Traces of Her

A brilliant chilling read

I have read some outstanding books this year and Traces of Her is another one to add to that list! I was instantly drawn to the cover of the book and knew I had to read this before I read what the story was even about! The story opens with a prologue that sets the tone of the book instantly. It is haunting, chilling and still gives me goosebumps when I think about it. From this point on, Amanda had me so engrossed in this book. I was hooked and I couldn’t put it down, which resulted in me devouring it in one sitting.

Told through alternating chapters between Rose in the present to Ava in the past and spanning across three timelines, Amanda has crafted an intriguing and interesting plot that follows two sisters Willow and Rose in Willows journey in seeking out the truth when she finds out that she was adopted and that her birth mother Ava died in tragic circumstances. When Rose receives a package from Willow containing four photographs of men who she thinks are potential murder suspects in the death of her mother, Rose then becomes concerned when she does not hear from Willow again and it takes her, with her daughter Becky to the seaside town of Cornwell where she needs to solve the mystery in order to save Willows life and exposed who was involved in the murder of Ava all those years ago.

There are a few characters in this book that keep you on your toes as to where and how they fit into the story. At no time did this cause confusion for me and I think it enhanced the story more and kept me second guessing as to who is involved. For me there was no obvious choice and I enjoyed not thinking too much and just letting Amanda take control and take me on the journey. I instantly connected with the three main players of Rose, Willow and Ava. They are well developed and have been written perfectly. I really resonated with them. Amanda has also balanced this out with some unlikeable characters which have also been written extremely well in the roles that they play.

I really enjoyed Amanda’s writing style. It flows seamlessly through well structured sentences and is effortless in its approach. It is emotive and descriptive, but not over the top where you just wish it would move along. I often listen to meditation music when I read and in the case for this book, I was listening with the sounds of a thunderstorm and rain which was perfect and fitted in so well with the tone of the story. Especially with the following extract taken from the prologue. Through these sounds and Amanda’s writing, I felt I was a part of the story watching from the sidelines as it all unfolded.

Extract from the Prologue:
She lies on the sand dressed in yellow satin, a ring of sodden flowers clinging to her blonde hair like seaweed. The pendant around her slim neck says “Mummy” – a gift from Willow. Grasses stir in the howling wind and a mist rolls in from the Celtic Sea, moving over her lifeless body – ghosts waiting to take her hand, lead her away from this lonely place where seagulls cry.

A new author to me, Amanda is definitely now on my radar. I look forward to many more books from her. Traces of Her is a story that is full of mystery, suspense, twists and turns that result in a jaw dropping reveal and is definitely a must read for fans of the psychological thriller genre. It was an absolute pleasure to read and review this Traces of Her which I can not recommend highly enough.

Thank-you to NetGalley, HQDigital and Amanda Brittany for allowing me to read an advanced copy of Traces of Her which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.