K. Elizabeth Lane
An excellent and riveting page-turner that had me gripping my seat. I haven't flown through a book this quickly in quite a while. The characters were well-rounded and easy to relate to. I found myself quickly invested in what would happen to each one, from the main characters to the background characters. Claflin has crafted a fantastic tale that had me glued to my kindle each and every chance I got. "Turn Back Time" is a standalone tale, so even though I had not yet read the first in the Alex Mercer series or any of the Gone series, I was easily able to keep up with the plot. In fact, the details she included in this novel about her previous books were a great enticement to go back and read the other books related to "Turn Back Time"! The portrayal of anxiety and panic in the characters clearly suffering from PTSD after their experiences in a cult and with being kidnapped were spot on, thorough, and so well-written that I had sweaty palms reading about their experiences. As someone suffering from anxiety and PTSD in real life, the accurate portrayal of these issues for a character is a huge check in the positive column. Not only does it lend credibility to the story and further the plot appropriately, but it helps to give people who have never experienced these problems personally an up close and personal view of just how debilitating these conditions can be. The process that law enforcement went through and families went through in relation to the kidnappings and the missing persons cases was well-researched and well thought out, making the book incredibly realistic as a reader. I was truly drawn into the family drama, which was a smooth and easy read. Nothing seemed out of place or unrealistic about the way the story's main conflict was handled, which made the book all that more easy for me to speed through as I raced to find out what happened to Lottie and the rest of the characters. I would definitely recommend this novel, and Claflin overall as an author. I am excited to read more of her work, and read more about Alex Mercer and his family!
1 person found this review helpful
A Google user
Another great book by Stacy Claflin! Alex, mid twenties and already the father of a pre-teen daughter, searches for his sister's mother in law who has been kidnapped--by a cult, no less! It sounds far-fetched but the writer makes the whole story not only believable but extremely interesting. It's easy to see how a cult can gain control of people when you read about the methods they use and the weaknesses they exploit. I enjoyed reading about the ever maturing Alex, his cop friend, Nick, his sister, Macy (who was a previously kidnapped victim in the Gone series of books), and Zoey--the mother of Alex's daughter and love of his life. The ending had me on the edge of my seat and I read quickly to find out what would become of Jonah and Chester, the man who previously kidnapped Macy. A thrilling conclusion made the book a great read and makes me look forward to the next book in the series.
Charlotte Lynn
Turn Back Time brings back some of my favorite Stacy Claflin characters. Alex, Zoey, Macy, and Luke. They are no longer teenagers and have lived a heck of a life. Macy was kidnapped and taken to a cult when she was a teenager. Luke and Zoey’s daughter was kidnapped also. Now Luke’s mother has been kidnapped. It seems this family just can’t get away from the cult. What I continue to take away from this series is the strength of family. The character’s families never lose hope, never give up, and never quit hoping for happiness. They all manage to find happiness with many HUGE bumps in the path. They also never waver in their support of each other. In this book Luke’s mother is kidnapped and the rest of the characters and their families never doubt that she will be home safe and work together to find her. This is book 2 of the Alex Mercer series, which is part of the Gone series. I recommend at least reading the Alex Mercer series in order, reading the Gone series will just give you more background on Macy’s history. Thank you Stacy Claflin for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
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