Safe, by SK Barnett {Book Review}

Keeping our kids SAFE every day is the priority of most parents across the globe…right? In today’s book, titled ‘Safe‘, Jenny disappeared as a 6yr old little girl, until 12yrs later, when she returns home. It’s a miracle, a joy….a blessing…right? Except, maybe…things are not as they seem…..

What is Safe about?

YOUR CHILD IS MISSING.

She was only six years old when she disappeared. Posters went up, the police investigated.

But no one could find her.

Now, twelve years later, she’s home.

And knocking at your door.

You’re so happy to see her. But soon you start to wonder why she can’t answer your questions.

Where has she been? How did she find her way home?

Who is she?

My Thoughts

Let me just state for the record, that I am obsessed with child abduction cases. Maybe because of growing up in the Gert van Rooyen era…..I’ve just always been so aware and saddened by child abduction stories. I think I hope a book with some happy ending, or even just theories….could help us solve current unsolved mysteries. So the blurb for Safe was always going to hook me immediately. 

The story starts with Jenny narrating her own return, which was quite unexpected and interesting I thought. The book is then told from Jenny’s point of view mostly, with a few chapters from Jake (her dad) and Ben (her brother). The writing is uncomplicated and easy to read, and at only 320 (ish) pages and a nice sized font, this was quite a quick read. I finished Safe in 1 or 2 sittings….the sitting ending at 2:30am on Monday morning!

The book is quite dark and deals with some really triggering and heavy topics. Initially I felt a bit let down, because I thought…gee whizz, this book is so predictable!! As we get deeper into the book though, there’s cryptic Facebook messages, a suspicious brother…and even Jenny herself has us wondering what she’s up to! The book does drag a smidgen in the middle, but once it picks up, the suspenseful pace remains consistent throughout, until the big reveal at the end! As we got to the final quarter of the book, I’m sure I didn’t breathe for about 17 minutes!

My Rating

Safe has a Goodreads rating of 4.03 stars out of 5 and it’s a match for me, awarding it 4 stars myself! A predictable book has never been so unpredictable in my opinion! This one was definitely a page turner and a book you will not regret picking up.

Safe is available from all leading book retailers. Do you think you’ll be adding this one to your bookshelf?

Trigger warning: Rape, sexual abuse, child abuse.

Disclaimer: Safe was sent to me by Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.