Review: Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

Still Missing by Chevy Stevens
Publisher: St. Martin's Press (July 2010)
Hardcover: 352 pages
Reading Level: Adult
Source: Purchased
Rating: 4 Stars
ISBN-10: 0312595670
ISBN-13: 978-0312595678

Synopsis (From Goodreads): On the day she was abducted, Annie O’Sullivan, a thirty-two year old Realtor, had three goals—sell a house, forget about a recent argument with her mother, and be on time for dinner with her ever- patient boyfriend. The open house is slow, but when her last visitor of the day pulls up in a van as she's about to leave, Annie thinks it just might be her lucky day after all.

Interwoven with the story of the year Annie spent captive of a sadistic psychopath in a remote mountain cabin, which unfolds through sessions with her psychiatrist, is a second narrative recounting events following her escape—her struggle to piece her shattered spirit back together and the ongoing police investigation into the identity of her captor.

The truth doesn’t always set you free.

My Thoughts: Still Missing is a raw, honest, and intense read that will hook you from the very beginning. No sugar coating here, that's for sure. The way the story is told, through sessions with Annie's psychiatrist, was a smart thing to do and added much more realness for me. I was able to really connect and feel for Annie as she was pouring her whole heart out and I felt like I was right there with her in the cabin with her captor, re-living the horror that she went through. I was very repulsed by her captor who she nicknames The Freak.

Annie's voice is a strong one and gives a powerful narrative. She's a true survivor. The story is very captivating and there is a huge twist towards the end, which was very shocking and disturbing. I love twists in stories and this one definitely brought the story to a whole other level. However, I felt like the reasoning behind it wasn't a satisfying one and wasn't convincing enough. I wish it had been more believable. This was the only time I felt that something was lacking.

Overall, a great read for a debut novel. The last line of the book is probably one of my favorites. I will definitely be reading more by this author.