Book Review: "She's Not There" by P.J. Parrish

"She's Not There" by P.J. Parrish will be published by Thomas & Mercer on September 8, 2015. P.J. Parrish is actually an amalgam of two sisters who write together. Kristy Montee and Kelly Nichols have written many books together and are New York Times bestselling authors. Their most famous series is the Louis Kincaid mysteries of which there are eleven books (plus one short story). After reading "She's Not There", I surmise that a new series could come of this book.

Amelia awakens in the hospital where she is told she has been in a car accident and suffered a severe concussion that has left her with retrograde amnesia. Her doctor assures her that her memories will probably return slowly as she heals. Amelia's doctor also tells her that an unknown man dropped her off in Emergency. This information triggers a memory for Amelia, she sees a dark haired man hovering over her and she feels afraid. When a dark haired man appears later in the day, claiming to be her husband, Amelia runs from the hospital when no one is looking. All Amelia knows is that she's terrified and she needs to run away to save her life.

For me, a mystery/thriller doesn't have to be a headlong rush into terror to be a five out of five star read. This book is like a hurried walk through a scary part of town. You're not running because you don't want to look stupid, but something is triggering your fear response and all you want to do is get away. That's why this book is a five star for me. 

I found myself so impressed with the main character's intelligence, resourcefulness, tenacity and ability to rely on instinct. Amelia is like one of those people who don't realize just how smart they are but they think five steps ahead of most people. That innate intelligence is what propels Amelia along her goal to find out who she is and who might want her dead and why. I loved that the authors wove a little luck into this story too. Amelia luckily runs into just the right people a few times and it makes you hope that the Universe is trying to help her survive.

For me, this was a terrific book and I highly recommend it to anyone who reads good mysteries. It's up there in the coveted five out of five star books for me and although it's a little different, that's one of the things I like about it. It is also possible that this stand alone book will become a series because there are a few threads left unfinished. There is space left for another mystery. We'll just have to wait to see what the two sisters writing under the nom de plume P.J. Parrish get up to next.

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