Find Me by Carla Kovach
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Imagine a baby goes missing and the only haunting memory you have is one handed up through history, that of her tiny red hat found floating on top of the waves that took her small body out to sea. Find Me, what an apt title for such a graphic memory, one which I find stays with me. Twenty five years later, Kate is still plagued by her sister’s disappearance and the part she believed she played in it. A small child herself, sibling rivalry was at play, and she carries the guilt. Now married with two little ones of her own, her loss is still raw. She’s over-protective of her daughters. I think most mothers would be, having lived through such an experience. Her father, who was supposed to be watching the child, will never forgive himself either.
Kate promises her husband she will try to put it behind her, close the page dedicated to little sister Jess and move on with her life. How can she, though, when she receives messages from an unknown sender on this poignant anniversary, claiming they know what happened to Jess?
Kate can’t ignore it and she and her family are soon back in the small seaside town that Jess disappeared from, and Kate is torn. Her family believe they are here to say goodbye to Jess, but Kate can’t let go until she knows what truly happened to baby Jess. Here there is hope she will find answers. Once again the author takes us on a journey with each of the characters, all portrayed so well, you feel you are sitting right there alongside them, especially Natalie. And Harry, your heart breaks for him, a man who can never forgive himself. I have to say here that Archie was also brilliantly portrayed – the line about water babies crying at night was heartrending.
Find Me was stuffed full of twists, each one pertinent to the story, moving it along brilliantly. I was desperate towards the end to find out, who and why, and what did happen to baby Jess. And what a brilliant twist that was. Perfectly logical, but one I did not see coming. Powerful reading, Find Me is a book I would highly recommend.