Mystery and mentalism return in this intriguing and cozy sequel.
“Pat Messina was missing. Again.”
Not much time has passed since Nicole used her mind-reading abilities to help the police find the kidnapped Pat Messina and apprehend the criminal mastermind behind it, Lila. With Lila behind bars, everyone is shocked when Pat goes missing yet again, just days before she’s meant to be a key witness in Lila’s trial.
Without many leads, Lieutenant Jack Fitzgerald finds himself turning to Nicole, just as he did in North End Girl, to use her abilities to find clues leading to the culprit behind Pat’s second kidnapping.
Pat was last seen after she arrived at the train station with her husband. The bathroom attendant witnessed her leave the restroom with a blonde woman, but from there it’s as if the two women vanished. As time ticks on, Lila’s trial comes and goes, and the original kidnapper is released, with Pat still undiscovered. Before she knows it, fourteen years have gone by, and Nicole finally hears of Pat’s fate: she’s dead.
Nicole can’t help but feel guilty about it all; Lila and her goons had intended to kidnap her all those years ago, in hopes of utilizing her mind-reading abilities for their criminal agenda. Confiding this guilt to her dear friend and fellow mentalist, Regina, stirs up an interesting idea: Could their abilities do more and connect them with past versions of themselves?
“Her bedroom in Mattapan began to fade…
“Nicole found herself back in her old apartment in the North End, where she had lived with her parents and sister until she got married. She was still sitting in the chair, but she could see her younger self sleeping.”
The world of mentalists expands as Nicole communicates between 1964 and 1950, desperate to change history and save Pat before it’s too late. She’s Not There takes us along for another case with Nicole and Jack as they investigate Lila’s elusive brother, relentlessly search for Pat, and navigate the bespoke ways they gather clues: mind-reading and communication from the future.
She’s Not There throws us back into the charming atmosphere of 1950s Boston that we’re familiar with from North End Girl while also carrying us ahead into 1964. The time travel element of the book is easy to follow, despite how complicated time travel can be. Nicole’s timelines coexist, malleable to shifts as she gains new memories of herself in the past, meeting her future self in the mirror. Plus with the shifts in Nicole’s life, it’s easy to distinguish the past, the present, and the future.
She’s Not There delightfully balances mystery and intrigue with darling characters you genuinely want to know more about. With little anecdotes about this cozy cast enduring all the confusion, it’s a lot of fun to be back with Nicole and friends and to witness the changes in their lives. Nicole has been promoted and is no longer hiding her relationship with Philip. It’s so sweet to see the growth of these characters and relationships amidst all the uncertainty and paranormal twists.
If you were compelled by the paranormal elements of North End Girl, you’ll absolutely love the expansion of it in She’s Not There. There’s an effortless development of the world of mentalism, and the door is opened to learn more about not only the unfamiliar world of mind-reading but also spotters. I appreciated learning this info alongside the characters, and it left me wondering how else the world could expand if additional sequels are written.
If you wanted more after North End Girl, She’s Not There will fill your cup. It’s got that same coziness, made even more cozy by the familiarity of these characters. It will keep you on your toes with its paranormal twists and desire to know whether or not the past can be rewritten.
What did you think?