In August 2003, Scarlett disappeared one night from the apartments where her family was staying while vacationing in Greece. Her younger sister Juliette had no information to provide at the time of her disappearance, and neither did her parents, Clive and Annie.
But there was a lot more to the story, and much more was known by various characters. The bits and pieces would come together gradually, as we follow Scarlett’s narrative from the past and as it gradually moves forward. And in the narrative of Lou, as well as her staff member Sam Holland, the facts form and the clues lead to further answers.
Why was Juliette always reading and refusing to talk? How did Scarlett’s father punish her when she slipped away from his control? And why was Scarlett seemingly so willing to succumb to the control of the men who grabbed her?
I enjoyed the detective characters, like Lou and Sam, as well as Lou’s lover Jason, an analyst. They were all overburdened and struggling to find time for personal lives. I liked how they managed to somehow arrange for the occasional down time.
Themes of abuse, sex and drug trafficking, and the daily tasks of the detectives trying to sort through evidence and follow clues made Behind Closed Doors a compelling read. At first, the back and forth moments in time were confusing, but eventually I fell into the rhythm and looked forward to the onward progression over time. In the end, I had a sense of more answers to come, almost as if the story will continue, as there were some puzzling elements to decipher. 4.5 stars.
I have this on my TBR and can’t wait to read it. I love Elizabeth Haynes’ books, she’s such a great writer. Have you read her previous books? Into the Darkest Corner by her is one of my all time favourite books.
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My first book by this author was Into the Darkest Corner…and I also read Under the Silent Moon, which had some of the same characters as this one…I recognized the Maitlands from that book, as well as her BF Jason.
Thanks for stopping by, Hayley.
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I read the first book in this series and have had this one for several months. Need to get to it soon. I liked the characters a lot. The series characters I mean.
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Yes, so did I, Kay, and from the way this one ended, I’m guessing there will be another book with some of these characters.
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I enjoy these books, too, and I haven’t even heard of this one!
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I didn’t realize it was a part of the series until I stumbled upon it, Patty…LOL. Funny how that happens. Thanks for stopping by.
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At first glance, it reminds me of Maddie’s disappearance – a girl disappearing from hotel apartments while on holiday, etc. I’m interested to know what spin the author put on the story.
I Heart Reading
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I think the authors take some of these stories from real life, and then fictionalize them. It works for me. Thanks for stopping by, Majanka.
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This sounds really good. I enjoyed a previous book of Haynes and would love to see more of Lou, Sam, and Jason. I really liked all 3 characters.
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Yes, that’s my favorite part about this author’s books….she brings back familiar characters, and I like how she shows us their personal lives, too. Thanks for stopping by, Katherine.
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This sounds like my kind of book! So many questions to be answered and a really interesting plot. I am not sure if I have read anything by Elizabeth Haynes before but I think I need to check out her work. Great review!
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I have been a fan since the first book I read by this author: Into the Darkest Corner. Enjoy! And thanks for stopping by, Carole.
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