Florence Grimes is a thirty-one-year-old party girl who always takes the easy way out. Single, broke and unfulfilled after the humiliating end to her girl band career, she has only one reason to get out of bed each day: her ten-year-old son Dylan. But then Alfie Risby, her son’s bully and the heir to a vast frozen food empire, mysteriously vanishes during a class trip, and Dylan becomes the prime suspect. Florence, for once, is faced with a task she can’t quit: She’s got to find Alfie and clear her son’s name, or risk losing Dylan forever.
While it’s not going to win any publishing prizes, it’s a breezy read with more than a few lol moments ... Harman has fun throughout needling British high society ... While Florence is a fun hang throughout the book, the plot doesn’t hold readers’ attention like more tightly crafted mysteries by the likes of Paula Hawkins or Ruth Ware ... It would be nice to feel more dread ... Harman writes eloquently about motherhood in the story’s final pages.
It’s no easy feat to write an equally comical and compelling novel about a missing child, but Sarah Harman accomplishes just that in her wild romp of a debut ... The success of Harman’s debut derives squarely from her narrative and plotting skills, which propel readers through the many twists and turns of Florence’s sleuthing ... Will keep readers entertained and intrigued. Seasoned mystery readers may pick up on some hints to the case’s solution along the way, but even so, plenty of surprises remain ... Introduces an unforgettable bumbling detective ... Sarah Harman is a writer to be watched.
