NOTHING TOO INSPIRING ABOUT THAT..... (about JENNA). Our main character, Jenna, is the sculptor, no longer sculpting and mother without a child. DING DING DING…..We have a winner! The book takes a minute to set up and you may find it a bit slow, but relax, you’re in good hands. (And wake up! You might want to really pay attention at the beginning since there may or may not be a few clues already sprinkled in. )

Clare Mackintosh’s ‘I Let You Go,’ and More (Published 2016) Clare Mackintosh’s ‘I Let You Go,’ and More (Published 2016)

A final point about the last line in I LET YOU GO: ‘and then it is dark.’On one level it is quite simple. The sun has set; not just on that day, but on our time with Jenna and with her story. Perhaps it has also set on her paranoia; perhaps she has turned resolutely away from the imagined writing in the sand, with newfound resolve to put her past behind her. Certainly I would like to think she will continue to heal from this point on. The ultimate must-read of 2015! The astonishing, breathtaking plot twist still resonates 3 months on– HayleighSlowly, Jenna begins to glimpse the potential for happiness in her future. But her past is about to catch up with her, and the consequences will be devastating . . . A masterclass in plotting, with a killer twist. I could not put it down. It's hard to believe I Let You Go is a first novel. The pacing, plotting and twists put it up there with the finest thrillers * JoJo Moyes * Jenna is intended as a sympathetic character....but mostly I found her passive and irritating. Her little boy dies - yet within three months she is "feeling alive" drawing her name in the sand, taking photos with her camera on the beach. YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING!! FISHY FISHY FISHY!! She runs away - goes off grid - throws her cell phone away -hides out- - 'less' that 3 months after her child is killed. In 6 months she's happy about a new photography business? Odd!!! She is completely out of communication with the police Dept - the people who are trying to find HER son's killer . They have no idea where she is living or how to reach her for much of the book. I’m seeing things. There’s nothing written there on the sand; nothing carved in bold, straight letters. It is not there. I cannot see my name.’ In a split second, Jenna Gray's world descends into a nightmare. Her only hope of moving on is to walk away from everything she knows to start afresh. Desperate to escape, Jenna moves to a remote cottage on the Welsh coast, but she is haunted by her fears, her grief and her memories of a cruel November night that changed her life forever.

I LET YOU GO - the ending - Clare Mackintosh - UK I LET YOU GO - the ending - Clare Mackintosh - UK

The Hook I’m seeing this everywhere and once again have been drawn in by the hype. IMHO, it is deserved this time. Then the twist hits and it was so cliche that I never really managed to shake my annoyance after that. And when we get to the last bit, the dramatic climax of the story, my eyes were rolling so hard. How are these detectives this incompetent? Anyone with a few brain cells could see that coming a mile off. Although I hate writing such a vague review when I feel the need to discuss the characters and my personal opinion of them, and would like to have the opportunity to drop a few clues that would compel someone to give the book a try, I can tell you that if you like psychological thrillers and mysteries you will most likely appreciate this one and the cunning technique of the author employs.

Reader Reviews

Clare Macintosh, the author of I Let You Go, is the real deal. According to her Goodreads profile, she spent twelve years in the police force, including time in the criminal investigations unit (CID). She knows what she is writing about. I loved many of the characters and I certainly loved the small, ocean town and I could envision what it would be like to live there. So despite the understated quality the book begins with, by the time you finish the book you might experience a little mental exhaustion. This is a very good read, full of heart and emotion. I sat, trying to imagine how any mother would get through this. I couldn’t. Best book I’ve read this year, incredible story with a double twist, amazing, unforgettable and brilliant. You must read it– KD

I Let You Go by Charlotte Levin | Waterstones If I Let You Go by Charlotte Levin | Waterstones

With that said, I don’t know why I think I know better than the author. She made her bed and I didn’t necessarily want to lie or is that lay or whatever, in it. I forgave her the choices made. The first half of the book was very very slow. I can actually understand the comparisons to Gone Girl because it has that same drawn out who even cares? first half that is turned on its head by a twist. We move between Jenna-- as she takes some photos, gets a dog and starts a new romance in Wales --and the lead detective, Ray, who manages to be even more boring than Jenna.

Book Summary

Ray is pretty useless and his perspective is mostly him flirting blandly with another police officer while his poor wife looks after the kids. Neither Ray and Kate, nor Jenna and whatsisname, have any chemistry whatsoever. The twist takes your breath away . . . surpasses Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train * Jane Moore - Loose Women * Full of twists and turns, I was gripped by the storyline. I did get a brief sense of deja vu - as I read a book last year The Bed I Made which also involves a young woman who moves to a secluded area to escape her past. But I guess that's quite a popular trope in the mystery/thriller genre. From the beginning the story pulled at my heart strings. I am not a mother but one of my biggest fears is seeing someone I love get killed in a hit-and-run. From there I became more and more interested in the book. One strange thing that I loved, as much as the storyline itself, was what Jenna started doing for a living. It’s not a huge spoiler, but I won’t reveal it. It put a huge smile on my face and made me love the book even more.