enjoyed it, if you did I’d be delighted if you leave me a “like” and I love to read your comments. If you’d like to connect you can follow me or please send me a friend request.
You can also find me on Twitter (X) @bookishcats and on Amazon U.K. where I am a Top 500 Reviewer as Booklover Catlady.
If you are an Author or Publisher and you’d like me to consider reading and reviewing your book(s) please just message me.
July 13, 2015
“After Anna” is a superbly crafted and really most addictive psychological thriller – one that will keep you up all night (I know, after all it just did that to me) – some cutting edge characters and really insightful writing that brings the whole thing to life and really does not allow you to put it aside. For anything. Let alone sleep.
So Anna disappears. Then reappears. After that things get REALLY dangerous…
A couple of things I loved about this one – first of all, even though you know from the blurb that Anna will come back, the intelligence of the plotting and the theme that runs through the portion of the novel that deals with her disappearance will still have you on the edge of your seat and will illicit an emotional response. Looking at the pure horror from a parents point of view of losing a child and not knowing what has happened – peppered with a really authentic take on how the press and public at large may perceive such parents – the first part of the story is highly intriguing and very very involving.
The second thing is the sheer exhileration of the character development. Seriously. I loved them/hated them/was suspicious of them/cheered for them – at different points as things developed I’m sure I went through the whole emotional spectrum.
I’m being extraordinarily careful here to give absolutely nothing away. The intricate web that the author weaves round the ensemble, their tangled interpersonal relationships, their personality traits, history and motivations all blend together beautifully to complete the whole and make for a really really excellent read. To know almost anything at all about any of them might spoil those little twisty “moments” that this novel has in spades and what makes it rise above the standards of the genre. So go in cold. You won’t be disappointed.
I’m aware that this author is working here under a pseudonym – I’d like to know who they are AKA simply so I can ensure I read everything they’ve ever written no matter what the genre. With storytelling this good I might even be tempted to read their shopping list.
Highly Recommended
Happy Reading Folks!
So Anna disappears. Then reappears. After that things get REALLY dangerous…
A couple of things I loved about this one – first of all, even though you know from the blurb that Anna will come back, the intelligence of the plotting and the theme that runs through the portion of the novel that deals with her disappearance will still have you on the edge of your seat and will illicit an emotional response. Looking at the pure horror from a parents point of view of losing a child and not knowing what has happened – peppered with a really authentic take on how the press and public at large may perceive such parents – the first part of the story is highly intriguing and very very involving.
The second thing is the sheer exhileration of the character development. Seriously. I loved them/hated them/was suspicious of them/cheered for them – at different points as things developed I’m sure I went through the whole emotional spectrum.
I’m being extraordinarily careful here to give absolutely nothing away. The intricate web that the author weaves round the ensemble, their tangled interpersonal relationships, their personality traits, history and motivations all blend together beautifully to complete the whole and make for a really really excellent read. To know almost anything at all about any of them might spoil those little twisty “moments” that this novel has in spades and what makes it rise above the standards of the genre. So go in cold. You won’t be disappointed.
I’m aware that this author is working here under a pseudonym – I’d like to know who they are AKA simply so I can ensure I read everything they’ve ever written no matter what the genre. With storytelling this good I might even be tempted to read their shopping list.
Highly Recommended
Happy Reading Folks!
January 2, 2016
Thank goodness that's over!
March 26, 2016
2 (very generous) stars
Not much can be said without spoiling the end, though you'll figure it out early on. The words "thrilling," "suspenseful," and "gripping" better describe sheetrock than they do this book. My #1 problem was how repetitive the descriptions were of what the characters were doing or saying or thinking. It's as if the author didn't trust us to remember what happened literally 2 pages ago. Also, red herrings abound but were never explained, some of the characters' actions were downright silly, and the police involvement (or lack thereof) seemed strange. A lot of folks seemed to love this book; but unfortunately I was not one of them. I can recommend this book for anyone with absolutely nothing better to do....for example, if you're number 843 in line at the DMV and you're tired of people watching, this could kill some time.
Not much can be said without spoiling the end, though you'll figure it out early on. The words "thrilling," "suspenseful," and "gripping" better describe sheetrock than they do this book. My #1 problem was how repetitive the descriptions were of what the characters were doing or saying or thinking. It's as if the author didn't trust us to remember what happened literally 2 pages ago. Also, red herrings abound but were never explained, some of the characters' actions were downright silly, and the police involvement (or lack thereof) seemed strange. A lot of folks seemed to love this book; but unfortunately I was not one of them. I can recommend this book for anyone with absolutely nothing better to do....for example, if you're number 843 in line at the DMV and you're tired of people watching, this could kill some time.
January 14, 2019
Well one thing is for sure- Alex Lake sure knows how to create a memorable antagonist!!
I'm still reeling from all the crazy that was tucked behind a face of normal....
After Anna is a short, fast paced thriller about a family already on the fast track to divorce who then experience every parents nightmare...Their only child is abducted. But that's not the real story...the real story comes after. After she's returned home, unharmed, with no memory of where she's been.
I figured out the whodunnit fairly early on but this actually didn't take away from my enjoyment of this book at all. I think what held me back from giving 5 stars was that I just didn't like ANY of the characters very much and I think the antagonist was actually the star of this tale.
Still a very entertaining book and I highly recommend to anyone who loves a good thriller!
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC for an honest review!
I'm still reeling from all the crazy that was tucked behind a face of normal....
After Anna is a short, fast paced thriller about a family already on the fast track to divorce who then experience every parents nightmare...Their only child is abducted. But that's not the real story...the real story comes after. After she's returned home, unharmed, with no memory of where she's been.
I figured out the whodunnit fairly early on but this actually didn't take away from my enjoyment of this book at all. I think what held me back from giving 5 stars was that I just didn't like ANY of the characters very much and I think the antagonist was actually the star of this tale.
Still a very entertaining book and I highly recommend to anyone who loves a good thriller!
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC for an honest review!
March 28, 2024
This had the potential to be brilliant. It wasn't terrible but it was ok, just ok.
The characters felt very flat. The 60 year old came across as a teenager and I didn't feel the author had really got into her head at all.
Good story line but let down because it was so far fetched and a bit ridiculous.
I wouldn't want to put anyone off this book, it's ok, but there are better thrillers out there.
Three stars.
The characters felt very flat. The 60 year old came across as a teenager and I didn't feel the author had really got into her head at all.
Good story line but let down because it was so far fetched and a bit ridiculous.
I wouldn't want to put anyone off this book, it's ok, but there are better thrillers out there.
Three stars.
May 1, 2016
By 50 pages, I should have known just to flip to the end to see who did it and called it good enough, but noooo. I read every word - even stayed up late to finish it! - sobbing "Why? Why? WHY WON'T YOU END?!"
I resent every minute spent reading this book.
I resent every minute spent reading this book.
July 21, 2015
I would like to thank Net Galley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.
I hadn't read or heard any of the hype prior to reading this book so I had no prior thoughts or influences. I was simply pulled in by the write up on the cover which made me want to read more.
The book covers every parents nightmare, the disappearance of their child, the guilt etc that follows. But the novel changes course when the child is surprisingly returned and the Mothers nightmare is far from been over. I wasn't surprised by the conclusion of the story but that certainly didn't detract from the suspense and my overall enjoyment of the book.
The book is excellently paced and the suspense keeps you wanting more, I picked the book up at every possible opportunity to get another fix.
Apparently the novel is written under a pseudonym and people are wondering who the author really is. All I know is that whoever it is I am more than happy to read books of this quality.
I hadn't read or heard any of the hype prior to reading this book so I had no prior thoughts or influences. I was simply pulled in by the write up on the cover which made me want to read more.
The book covers every parents nightmare, the disappearance of their child, the guilt etc that follows. But the novel changes course when the child is surprisingly returned and the Mothers nightmare is far from been over. I wasn't surprised by the conclusion of the story but that certainly didn't detract from the suspense and my overall enjoyment of the book.
The book is excellently paced and the suspense keeps you wanting more, I picked the book up at every possible opportunity to get another fix.
Apparently the novel is written under a pseudonym and people are wondering who the author really is. All I know is that whoever it is I am more than happy to read books of this quality.
January 6, 2016
3 1/2 stars for After Anna By Alex Lake.
Am in two minds on this book i liked the story line about Anna going missing & Julia Crowne's urgency to find her missing daughter but i thought it was very drawn out with the other characters in the story they all were to fractured & very complicated i know some will hail me down for rating so low but just thought the story dragged a bit
Am in two minds on this book i liked the story line about Anna going missing & Julia Crowne's urgency to find her missing daughter but i thought it was very drawn out with the other characters in the story they all were to fractured & very complicated i know some will hail me down for rating so low but just thought the story dragged a bit
December 21, 2015
At the start of the book it is introduced as:
**A bone-chilling psychological thriller that will suit fans of Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, Daughter by Jane Shemilt, and The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. **
Let me say first, each book that is mentioned there, I have already read and in my opinion this is a book that will definitely suit fans of those mentioned authors, without one little doubt in my mind.
Its a book well deserving in its own right.
I was hooked to the pages of this book. Nothing gets to you more than a child involved in a storyline, be that on the news, in magazines we read, films we watch or books we read. No one likes to think of a child suffering.
Julia is a working Mom whose life is very busy. We have all been a little late picking our children up from school at one stage. But this time Julia hadn't been able to phone the school saying she was running late.
Julia was gone.
Do you blame the school? Do you blame the Mother?
The jury might be out on both counts, however, the first initial thoughts are to blame the Mom.
Here ensues the Mom blaming herself, she doesn't need her immediate family blaming her, she doesn't need media blaming her she is doing enough blaming herself
Alex Lake brought the right emotions into foreplay here, enough for the reader to really step into the shoes of Julia.
Then we get the chapters where there are'conversations' going on and you wonder.....just who is this that has this child, Anna.
I did guess [kinda] towards the latter end, but why and wherefore, that was a different matter.
This is a well thought out, well written emotional read that delves into the minds of several.
I really did enjoy this read and looking forward to many more from this author.
*My thanks to HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction/Blue Door via Net Galley for this remarkable story*
May 4, 2018
After Anna was the NO.1 ebook best-seller. I am sure this thriller will be the top NO.1 paperback. I have wanted to read After Anna for sometime. I was waiting for it to come out in paperback as I don't read ebooks. The reason I really wanted to read After Anna is because I love reading a psychological thriller.
Alex Lake most certainly knows how to get readers totally glued to the nightmare unfolding. For Julia and her husband Brian their nightmare is just about to begin. Julia Crowne, is a solicitor who works mainly on custody cases. Julia has a boardroom meeting and she knew that she couldn't be late to pick up her five-year-old daughter, Anna, from school. It was Julia's days to pick up her daughter, Anna from school on Tuesdays and Thursdays and her husband Brian collected Anna Fridays. Edna, Brian's mum did Monday's and Wednesday's. Julia had her reasons she wanted a divorce from Brian. But Julia doubted very much that she would be able to rely on Edna collecting her own grandchild, Anna from school after the divorce.
When Mrs Crowne pulled up outside the school, the school secretary informs Julia that Anna is not in the school. The police search for Anna but are at loss as they have failed to find her. Who has taken five-year-old Anna, she has been told not to talk to strangers. An incredible twist is looming in the dark waiting for someone to find out who has taken Anna and why.
Alex Lake most certainly knows how to get readers totally glued to the nightmare unfolding. For Julia and her husband Brian their nightmare is just about to begin. Julia Crowne, is a solicitor who works mainly on custody cases. Julia has a boardroom meeting and she knew that she couldn't be late to pick up her five-year-old daughter, Anna, from school. It was Julia's days to pick up her daughter, Anna from school on Tuesdays and Thursdays and her husband Brian collected Anna Fridays. Edna, Brian's mum did Monday's and Wednesday's. Julia had her reasons she wanted a divorce from Brian. But Julia doubted very much that she would be able to rely on Edna collecting her own grandchild, Anna from school after the divorce.
When Mrs Crowne pulled up outside the school, the school secretary informs Julia that Anna is not in the school. The police search for Anna but are at loss as they have failed to find her. Who has taken five-year-old Anna, she has been told not to talk to strangers. An incredible twist is looming in the dark waiting for someone to find out who has taken Anna and why.
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September 6, 2019One and a half stars.
Julia Crowne is running late getting from work to pick up her five year old daughter at school. When she arrives Anna cannot be found anywhere. It seems no-one around the area has seen her. And what were the teachers doing to just let her wander off unsighted? Although Julia would like to lay the blame at their door, she knows she is as much to blame for not calling to say she would be late. A full scale search involving police ensues but Anna is not found. And then the unthinkable happens.
I have deliberately kept this short. The blurb on the cover of this book reveals too much and sets up unrealistic expectations that are never met. I had several issues with this book and not really sure why I continued to read it. Maybe waiting for something to surprise me? From almost the beginning I knew who was responsible for the abduction of Anna. I disliked all the main characters, except perhaps Anna but the reader never sees enough of her to really get to know her anyway. And as for the passages written in the second person, that absolutely annoyed me. So, again, not sure why I continued to read. However I did so for that reason alone it gets a half star more than it should have got. And the ending I found completely far-fetched.
Of course this is just my opinion and there are going to be people out there who will love it. But I was left feeling I wish I hadn’t wasted my time and had given up the several times I thought about it. Let’s just say, I found very little to justify the time spent on this book.
Julia Crowne is running late getting from work to pick up her five year old daughter at school. When she arrives Anna cannot be found anywhere. It seems no-one around the area has seen her. And what were the teachers doing to just let her wander off unsighted? Although Julia would like to lay the blame at their door, she knows she is as much to blame for not calling to say she would be late. A full scale search involving police ensues but Anna is not found. And then the unthinkable happens.
I have deliberately kept this short. The blurb on the cover of this book reveals too much and sets up unrealistic expectations that are never met. I had several issues with this book and not really sure why I continued to read it. Maybe waiting for something to surprise me? From almost the beginning I knew who was responsible for the abduction of Anna. I disliked all the main characters, except perhaps Anna but the reader never sees enough of her to really get to know her anyway. And as for the passages written in the second person, that absolutely annoyed me. So, again, not sure why I continued to read. However I did so for that reason alone it gets a half star more than it should have got. And the ending I found completely far-fetched.
Of course this is just my opinion and there are going to be people out there who will love it. But I was left feeling I wish I hadn’t wasted my time and had given up the several times I thought about it. Let’s just say, I found very little to justify the time spent on this book.
May 13, 2018
A five year old goes missing from her school. Her mother was late picking her up. Her phone had no charge and the school didn't follow policy. Frantically searching for their daughter the mother starts getting roasted in the press. And then their daughter comes back with no memory of what happened.
This one is a crazy ride that I very much recommend!
This one is a crazy ride that I very much recommend!
October 23, 2016
Child abductions are a popular focus in crime fiction, but very few are as well realised as After Anna and so emotionally intense. Working mother and custody lawyer, Julia Crowne, is inadvertently delayed en route to collecting her daughter, Anna, age five from the fee paying school that she attends only to find that her child's whereabouts is unknown. The alarm is quickly raised and pretty soon the whole community are focused on bringing Anna home safe and well. In theory this should unite parents Julia and Brian, but with Julia already calling time on their marriage, her husband offers no support and his domineering mother, Edna, overshadows her weak-willed son. For seven days mother Julia lives and breathes Anna's disappearance, examining her own self-worth and mistake in letting her daughter down. The media seem to jump on the popular opinion that was the fate of Kate McCann, demonised as a callous and unfit mother, putting herself first and sacrificing her daughter. When the media get wind of the marriage difficulties, Julia is unprepared for the outpouring that she is met with, portrayed as being about to abandon her daughter and both unstable and on the brink of alcoholism. When Anna returns seven days later, unharmed and with no memory of where she has been, Julia knows that this will not be the end of her nightmare because if Anna was not the actual focus, a much greater prize is at stake. Julia knows that the perpetrator remains in the shadows, lying in wait until ready to play their own hand and the knowledge that Anna was merely a pawn in a much bigger game is even more frightening.
After Anna is roughly split into two sections and assigns equal attention to the seven days that Anna's captivity lasts and then the fallout from her safe return. For the seven days Anna is missing, the trial by media and the anonymous trolls of the depraved Twitterati that harangue Julia is truly harrowing. Despite knowing that Anna is returned safe and seemingly unharmed prior to the outset of reading, this does not lessen the absolute horror of the vitriol that falls firmly on the shell that Julia becomes. Compounded by her own recriminations, Alex Lake conveys the glee that the tabloids exhibit in the wake of an appalling act, twisting it to suit their own agenda and quickly supported by those who adopt the moral high ground. From the newspapers, to social media where Julia Crowne finds herself "trending" and labelled as unfit to be a mother, Alex Lake does a fantastic job of taking issue with the taunting Twitter folk and opinion columnists who almost seem to relish her situation, using it to reassure themselves that such a sickening event could never happen to their own children. It is Julia whose feelings are explored in the most vivid detail, whilst father and primary school teacher, Brian, seems more a passenger in the whole journey. Brian is never under the harsh spotlight of the media and this allows readers to view the abduction of Anna as separate from the failure of the marriage.
The interspersed commentary of Anna's abductor is brutally chilling, and Lake manages to capture perfectly the arrogance and superiority that determines the every move of a psychopath. Supercilious and disdainful, their behaviour epitomises the ravings of someone who considers themselves beyond the law. Admittedly I did have my suspicions about the identity of the abductor and at just over the half way point it became clear, but their own peculiar motivation is never spelt out in its entirety until the closing pages and the urge to read on never relents. After Anna remained as compelling both after Anna's return and in the days that comprised her disappearance.
After Anna takes place in a Cheshire suburb, but the location is made little mention of, thus driving home the knowledge that this could happen to any parent in any town. That the media become complicit in the barrage of abuse aimed squarely at Julia reveals just how a horrific nightmare can be used to besmirch reputation and destroy a once happy family. Regardless of the identity of the author behind the Alex Lake pseudonym, his/her future in writing is assured and the ability to deliver an empathetic and honest portrayal of how an abduction scenario can devastate a family is masterful. Harrowing and heart-breaking, this is a wonderful debut to lose yourself within and draw your own conclusions. After Anna is thought provoking and Alex Lake has managed to exhibit the true horror and aftermath of a child's disappearance.
After Anna is roughly split into two sections and assigns equal attention to the seven days that Anna's captivity lasts and then the fallout from her safe return. For the seven days Anna is missing, the trial by media and the anonymous trolls of the depraved Twitterati that harangue Julia is truly harrowing. Despite knowing that Anna is returned safe and seemingly unharmed prior to the outset of reading, this does not lessen the absolute horror of the vitriol that falls firmly on the shell that Julia becomes. Compounded by her own recriminations, Alex Lake conveys the glee that the tabloids exhibit in the wake of an appalling act, twisting it to suit their own agenda and quickly supported by those who adopt the moral high ground. From the newspapers, to social media where Julia Crowne finds herself "trending" and labelled as unfit to be a mother, Alex Lake does a fantastic job of taking issue with the taunting Twitter folk and opinion columnists who almost seem to relish her situation, using it to reassure themselves that such a sickening event could never happen to their own children. It is Julia whose feelings are explored in the most vivid detail, whilst father and primary school teacher, Brian, seems more a passenger in the whole journey. Brian is never under the harsh spotlight of the media and this allows readers to view the abduction of Anna as separate from the failure of the marriage.
The interspersed commentary of Anna's abductor is brutally chilling, and Lake manages to capture perfectly the arrogance and superiority that determines the every move of a psychopath. Supercilious and disdainful, their behaviour epitomises the ravings of someone who considers themselves beyond the law. Admittedly I did have my suspicions about the identity of the abductor and at just over the half way point it became clear, but their own peculiar motivation is never spelt out in its entirety until the closing pages and the urge to read on never relents. After Anna remained as compelling both after Anna's return and in the days that comprised her disappearance.
After Anna takes place in a Cheshire suburb, but the location is made little mention of, thus driving home the knowledge that this could happen to any parent in any town. That the media become complicit in the barrage of abuse aimed squarely at Julia reveals just how a horrific nightmare can be used to besmirch reputation and destroy a once happy family. Regardless of the identity of the author behind the Alex Lake pseudonym, his/her future in writing is assured and the ability to deliver an empathetic and honest portrayal of how an abduction scenario can devastate a family is masterful. Harrowing and heart-breaking, this is a wonderful debut to lose yourself within and draw your own conclusions. After Anna is thought provoking and Alex Lake has managed to exhibit the true horror and aftermath of a child's disappearance.
July 6, 2016
A smartly written modern day thriller reminiscent of Fatal Attraction. As a number one e-book bestseller, I anticipated an exciting read and was satisfied by the authors attempts at creating the perfect tone of the story. It's every parents worst nightmare...
When small town lawyer Julia is held up at a custody hearing, she arrives late to collect her young daughter from school. When she arrives, Anna is gone. Abducted by an unknown predator. As time slips by, Julia and her estranged husbands fears are mounting. The police have few leads, so what now?
The storyline surprised me because it didn't follow what I had assumed would be the main premise. Anna is returned safe and sound, for a start. What happens afterward is definitely unexpected, so credit to the author for that success.
I hesitate giving this novel a five star review because by two thirds in I had guessed the suspect in question, however I was still excited by the climax of the book and could easily see it working in a film format. I would like to read more books by this author. Recommended for fans of crime and thriller.
When small town lawyer Julia is held up at a custody hearing, she arrives late to collect her young daughter from school. When she arrives, Anna is gone. Abducted by an unknown predator. As time slips by, Julia and her estranged husbands fears are mounting. The police have few leads, so what now?
The storyline surprised me because it didn't follow what I had assumed would be the main premise. Anna is returned safe and sound, for a start. What happens afterward is definitely unexpected, so credit to the author for that success.
I hesitate giving this novel a five star review because by two thirds in I had guessed the suspect in question, however I was still excited by the climax of the book and could easily see it working in a film format. I would like to read more books by this author. Recommended for fans of crime and thriller.
February 2, 2018
Your child goes missing - what is worse that that??? Holy cow. What a roller coaster of a ride!!!! I’ve read several books about a child goes missing but this one is different. Without giving too much away, other things begin to happen and it’s not good! Even though I guessed who took the little girl at the end, it still made a great thriller of a book! I will look for more from Alex Lake.
July 28, 2016
A parents' worst nightmare....four little words: "Your Child Is Missing."
Anna disappeared without a trace as school was being let out for the day.
Anna's mother, Julia, was late picking her up and blamed herself. She and other family members were hoping that another family member had picked her up. Well....someone did pick her up, but they never brought her home.
Anna was missing for a week, and then surprisingly returned. Very strange in a kidnapping case, but she was safe and unharmed. But was she and were other family members really safe in such an odd turn of events?
AFTER ANNA had me on the edge of my seat as the kidnapper narrated what was happening and as we flashed back to the ongoing police investigation and daily lives of the characters.
AFTER ANNA is a must read for anyone who loves thrillers, chilling situations, a unique story line, and an evil, manipulating villain.
Mr. Lake did a marvelous job of keeping me guessing even though a few folks said they guessed right away who the kidnapper was.
I would consider this one of the top thrillers I have read this year. As I neared the end, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to see the outcome.
ENJOY if you read AFTER ANNA. 5/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation in return for an honest review.
August 27, 2015
not a very good read I finished it very quickly, thin plot, severe lack of character made it unconvincing. I knew what was going off very early on due to small number of people in the book & the reasoning was laughable! would not read this authors writing again. With so many authors on the market writing this genre & honestly doing it a million times better I would never recommend this book to anyone.
August 20, 2016
Review to come.
July 5, 2016
http://angelerin.blogspot.com/2016/06...
Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperCollins for providing an ebook copy of After Anna By: Alex Lake in exchange for an honest review!
Well here I am with another book that fits my mystery/thriller mood. I'm not sure why all of a sudden I've been really in the mood for this genre, especially since I usually prefer them when it's cold outside. Regardless, here goes another one and it was a good one!
#AndAnotherOne
I enjoyed After Anna quite a bit. It's another thriller with the missing child trope that I like. That trope is magnificently done in this book. The suspense is killer while Anna is missing and even after Anna is returned there is still plenty of suspense!
#Killer?GetIt?LOL!
One thing that the author did really well in this book is make you feel for the main character, Julia. I really felt for her throughout the novel and not just a little bit either. Poor Julia. Her child went missing, she's the one who was supposed to pick Anna up from school on time, and she has to deal with a lot of jerks. I was just as LIVID as Julia (at two characters in particular) while reading the book. Really the writing in this book is just on point!
#IAmFrightenedByHowMadIGotAtFictionalCharacters
So here's the big question. Did I guess the twist? That's always the question when it comes to books like After Anna, right? Well guess what, I didn't guess the twist! I love when I'm taken completely by surprise, even if I feel like I SHOULD have known. The whole ending is delightfully disturbing and perfect.
#ThatTwistWasTwisted
Overall After Anna is a mystery/thriller that is worth the read! The only negative thing I could possibly say about the book is I think the tagline, "The real nightmare starts when her daughter is returned..." is a bit misleading. I was thinking something would be WRONG with the daughter when she came back and that is not the case. Other than that, this was a perfect book to help satisfy my mystery/thriller mood.
#Satisfying
I recommend After Anna for fans of Remember Mia, S is for Stranger, and (of course) Gone Girl.
#IWantToStopComparingBooksToGoneGirlButICan't
Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperCollins for providing an ebook copy of After Anna By: Alex Lake in exchange for an honest review!
Well here I am with another book that fits my mystery/thriller mood. I'm not sure why all of a sudden I've been really in the mood for this genre, especially since I usually prefer them when it's cold outside. Regardless, here goes another one and it was a good one!
#AndAnotherOne
I enjoyed After Anna quite a bit. It's another thriller with the missing child trope that I like. That trope is magnificently done in this book. The suspense is killer while Anna is missing and even after Anna is returned there is still plenty of suspense!
#Killer?GetIt?LOL!
One thing that the author did really well in this book is make you feel for the main character, Julia. I really felt for her throughout the novel and not just a little bit either. Poor Julia. Her child went missing, she's the one who was supposed to pick Anna up from school on time, and she has to deal with a lot of jerks. I was just as LIVID as Julia (at two characters in particular) while reading the book. Really the writing in this book is just on point!
#IAmFrightenedByHowMadIGotAtFictionalCharacters
So here's the big question. Did I guess the twist? That's always the question when it comes to books like After Anna, right? Well guess what, I didn't guess the twist! I love when I'm taken completely by surprise, even if I feel like I SHOULD have known. The whole ending is delightfully disturbing and perfect.
#ThatTwistWasTwisted
Overall After Anna is a mystery/thriller that is worth the read! The only negative thing I could possibly say about the book is I think the tagline, "The real nightmare starts when her daughter is returned..." is a bit misleading. I was thinking something would be WRONG with the daughter when she came back and that is not the case. Other than that, this was a perfect book to help satisfy my mystery/thriller mood.
#Satisfying
I recommend After Anna for fans of Remember Mia, S is for Stranger, and (of course) Gone Girl.
#IWantToStopComparingBooksToGoneGirlButICan't
July 11, 2015
Read this in a day. A pacy and gripping book with some very unlikable characters.
October 26, 2016
I expect more but I still liked it.
August 28, 2017
I was really excited to finally get my hands on this book, after having read good things about it for a while. The story centers around the disappearance and then sudden return of five-year-old Anna and is told alternately through the mother, Julia's and the kidnapper's POV. While the writing and pacing of the book are such that I was instantly involved, I guessed very early on who the guilty party was, and ended up proven right.
Though this would ordinarily have resulted in a less than stellar rating, I am giving the novel four stars because I found the writing very smooth and engaging, and the character of Julia very well developed and realistic in her thoughts and actions. I believe this is Alex lake's first novel and for that it is very nicely done, and I certainly look forward to her future efforts!
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
Though this would ordinarily have resulted in a less than stellar rating, I am giving the novel four stars because I found the writing very smooth and engaging, and the character of Julia very well developed and realistic in her thoughts and actions. I believe this is Alex lake's first novel and for that it is very nicely done, and I certainly look forward to her future efforts!
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
October 17, 2016
The whole thing is just infuriating. Normally, that shouldn't influence my rating, as it's obviously on purpose, but still, it probably did, because it's one of the stories you would want to throw somewhere far away from you. Also, it's overly long, slightly boring, and even unnecessarily repetitive at times.
If you like a study in bat-shit-crazy, though, you're probably going to enjoy it.
I don't recommend the audiobook, it has too much SCREAMING!! Really, my ears are still ringing.
But, anyway IMO it's somewhere between okay and almost good. I might have enjoyed it more, had I not guessed who did it from the get-go. As such, I just didn't find it surprising or suspenseful enough.
If you like a study in bat-shit-crazy, though, you're probably going to enjoy it.
I don't recommend the audiobook, it has too much SCREAMING!! Really, my ears are still ringing.
But, anyway IMO it's somewhere between okay and almost good. I might have enjoyed it more, had I not guessed who did it from the get-go. As such, I just didn't find it surprising or suspenseful enough.
March 13, 2017
Also wieso dieses Buch so konsequent schlecht bewertet wird, ist mir ein Rätsel.
Ja, es ist definitiv kein Thriller, deshalb ziehe ich auch einen Stern ab, aber abgesehen davon, fand ich es super :)
Ja, es ist definitiv kein Thriller, deshalb ziehe ich auch einen Stern ab, aber abgesehen davon, fand ich es super :)
September 7, 2023
De vijfjarige Anna verdwijnt spoorloos van het schoolplein. Het schoolplein waar haar moeder Julia haar had moeten ophalen, als ze niet te laat was geweest. De politie zit met de handen in het haar, maar het publiek lijkt al een zondebok te hebben gevonden: Julia. Op sociale media wordt de rol van deze ‘slechte moeder’ breed uitgemeten. Als zij haar werk steeds boven haar dochter stelde, had ze deze uitkomst immers kunnen verwachten en misschien zelfs… verdiend?
Net als Julia’s wereld compleet uiteen lijkt te vallen, gebeurt het onvoorstelbare: Anna wordt gevonden. Zonder kleerscheuren en zonder herinneringen aan waar ze is geweest. Het lijkt het einde van een afschuwelijke nachtmerrie. Maar wat Julia niet weet is dat alles precies volgens plan verloopt. En dat dit pas het begin is.
In 'Slechte moeder' leer je Julia en haar dochter kennen. Julia heeft een drukke baan en op een dag komt ze te laat op school om haar dochter op te halen. Maar haar dochtertje Anna is nergens te bekennen. Ze is spoorloos verdwenen en Julia is ten einde raad.
Maar op een dag wordt Anna plotseling gevonden. Er blijkt niets met haar aan de hand te zijn, maar waar heeft ze al die tijd uitgehangen?
Dit stuk vond ik goed beginnen en ik vroeg me af wat er in de tussentijd met Anna was gebeurd.
Je leest voornamelijk vanuit Julia, maar er zijn ook een aantal hoofdstukken die je vanuit de ontvoerder leest. Deze afwisseling was fijn. Helaas werd het verhaal na een tijdje toch redelijk voorspelbaar. Tenminste, ik had al vrij snel door hoe het plot in elkaar stak en dat vond ik dan wel weer een beetje jammer.
De schrijfstijl van Alex Lake is fijn en het verhaal was ook zeker niet slecht, maar ikzelf had er stiekem wat meer van verwacht en had gehoopt dat het minder voorspelbaar was geweest.
Beoordeling: 3,0 ⭐️
Net als Julia’s wereld compleet uiteen lijkt te vallen, gebeurt het onvoorstelbare: Anna wordt gevonden. Zonder kleerscheuren en zonder herinneringen aan waar ze is geweest. Het lijkt het einde van een afschuwelijke nachtmerrie. Maar wat Julia niet weet is dat alles precies volgens plan verloopt. En dat dit pas het begin is.
In 'Slechte moeder' leer je Julia en haar dochter kennen. Julia heeft een drukke baan en op een dag komt ze te laat op school om haar dochter op te halen. Maar haar dochtertje Anna is nergens te bekennen. Ze is spoorloos verdwenen en Julia is ten einde raad.
Maar op een dag wordt Anna plotseling gevonden. Er blijkt niets met haar aan de hand te zijn, maar waar heeft ze al die tijd uitgehangen?
Dit stuk vond ik goed beginnen en ik vroeg me af wat er in de tussentijd met Anna was gebeurd.
Je leest voornamelijk vanuit Julia, maar er zijn ook een aantal hoofdstukken die je vanuit de ontvoerder leest. Deze afwisseling was fijn. Helaas werd het verhaal na een tijdje toch redelijk voorspelbaar. Tenminste, ik had al vrij snel door hoe het plot in elkaar stak en dat vond ik dan wel weer een beetje jammer.
De schrijfstijl van Alex Lake is fijn en het verhaal was ook zeker niet slecht, maar ikzelf had er stiekem wat meer van verwacht en had gehoopt dat het minder voorspelbaar was geweest.
Beoordeling: 3,0 ⭐️
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