Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on 2015-06-02
Genres: Action & Adventure, Dating & Sex, Love & Romance, Mysteries & Detective Stories, Young Adult
Pages: 272
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In Paris, family and friends gather to mourn the tragic passing of Charlie Price—young, handsome, charming, a world-traveler—who is presumed dead after an explosion. Authorities find only a bloodied jacket, ID’d as Charlie’s. At the funeral, two teens who are perfect strangers, Lena Whitney and Aubrey Boroughs, make another shocking discovery: they have both been dating Charlie, both think Charlie loved them and them alone, and there is a lot they didn’t know about their boyfriend. Over the next week, a mind-bending trip unfolds: first in London—then in Mumbai, Kerala, and Bangkok, the girls go in search of Charlie. Is he still alive? What did their love for him even mean? The truth is out there, but soon it becomes clear that the girls are harboring secrets of their own.
No one knows whom to trust in this thrilling tale of suspense and deception.
The synopsis was already quite intriguing and I was excited to pick up this thriller, but I had no idea what I was getting myself into….
A mysterious Death, that’s how it all begins!
So there is Charlie – a rather mysterious boy we do not know much about (yet…) and we start the story at his funeral, where his two girlfriends meet each other… Well and both had no idea the other one excited. Talking about starting jumping head first into a story! Both Girls, – Lena and Aubrey – are completely different, both somehow forced together to search for the truth behind Charlies death, because there is quite a mystery surrounding his death and both girls have their own reasons to uncover the truth.
What can I tell without spoiling anything?? Because this story lives from the suspense!
Honestly, the story blew me mind in the end. There are soo many twists, turns, surprises and secrets that my head was spinning like crazy. The story starts relatively slow – and it took me a while to get into the story. The story is told from alternating and different POV that include both girls, but also some other POV as well. And there is not much I want to say about the plot, as anything I would be able to say would be a spoiler. So please, do yourself a favour and avoid any spoilers to fully enjoy the thrilling mystery of this story.
What I can say is that this girls start a hunt around the world and they visit all the places Charlie’s has been before his death, and I honestly always love stories that take place in of the world, as it often gives stories a different pace.
What was a mystery in the beginning turned into a full on thriller!
Even with a rather slow beginning, I got hooked at one point and then the story wouldn’t let me go anymore.
I couldn’t wait to turn the pages!
I couldn’t wait to figure out more!
….and the more I knew, the more I wanted to know even more.
What turned out to be a slow burning flame, ignited in a blaze and finally exploded!
And then the end? It was an atomic bomb! I couldn’t believe where Anne Heizel was going with this story. The last 30% was so full of twists and turns that my head kept spinning.
Bewitched Rating
btw… my 5* rating assumes that there will be a sequel… there MUST be a sequel! Hear me dear Anne?
Bottom Line
Charlie, Presumed Dead by Anne Heltzel was an incredibly, outstanding, head spinning thriller full of mysteries! The suspense was so masterfully developed and once I reached the last 30% , the twists were coming that made my head spin and my heart race!
Don’t you like thrillers like this? That completely turn everything upside down and … something you just do not see coming, at all?
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I have GOT to read this soon! I keep reading rave reviews, and it sounds like my kind of book. Thanks for reviewing it and getting me excited about the book!
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Yeah!!! So glad to hear you are excited to read it!! It’s really such a cool and thrilling story, and I hope it does not disappoint you
Danny recently posted..Charlie, Presumed Dead by Anne Heltzel
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I’m so glad you reviewed this book positively because I heard kind of mixed things about it, and even though I was overly excited for it, I started to reconsider reading it. Anyways, based on your review it sounds soo awesome, exactly the kind of mystery I like. Also that cover? It just has to be on my shelf.
Lovely review!
PS: I might have mentioned this before but I just love the matryoshka dolls! They look so cheerful!
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I can see how that might be not a book for everyone, and it definitely has a very unique atmosphere – but I really really loved it – especially when I came to the final parts! Sooo GOODD! Hope you love it 🙂
And .. THANKS, even though I changed the layout slightly, I can’t see myself changing the dolls. Glad you like them too 🙂
Danny recently posted..Charlie, Presumed Dead by Anne Heltzel
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I agree, head spinning is a great way to put it. I kept going back and forth. is he dead? isn’t he? ok what is going to happen now?? I really liked this one too. Glad you enjoyed it as well.
Great Review!
Michelle @ Book Briefs
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Haaa me too!!!!!! I was expecting him to be dead after all, but then? I kept guessing and guessing and guessing.. and this ending????? Holy Cow right??
Danny recently posted..Charlie, Presumed Dead by Anne Heltzel
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This sounds so intriguing I want to know what happened to Charlie, is he dead. What is the girls secrets. I need this book.
Megan @ reading away the days recently posted..The Duff by Kody Keplinger #Review
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This is going to be one of my next reads, I’m so glad you liked it! 😀
Frannie Pan @ Frannie in the Pages recently posted..Review: “The Witch Hunter” (The Witch Hunter #1) by Virginia Boecker
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Ooh, this one sounds really get. I enjoy YA mysteries. There are not enough of them!
Megan recently posted..May Wrapup
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So, a stand-alone, then? And a thriller? Woo-hoo. I saw this cover and was intrigued but didn’t pick it up…
Mary @ BookSwarm recently posted..The awesome craziness that is BEA
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Well, right now it’s considered a stand-alone – but the ending screams for a sequel. The author already said she has definitely the story in her head! I guess they are waiting for sales to decided 🙂
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