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Bestselling author Lisa Gardner unites three of her most loved characters -Detective D.D. Warren, Flora Dane, and Kimberly Quincy - in a twisty new thriller, as they investigate a mysterious murder from the past that points to a dangerous and chilling present-day crime.

FBI Special Agent Kimberly Quincy and Sergeant Detective DD Warren have built a task force to follow the digital bread crumbs left behind by deceased serial kidnapper Jacob Ness. And when a disturbing piece of evidence comes to light, they decide to bring in Flora Dane who has personal experience of being imprisoned by Ness.

Their investigations take them to a small town deep in the hills of Georgia where something seems to be deeply wrong.

What at first seems like a Gothic eeriness soon hardens into something much more sinister as they discover that for all the evil Jacob committed while alive, his worst secret is still to be revealed.

Quincy and DD must summon their considerable skills and experience to crack the most disturbing case of their careers - and Flora must face her own past directly in the hope of saving others.

385 pages, Hardcover

First published January 28, 2020

5,691 people are currently reading
29.9k people want to read

About the author

Lisa Gardner

98 books19.3k followers
Lisa Gardner is the #1 New York Times bestselling thriller author of the Frankie Elkin series, as well as the Detective D.D. Warren, the FBI Profilers and the PI Tessa Leoni series.

Her current suspense novels feature Frankie Elkin, an everyday, average person who specializes in finding missing people. When the locals have given up, when the media has never bothered to care, Frankie takes on the challenge. From looking for a missing teen in inner city Boston to searching for a missing hiker in the wilds of Wyoming to rescuing a possibly kidnapped girl on a remote island in the Pacific, Frankie is on the case!

Lisa lives in the mountains of New Hampshire with two crazy pups. When not writing, Lisa loves to hike, play cribbage, and, of course, read!

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,938 reviews
Profile Image for Debra.
2,970 reviews36k followers
January 14, 2020
This is one of those books I want to tell everyone to read. Just say READ IT. End of Story. I loved that this book worked perfectly as a stand-alone for me. Not having read the other books in the series, I did not feel as if I was missing out at all. Having said that, now that I have read this book, I am inclined to go back and read both Detective D.D. Warren and Gardner Universe book series. Seriously, how great was it that she combined two of her popular series and combined them? Brilliant!

In this book, Gardner combined three strong and compelling female characters: Detective D.D. Warren, Flora Dane, and Kimberly Quincy. My hand is in the air, enthusiastically waving for more books with this combination of women.

FBI Special Agent, Kimberly Quincy, and Sergeant Detective D.D. Warren have formed a task force to follow deceased serial kidnapper and rapist Jacob Ness. Flora Dane was kidnapped by Ness and having survived her horrifying time with him, is now dedicated to helping the investigators and others who have been harmed as she was.

This trio of women along with Keith, a computer analyst and true crime enthusiast (who has eyes for Flora), has come to Niche, a small town in the hills of Georgia where the bodies are piling up and no one is talking. There they meet a young female, who does not speak except through her art, who has been named "the girl" by "family". Could she be the answer? Is she the missing link or clue they have been looking for? Will they ever find the extent of the damage that Jacob Ness has committed? Is this only the beginning? Is there even evil out there?

The Hills in Georgia are not alive with the sound of music, they are alive with the sounds of evil. Evil, that has been around a long time. Small towns hold secrets. Secrets that the inhabitants will do anything to keep buried. There is a web of lies, deceit, evil, murder, and depravity.

This book was a real page-turner for me. There was tension throughout the book. I loved how the story was told from various points of view. This added to the tension and helped set the mood for the book. This book was dripping with suspense. There is the mystery of course, but the human factor, really made this book unputdownable for me. I was riveted to the pages and didn't want to put this book down. Like the team, I was on the case trying to figure out who the evil man was, hoping for Bonita /the girl's safety, and hoping that everyone makes it out alive.


I really enjoyed that this felt like a fresh, new unique tale. I mention this because lately, I have been feeling as if I am reading the same story just wrapped up in a different package (cover). Not this one. This felt completely original and was a breath of fresh air for this mystery/thriller book lover. Gardner did her research in interviewing a nonverbal subject and spoke with many consultants to get aspects of an FBI investigation correct. You will still need to suspend some disbelief while reading this one, but I didn't mind and I don't think anyone else will either.

Highly Recommend.

Thank you to Lisa Gardner, Penguin Group Dutton, NetGalley and Edelweiss who provided me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, I loved it! All the thoughts and opinions are my own.


Profile Image for Norma ~ The Sisters.
635 reviews13.8k followers
March 12, 2020
Compelling, nerve-racking, & absolutely unputdownable!

Oh my goodness this is exactly why I have been a faithful fan for so many years of LISA GARDNER. She keeps knocking out fantastic books that’s why! I absolutely loved this latest installment in her Detective D.D. Warren series with Book # 11. This is an author that I can always count on that never disappoints and always delivers such fantastic mystery/thrillers that are gripping, emotional, action-packed and packed full of nail-biting suspense. It’s no secret that I am a huge fan and I have read all of her novels to date. She is one of the few authors that I have read right from the very beginning and have continued on throughout the years, getting super excited with each new release. That speaks volumes of how talented this author is!

WHEN YOU SEE ME by LISA GARDNER (Detective D.D. Warren #11) is a complex, gripping, suspenseful, twisty, emotional and intense thriller which unites three of my most favorite characters ever - Detective D.D. Warren, Flora Dane, and Kimberly Quincy.

LISA GARDNER creates such compelling, well-developed, fabulous and dynamic characters that you can’t help but love and be emotionally invested in. I absolutely loved that this story was told from multiple perspectives of all the key players here. This definitely added to the tension for me and definitely helped to set the mood. Although this story is quite intense it was also quite fun, touching and emotional to read. There was a scene with Flora and Keith that completely warmed my heart. I have never ever read anything so beautiful.

Norma’s Stats:
Cover/Title: Intriguing, appealing, and fitting representation to storyline.
Writing/Prose: Compulsively readable, notable, strong, impressive, well-written, entertaining, engrossing, and prolific.
Plot: Suspenseful, emotional, complex, riveting, fast-paced, dark, thrilling, captivating, taut, twisty, and entertaining.
Ending: An action-packed, surprising, thrilling, and explosive ending!
Overall: Another stellar read from the Queen of Thrillers that had me immediately hooked and completely riveted. Would highly recommend!

Thank you so much to Edelweiss, Dutton and Lisa Gardner for the opportunity to read this book.

This review can also be seen at Traveling Sisters Book Reviews blog:
https://travelingsistersbookreviews.com/
Profile Image for Paromjit.
3,080 reviews25.9k followers
November 26, 2019
Lisa Gardner, the queen of crime thrillers writes a brilliant if traumatic addition to the Detective Sergeant DD Warren series as DD leaves her family in Boston, joining a local and FBI task force in Appalachian Niche in Georgia led by SSA Kimberly Quincy. Two hikers discover human bones that turn out to be those of the missing Lilah Abenito, assumed to be a victim of the now dead predator Jacob Ness. Efforts to dig into Ness's criminal past had ground to a halt, but it looks as if they might just find out more about the other missing girls. Joining the task force are civilians Flora Dane, a survivor of Ness, a prisoner of his for over a year, still suffering PTSD from her harrowing experience and Keith, a gifted computer analyst and true crime enthusiast. There is no doubt that Flora has come a long way from the broken woman rescued from the evil Ness, but she is yet to thrive, she just cannot contemplate being in a relationship, despite being attracted to Keith.

The town of Niche appears quaint, wholesome, a picture perfect tourist destination. However, as more and more bodies are uncovered, it begins to feel sinister, beneath the veneer it is a town that is a graveyard, a hubbub of dark deeds, murder and secrets that go back a long time. In the narrative is the voice of a young girl, her mother murdered, living in terror and a life of servitude, unable to speak with a gift when it comes to drawing pictures to communicate. It is DD's sharply honed senses that intuit the young girl with no name is traumatised and terrorised. Flora finds herself back down the nightmare of a rabbit hole, shell shocked, having to face her worst fears about her time with Ness, but is it possible that this experience offers an opportunity to finally lay her horrifying past and the ghost of Ness to rest? In a narrative that takes in fresh murders amidst the rising count of cold cases, more of Ness's past comes to be known, but was he a loner or part of a bigger criminal enterprise?

This is a well researched novel from Gardner, she provides technical details and descriptions of FBI task forces, procedures and forensic techniques when it comes to digging up the long dead. When it comes to writing tense, fast paced, gripping and unputdownable thrillers, the author has few rivals. She has created characters we have already come to care about, whilst introducing new people, I hope to encounter Bonita again in future additions to this series. I should warn there are hard to endure upsetting coverage of the misery of human trafficking, murder and more in this novel. A fantastic nail biting read, you are always in safe hands when it comes to Lisa Gardner, she always comes up with the goods. Cannot wait for the next in the series! Many thanks to Random House Cornerstone for an ARC.
Profile Image for Peter.
498 reviews2,603 followers
August 12, 2023
Unrestrained
When You See Me is an outstanding crime detective story that affirms Lisa Gardner as one of the best thriller writers of today. It has so many attributes from location, atmosphere and great characters to an intricate shocking plot that is compelling and keeps you guessing to the end.

It has been a long time since I read Lisa Gardner and I worried about reading her new book without some background to her previous novels in the series. I have to say, in no way did I feel I had missed some history or background to make this story work. This is a unique novel that can be treated as a standalone.

Detective DD Warren, Special Security Agent Kimberly Qunicy and serial killer survivor Flora Dane, are all fascinating characters, full of energy, depth, intrigue and resolve. While they appear in previous Lisa Gardner novels, there is a freshness to their role in this story. They have been called together as part of a task force to investigate the human remains of a young woman thought to be another victim of the serial killer, Jacob Ness. Flora was once a kidnapped prisoner of Ness for over a year, but she killed him as part of her escape to freedom. Flora is psychologically wounded as a consequence and undoubtedly struggles with PTSD and survivor’s guilt. It is fascinating to observe Flora as a very determined person, brave but introspective and places huge barriers against human relationships and a fear of vulnerability. Her good friend Keith may become more if she can overcome her resistance to trust and fight the images of horror she endured.

The task force investigation faces many complex situations in the little town of Niche, Georgia. A town that seems idyllic but gradually darker and darker secrets are revealed. To what extent are the people of Niche involved in the horror unfolding, as more and more women are found buried in the woods? An encounter with a young mute girl, terribly deformed from an accident, and living with the mayor and his wife as their niece, brings about a personal mission from DD that she will protect her and get to the bottom of these deaths. The life of the young girl is heartbreaking and gives our sense of justice an adrenaline shot.

The story is told from the perspective of the four main women; Flora, DD, Kimberly and an unknown female. The mix of characters and how they interact with others is wonderfully told and it is absorbing how their dialogue and relationships keep this story full of surprises and fears. Some people are obviously involved behind the public masks they wear and the ring-leader is elusive and very difficult to guess. A superb psychological mystery that progresses at a mighty rate, right to the dramatic finale.

I feel remiss not to have read more of Lisa Gardner but this novel has reacquainted an old author and I'll be looking for her other books shortly. I would highly recommend this book and I would like to thank Century Books, Random House UK Cornerstone and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC copy of the book in return for an honest review.
Profile Image for Susanne.
1,180 reviews38.6k followers
December 17, 2019
5 Stars

A Complex, Compelling and Taut Mystery/Thriller.

When human bones are found in the deep woods of Georgia, FBI Agent Kimberly Quincy is called in. To her, the findings mean something specific and for this investigation, she needs D.D. Warren and Flora Dane on board.

The bones found belong to the body of Lilah Abenito who was reported missing fifteen years ago and is assumed to be a victim of Jacob Ness. Ness, as we all know is the man who kidnapped and tortured Flora Dane for 472 days. Flora, must once again face her past - this time however, she is not alone- she has D.D., and her friend/computer whiz Keith beside her.

When more bodies are found and mass graves are uncovered and suspicions arise.
Is Jacob Ness solely responsible?

From The Mayor and his wife, who are the owners of the most popular B&B in town, to The Town Clerk and several others, it becomes clear that the Town of Niche isn’t so nice after all.

Bonita, the “niece” of the Mayer and his wife, is scared every day of her life. She has good reason.

The tension ratchets up here in a way that only Lisa Gardner is capable. Fear rose in my throat.. for Flora Dane, D.D. Warren, Keith and Bonita. I had several moments of panic while reading this novel, afraid for my favorite characters. Admittedly, I also smiled and shed a few tears. What can I say except that Lisa Gardner knows how to get me every time.

I simply love the characters of Flora Dane and D.D. Warren together. They are like ying and yang. What I love about Lisa Gardner’s writing is that she never phones it in. Each novel that I’ve read is as strong as the last, and for me that speaks Volumes.

This was another incredible buddy read with Kaceey. We both love these characters and feel like we are visiting old friends as soon as we start a new novel. Thanks for sharing this one with me Kaceey!

Thank you to Edelweiss, Penguin Publishing - Dutton and Lisa Gardner for the arc.

Published on Goodreads and Edelweiss on 12.15.19.
Profile Image for Kaceey.
1,376 reviews4,183 followers
December 27, 2019
I’ve been a devoted Lisa Gardner fan for years, having read every book she’s released to date.
Her best series' are known to revolve around FBI Special agent Kimberly Quincy and Sergeant Detective DD Warren with the Boston Police department. Now Flora Dane, who survived a sadistic serial killer has being introduced as a new essential character, tying these women together.

When a couple hiking in the Georgia wooded mountains stumble across some bones, it’s quickly assumed to be connected to the horrific kidnapping that Flora herself survived. Along with Flores’ new friend and computer geek Keith, all three women converge on the small secluded town to assist the local sheriff. And the deeper they dig...

With the aid of a young girl with no name and no voice will they find the evil force behind these killings before they themselves become the next victims?

I have to say this was probably the best in the series so far! I was thoroughly locked-in right from the start and loved how these characters all worked together. The ending? One word...perfect! Just loved it!
I cannot wait to see where Lisa Gardner takes these incredible characters next!

A buddy read with Susanne that we both just loved!💖

Thank you to Edelweiss, Penguin Publishing - Dutton and Lisa Gardner for an ARC to read and review.
Profile Image for Lit with Leigh.
623 reviews405 followers
July 18, 2022
Thanks for the fun buddy read Karly and SabiReads 💖💖 Chatting with you saved me from setting this book on fire.

Writing: the saving grace of this crapshow/5 | Plot: never heard of her/5 | Ending: pls/5

SYNOPSIS

After remains are found in rural Georgia, FBI SSA Kim Quincy calls in BPD DD Warren and her gang of misfits (Flora "vigilante" Danes and Keith "Google Earth" ???) to figure out if there's a connection with Flora's deceased kidnapper, Jacob Ness.

MY OPINION

I never want to read about Flora again. Period. In order from best to never should've been written, here is my ranking of books featuring Flora:

1. Find Her hands down the best.
2. Never Tell was interesting minus the ending.
3. This book.
4. Look For Me

So once again, Lisa Gardner's writing skills saved this from an abysmal one star rating. First of all, this book was SLOW AF. Legit nothing happened until about 130 pgs in. There was a lot of explanation about police procedurals, so I guess I learned something at least. There's a lot of Flora exploring her feelings for tights-wearing Keith. But there's no action, and there's no emotional impact.

Tbh this book would've been MUCH stronger without Flora and Keith. The other mystery in this book would've been fine on its own. It was a hop, step, and a leap to connect it was Flora's backstory. There was too much citizens gone rogue/dumbass in this story; leave the detecting to the detectives. And I didn't even enjoy the unknown narrator's flashbacks. Too repetitive. It wasn't spooky at all.

Also as per usual I hated the male love interest. He's supposed to be a computer engineer or some shit yet the only impressive tech stuff he did was read facts from Wikipedia and use Google Earth. I nearly lost it when he was using Google Earth to do "recon" on a suspect's property and Flora thought he was as skilled as the criminals behind the SolarWinds hack FFS.

SPOILERS SO SCROLL AGGRESSIVELY





Apparently this is supposed to be a resolution to Flora's arc, but she was giving me nothing. Imagine you revisit the place where the most horrible experiences in your life began; I for one would be crying, throwing up, shaking. Flora on the other hand reacted like it was visiting the zoo for the 1000th time. A scene that could've held so much emotion was as powerful as a dandelion in a hurricane. And then you have Flora being intimate for the first time in seven years and she gets ON TOP????? NAH!!!! There's no way after all that sexual trauma you're just gonna jump back into the sack and cow boy ride em. I refuse to believe that.

Why was Walt needed? So Flora meets her kidnapper/rapist/all around abuser's father, who BTW KNEW she was being held in a coffin, and instead of strangling him with his bare hands, she says how about some chick fil a??? I mean WHAT?? I would be SICK knowing that this man had the power to call the authorities and save my life but Flora was like anywayzzzz Keith you tryna f*** or nah?? I call top!

Also don't get me started on DD adopting "Bonita." I mean... HOW??? You don't just bring home a kid like it's a dog from the Humane Society.




PROS AND CONS

Pros: great bitch sesh with Karly and Sabrina

Cons: citizens gone rogue, slow af, no emotional impact, math did not math, etc....
Profile Image for Dorie  - Cats&Books :) .
1,120 reviews3,645 followers
January 27, 2020
***NOW AVAILABLE***

This is only the second book that I have read in this series but it can definitely be read as a stand alone. I will tell you that this book scared the heck out of me! It didn’t help that I was reading it at night and way past my bedtime, bad idea, had trouble falling asleep!

At any rate the story is told from three different points of view. Flora Dane is a survivor, she was held captive (kidnapped, raped and terrorized) for over a year by Jacob Ness, until she herself was able to kill him. She has spent the last 7 years since then trying to help other victims and now is part of this task force which is sent to a small mountain town in the deep woods of Georgia. Skeletal remains have been found and it is possible that these may be linked to Jacob Ness, the man who had held Flora captive.

The other members of the team include detective D.D. Warren and FBI Agent Kimberley Quincey. We are told the story from these three POV’s and Italicized paragraphs in the voice of an unknown person. There are many others who will become a part of the investigative team including Keith, a computer analyst who adds his talents at decoding what will become a tangled web of evil.

This Georgia town’s inhabitants are all potentially involved in what has been going on, particularly the mayor and his wife who own the updated and beautiful Victorian B & B at the town’s center. They basically “run” the town and many of the townspeople are fearful of saying anything against them.

It isn’t long before more skeletons are found and more forensic teams are called in. All the while the on scene teams split into two teams, one to interrogate inhabitants of the town and the others to use an ATV to canvas the area where the skeletal remains have been found.

This isn’t a slow burn of a mystery, it becomes a thriller quite quickly and the tension just keeps on building. It is very difficult with a thriller so multi-layered to say much more without giving away any part of the plot. It would be best to just start reading and let the story drawn you in, and it will I promise you.

There are, of course, some believability issues with how many people can be evil in one small town, but that is the nature of the genre and I was willing to just go along for the ride. I really enjoyed the strong female characters in this novel, all of whom have had their own personal struggles.

I highly recommend this book to readers of the D.D.Warren series but anyone can pick up this novel and read it on it’s own merit.

I received an ARC of this novel through NetGalley. This book is set to publish on January 28, 2020.
Profile Image for Toni.
516 reviews
January 24, 2020
I'm really glad to have discovered this series, even though I jumped in and started from book number eleven. 'When you see me' can be read and enjoyed as a standalone, as there is enough background and characterization to help the reader navigate the world created by this talented author.
We get a glimpse of DD Warren's family life, as she is about to go on a special trip to Georgia where she will join a special FBI task force unit led by SSA Kimberly Quincy that is trying to follow the digital traces of Jacob Ness, an evil serial kidnapper and killer. Flora Dane who knows Jacob Ness' mentality better than anybody else is asked to provide her expertise. She is still suffering from PTSD and has dedicated her life to hunting predators like Ness and saving innocent victims from having her own horrifying experience with an evil criminal. When remains of Lilah Abenito, reported missing by her parents years ago, are found near a montain trail, the task force needs to check out carefully the little town of Niche to see if any more bodies of Ness's victims can be found nearby.
Being new to the series, I was surprised how detailed and well-researched the descriptions of forensic procedures were. The story is told from multiple points of view which gives it emotional depth and helps the author create dramatic tension. From the very beginning when we see a harrowing crime through the eyes of an unnamed girl, we know the story is going to deal with dark and uncomfortable topics.
A gripping story with fascinating characters, When you see me kept on the edge of my seat until the very end. Recommended for all lovers of mysteries and thrillers who appreciate strong female leads.

Thank you to Edelweiss and Dutton for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
Profile Image for Brenda ~The Sisters~Book Witch.
923 reviews951 followers
January 30, 2020
Hot Diggity dang!!! Lisa Gardner brings back three of my favorite characters, serial killer survivor turned vigilante Flora Dane, Sergeant Detective D.D. Warren and FBI Agent Kimberly Quincy here in When You See Me. This team go together like tea and biscuits with Flora being the strong bag of leaves here as she faces her worse fears and traumatic past with kidnapper Jacob Ness. The dynamics between these strong characters are fresh, humorous and exciting. Computer analyst and true crime enthusiast Keith is by Flora's side and I loved the warm relationship growing between the two.

The story is intriguing, a bit different with some great twists and turns but it's all about the characters and connections for me here. D.D. warmly takes a character under her wing and I hope to see more of the character in the future.

I read this in our Traveling Sister reading group and one sister read this one as a stand-alone and thought it worked however if you are new to these characters I suggest starting with Find Her where we first meet Flora Dane.

I received a copy from the publisher on NetGalley
Profile Image for Lisa.
931 reviews
December 19, 2021
All I can say is READ THIS!! don't worry about your next read make it THIS One
Flora Dane has survived a serial killer Jacob Ness & yeast later teams up with Kimberly Quincy & DD Warren in this un put downable thriller that will keep you reading late into the night.


Now Flora Dane is a tough outspoken gritty character that i loved her back story is interesting & still holds horrible recollections of her 472 days kidnapped by Hess still haunting her are the scars that she cannot leave behind her, bodies being found in the Appalachian mountains a burial ground for Jacob Ness, i wont go into a full review as i don't want to spoil this for readers who haven't read her amazing series of DD Warren Profiler series & now Flora Dane Lisa is my favourite author of this genre.


This was a dark compelling read with wonderfully written characters i loved every cotton picking minute yes characters were flawed & unlikable but it made the prose go smoothly i wanted to read more of Flora Dane looking forward to her next instalment.


Profile Image for DeAnn.
1,622 reviews
January 10, 2020
4.5 heart-pounding stars

Another stellar installment in the D.D. Warren/Flora Dane series. Flora is my favorite! This one is scary but so well done. I have not read all of the D.D. Warren books, but I’ve read all of them that include Flora. It’s nice to have books where women are the strong lead characters and don’t have men swooping in to save the day!

This one also has Kimberly Quincy who is with the FBI. The three women are part of a task force put together after a grisly discovery is made. The women dig deeper into the situation and there is definitely tension building in this one! The town has a deeply sinister aura and I wasn’t sure who to trust.

As often is the case with Flora, there is a connection to her kidnapper Jacob Ness and he is as creepy as ever in this one. We learn Jacob’s back story in the dark depths of Georgia. Flora has to wrestle with her past with Jacob in order to hopefully put it behind her. There’s definitely investigation work in this book, but for me the characters are the most important element.

Book #8 “Find Her” is the first Flora book – my advice is start there. I hope that Lisa Gardner keeps Flora in this series!

Thank you to Lisa Gardner, Dutton, and Edelweiss for an early copy of this one to read and review. This one is out next month, 1/28/2020.
Profile Image for Phrynne.
3,795 reviews2,559 followers
February 4, 2021
When I pick up a new book by Lisa Gardner I expect to be treated to something good and so far she has never let me down. When You See Me turned out to be outstanding.

After ten books the characters are like old friends. Detective D.D.Warren , FBI Special Agent Kimberley Quincey and Flora Dane team up to investigate recently discovered bones belonging to a victim of Jacob Ness, Flora’s own past nemesis. A search turns up more and more skeletons plus a whole lot of unanswered questions and the small Georgia town they are staying in starts to turn very spooky.

After so many books it is a real pleasure to see D.D. and Quincey both settled in their private lives and in top form at work. Flora too is changing and there is even some romance in the air. This book is just a great read, well-paced, scary in parts with lots of action and a very satisfactory ending. I hope the author keeps them coming.
Profile Image for Brenda.
725 reviews143 followers
March 4, 2020
D.D. Warren, Kimberly Quincy, and Flora Dane make quite the trio. But I can’t exclude Keith Edgar, so the four make quite the team!

“Bonita” is a girl, age 5 when she shares her memories, but a teenager in the present day. She’s the heart and soul of this book. She has experienced trauma after trauma and yet she survives. Like Flora.

And Flora! Even knowing her history, she has always been hard to warm up to, but by God, she’s fantastic in this book! She’s starting to thrive!

If you’re a fan of the D.D. Warren series, you will love this installment. As always, for the uninitiated, I recommend starting with the first book. Get to know D.D. and eventually Flora. Every book has been an exciting read.
Profile Image for Amanda.
947 reviews284 followers
January 29, 2020
This is the eleventh book in the Detective DD Warren series. I have been hooked since book one!!

Flora Dane was kidnapped and kept captive by Jacob Ness for 472 days, she is a survivor.

When a mass grave is discovered in Georgia, FBI Special Agent Kimberley Quincy partners up with DD Warren, as they suspect the bodies may be early victims of Jacob Ness. Flora the only survivor goes with the team alongside Keith a Computer Analyst who is close to Flora.

When more bodies are uncovered it becomes apparent that they may be more than one perpetrator at work. This thriller kept me engrossed, no one can be trusted and there are secrets galore.

Loved the ending and looking forward to seeing what happens to Flora and Bonita.

Be warned this is a highly addictive series. I highly recommend this author!!

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
Profile Image for Emma.
1,001 reviews1,140 followers
December 14, 2019
This instalment ticked all the boxes in my crime fiction favourites list:

-out of the way/small/mountain town
-local perp/possible local conspiracy
-many dirty secrets coming to light
-dead people turning up EVERYWHERE
-links to even bigger/historical crimes
-even more dead people

On top of that, D.D., Kimberly, and Flora have got to that point where they come across like a team now. There's a genuine feeling to their interactions, a sense that they have finally accepted this new reality, with the focus moving to the work instead of frequent pissing contests about who can do what. Their perspectives are effectively managed too, with each given significant parts of the plot to push forward, and enough new things about each to keep things interesting, especially for Flora...

Cleverly plotted with genuine surprises and no little amount of bloody violence, this is is another winner!

ARC via Netgalley
Profile Image for Brenda.
4,766 reviews2,929 followers
May 28, 2020
When two young hikers went off the beaten track in the mountains to find a stick as a crutch for blisters, they got way more than they bargained for. In a short period of time, Detective Sergeant DD Warren, Flora Dane, computer geek Keith, FBI’s SSA Kimberly Quincy as well as an accompanying taskforce all descended on the small town of Niche, Georgia, knowing of the connection to the notorious Jacob Ness, and wondering what more they would find.

As more skeletal remains were found, DD and Kimberly knew there was way more to this than they’d realized. And then the newly dead body of a local was discovered – suicide? murder? – and they also knew the locals were hiding secrets that had been going back a long time. With the forensic people in the mountains, DD and Kimberly investigated the locals. And Flora and Keith struck out on their own. What would they discover? Was Flora in the vicinity of where she was kept all those years ago? Was there another monster now who had taken his place?

My first words as I turned the last page was “Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!” Lisa Gardner has always been a favourite author and reading When You See Me, her latest in the Detective DD Warren series (#11) it felt like I was catching up with old friends. All the usual characters plus a few more, and as usual Lisa Gardner brought everything together perfectly. With plenty of twists, sleights of hand, tension and suspense, When You See Me is a breathtaking thriller; one that I loved and also one I highly recommend.
Profile Image for bookswithpaulette.
603 reviews254 followers
February 1, 2020
This is my first book from Lisa Gardner and I could not put it down, She takes crime thrillers to the next level in this police procedural thriller. Two hikers find human bones in Appachian Niche, Georgia. Seemingly a quaint sleepy town nestled in the mountains…. Has revealed the remains are those of missing Lilah Abenito, victim of now deceased serial killer Jacob Ness. As Detective DD Warren and FBI agent Quincy dig further into Ness’s criminal past it appears he may be responsible for several other missing girls in the area. Joining the taskforce is gifted computer analyst Keith and survivor Flora Dane. Held captive by Ness for over a year, she managed to escape but is still suffering PTSD, she may be the key to uncovering where the missing girls are.

The investigation deepens, on the surface this sleepy little tourist town is not what it seems. Dark secrets are revealed, more bodies are uncovered. I was captivated by the narrative from a young girl Bonita, she watched as her family were murdered, narrowly escaping death herself and taken as a servant living in terror. She is unable to speak due to injuries she sustained, she communicates through drawing pictures. Her narrative of the confinement, the house is sublime I savored every word.

Flora goes back into her past, revealing what Ness did to her in the hope of saving the missing girls. DD and Quincy were brilliant, the forensics and investigative measures and level of detail in this book are second to none.

I highly recommend this book, very engrossing read I cared for the characters, Lisa is a true story teller. I am keen to read more books from her. 5 stars!
Profile Image for Theresa Alan.
Author 10 books1,147 followers
November 2, 2019
I loved that three strong women headed this investigation. Normally Lisa Gardner books don’t scare me, but portions of this suspense novel really had me on edge. The parts that really scared the bejesus out of me were the italicized chapters told from the point of view of a young girl, who, at first, we don’t understand what she’s doing telling her story.

FBI agent Kimberly Quincy and Boston police officer D.D. Warren think they are tracking something to do with the dead rapist Jacob Ness. They bring a woman he kept as a slave for more than a year, Flora. Flora brings her buddy, a computer genius. What these women find is much more disturbing and widespread than they ever imagined.

Gardner wrote more than once that either Quincy or Warren had “prickly feelings at the back of her neck.” That’s an unfortunate oversite in the editorial process. There were a few sections that suspension of disbelief was needed, but all in all, this is a fast-paced page turner.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book, which RELEASES JANUARY 28, 2020.

For more reviews, please visit http://www.theresaalan.net/blog
Profile Image for h o l l i s .
2,653 reviews2,261 followers
January 29, 2020
I'm writing this review before my review for book ten of this series has even gone live on the blog. In that other post, I was effusive and bubbly after rediscovering my love for this series, as the installments before had been good, but not great. Well, we've returned to the good. But that's not a bad thing.

Book eleven feels like almost a direct continuation of the story in book ten. We have DD, Kimberly, and Flora all partnered up, along with Keith, a civilian crime enthusiast, expert in his own way, and on their way to Georgia when it appears they may have found one of the first of Jacob Ness' victims. However, things are not quite what they appeared.. and yet also more.

I'll admit the victim-ish POV story wasn't really doing much for me. I felt something but not enough to really keep me totally focused, and interested, in what appeared to be a subplot to the main event. Except.. things shifted around the 40% mark and that's when a) things took off and b) things got interesting. But overall there were definitely chapters where I just wasn't as dialed in as I was in the book before it.

This feels like a huge turning point for Flora, not quite closure but the most she'll probably ever have, and the way Gardner pivoted that moment into something bigger, connecting to the discovery in book ten, was well done. Again, big picture wise, this was huge for the series and for this trio of women, Flora in particular. And while the conspiracy that's discovered is kind of mind boggling, and crazy clever, overall I just wasn't super into it.

With the way things have resolved, I'll be curious to see how much page time we get from Flora and Kimberly in future books. Because we also have a new element introduced to DD's life, one I'm both super soft about and also a wee bit perplexed, but hey. I'm still very curious as to what comes next.

** I received an ARC from Edelweiss and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **

---

This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
Profile Image for Linda Strong.
3,878 reviews1,699 followers
January 28, 2020
Sergeant Detective DD Warren .... Flora Dane .... FBI Special Agent Kimberly Quincy .... three of the most well-known characters of this author's series .... unite when a body is found 15 years after the victim disappeared outside a very small in Georgia.

There is a feeling this was a crime committed by the same man who stalked and abducted Flora Dane and held her captive for over a year. The three women are part of a task force to follow wherever they must to see if this crime was also committed by the now deceased serial killer Jacob Ness.

When they find multiple graves with the bodies of three more women, they are afraid that the past and the present may be connected by more than one killer.

What are the residents hiding? Why does everyone seem to lie ... or conveniently don't remember? What is the town hiding?

Quincy and DD must summon their considerable skills and experience to crack the most disturbing case of their careers—and Flora must face her own past directly in the hope of saving others.

This is another extremely well written killer thriller featuring stand out characters that are truly unforgettable. The mystery is nicely paced, especially with Dane remembering her time in captivity and what she still needs to discover today. The ending is satisfying and unpredictable.

Many thanks to the author / Penguin Group - Dutton / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Profile Image for MicheleReader.
961 reviews152 followers
January 22, 2020
4.5 stars

Lisa Gardner remains in top form in her latest thriller When You See Me. Detective DD Warren, FBI Special Agent Kimberly Quincy and survivor/vigilante Flora Dane are called together to help solve a murder in the hills of Georgia which may or may not involve the now decreased serial kidnapper, Jacob Ness. We quickly learn that this is not a one murder mystery as there are many strange occurrences that are unfolding in this small town. This fast-paced book keeps you guessing as the mysteries keep building. The multiple narratives are done well. You won’t want to put this one down.

Many thanks to Edelweiss, Dutton and Ms. Gardner for the advance copy of this suspenseful read which comes out on January 28, 2020.

Review also posted on my blog MicheleReader.com
Profile Image for Pauline.
926 reviews
January 8, 2020
Bones are found in a shallow grave and this is believed to be the work of a famous serial killer Jacob Ness.
Detective D.D. Warren and her team are trying to find what lead up to this murder.
A young girl is being held by people who use her as a slave, she is mute because of an incident years ago that left her mother dead.
I found the story disjointed but enjoyable in parts.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
2,169 reviews
June 23, 2024
4.5/ 5 stars

When You See Me is book #12 in the D.D. Warren series. These books are mystery/thrillers.

I adore Lisa Gardner and have read every book that she has written. This was probably my most anticipated read of early 2020. So I was beyond excited to get to read her newest book.

This book brings three favorite characters together: D.D. Warren, Kimberly Quincy and Flora Danes.

Flora is from books 9, 10 and 11 in the D.D. Warren series (Find Her, Look For Me, and Never Tell). Kimberly Quincy is from the Quincy and Rainie series (she is Quincy's daughter). She has also made appearances in the last D.D. Warren books.

Can this book be read as a standalone? I would personally suggest reading books 9, 10 and 11 before this one. As they are all connected. And I think that it will give you a much better understanding of the characters. However the mystery is self-contained to this book. So it could be read as a standalone.

This book has four narrators: D.D. Warren (3rd person POV), Kimberly Quincy (3rd person POV), Flora Danes (1st person POV), and some chapters written in italics (a girl, 1st person POV).

The author does give some reminders of what happened to Flora in the past (for those who have not read the other books or who need reminders).

Things that I loved about this book. I believe that this is the first book that Kimberly has narrated. I love her so much and was beyond excited to get her point of view. Also, Keith is in this book. After seeing him interact with Flora in the last book I was hoping that we would get to see him again. And we do. He plays a big part in this book.

My only small issue with When You See Me is that the beginning was a bit slow. It took a bit of time for everything to come together. But from the one third point on this book was fantastic. And by the half way point I could not put the book down. There was so much happening towards the end. It was incredible.

Overall, if you are a Lisa Gardner fan then you will love this book. There is nothing better than getting a book with D.D., Kimberly and Flora. What an amazing book!




Thanks to edelweiss and Dutton for allowing me to read this book. I adore Lisa Gardner. And was so beyond excited to read about D.D. Warren again. I love this series so much!
Profile Image for Wendy.
1,867 reviews662 followers
February 2, 2020
When You See Me is a thrilling addition to Lisa Gardner's "Detective D.D. Warren" series!
She unites three of her most well-known characters - Detective D.D. Warren, Flora Dane and Kimberly Quincy as they investigate a mysterious murder from the past that points to a dangerous and horrific present day crime.
Riveting characters and a non-stop, action-packed plot. You won't want to put this book down.
I am thrilled that Lisa Gardner continues to write one of my favourite series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Peguin Group Dutton for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
Profile Image for Elaine and Tess the Springer.
1,033 reviews24 followers
February 4, 2025
Gripping.

An absolutely riveting and compelling read. It does take a few pages to heat up and get going, but it doesn't disappoint and it's well worth reading.
Profile Image for Paula Brandon.
1,204 reviews35 followers
May 20, 2020
Lisa Gardner has been responsible for so many 4 star reads for me, so I really wanted to like this, especially since she's recently delivered two awful clunkers (Right Behind You and Never Tell), but her latest release only seems to continue this downward trend.

Protagonist Flora Dane was first introduced in Find Her and has since been synthetically injected into two further books where her presence generally wasn't necessary: the aforementioned terrible Never Tell, and Look For Me, which I thought was otherwise very good. This time around, Flora is dragged into a task force investigation when bones are discovered in a small northern Georgia town, and the victim is identified as a young girl who vanished 15 years ago, and was suspected could have been an unknown victim of Jacob Ness, the serial killer/rapist who kidnapped Flora and held her prisoner for over a year.

First of all, I don't understand how the discovery of bones possibly connected to a now dead serial killer would warrant an entire task force made up of FBI agents, homicide detectives from other states, local law enforcement, and a previous victim, to descend on a small town. Wouldn't it just be a cold case file? I could see a suspended-from-the-force Harry Bosch possibly investigating this, but not an operation of this magnitude!

And it only got worse from there. This book was several levels of bad, alternating from boring to melodramatic to just plain silly. It's not as bad as Right Behind You or Never Tell, but it's still pretty terrible, so if you insist on checking it out, maybe save a few of your hard-earned bucks and buy it cheaper on Kindle, or request it from your local library. It's not worth paying full-price new release money for.

The Good: I like D.D. Winters as a protagonist. She has developed as a character over the course of many books and she is a good anchor for stories. Her relationship with Bonita in this book delivered the only moments of suspense and intrigue.

Gardner has abandoned the unreliable narrator aspect that has permeated so much of her previous material. No white-woman-with-a-secret nonsense. We have three protagonists in D.D. Winters, Kimberly Quincy and Flora Dane from previous books, as well as Bonita, who we know is a victim seeking justice.

But that's not enough to overcome all The Bad.

SPOILERS FOLLOW



While I'm not giving up on Gardner as a reader, I won't be reading any more books if they involve Flora Dane and Jacob Ness. Gardner is flogging a dead horse now with these characters. I just don't see the point. The story's slate gets wiped clean anyway, every time there's a new book!

TL;DR: Although less convoluted than Never Tell, this was otherwise staggeringly terrible. Flora gets dragged into another story where she's not really needed: there's no resolution here over whether Jacob Ness was responsible for any of the dead bodies discovered, which suggests further Flora/Jacob stories (which I won't be around for.) Story gets off to an extremely slow start with lots of trekking through the woods and digging up grave sites. Perspective is divided between too many characters. Twists are telegraphed in advance. Lots of crime thriller tropes at play. Plot once again relies on the dark web to tie up everything in a neat little bow. Climax is stupid and hackneyed.

I'll start reading Lisa Gardner again if and when she moves on from Flora Dane and Jacob Ness.
Profile Image for Jim.
581 reviews103 followers
October 13, 2022
Lisa Gardner has become one of my favorite authors who rarely disappoints and D.D. Warren, a Boston homicide detective, is one of my favorite characters. D.D. first met Flora Dane in Find Her. Flora was a college student on spring break when she was kidnapped by Jacob Ness. 472 days later Flora was rescued by a F.B.I. task force headed by Kimberly Quincy. Since then Lisa Gardner has often united these characters and the result is a roller coaster thrill read that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, staying up at night reading one more chapter … and then another.

Jacob Ness may be dead but the story is not over. There are still too many unknowns. D.D., Flora, and Kimberly want to find the answers to the unknowns. In this story a pair of hikers make a gruesome discovery while hiking in the northern part of Georgia. Quincy calls D.D. who calls Flora who brings true crime aficionado Keith Edgar. The foursome head to a small town near the start of the Appalachian Trail. What appears to be a quaint picturesque small town is anything but. Nor are the people what they appear to be. Think evil. Think "Deliverance". Soon the bodies start piling up. There's bodies in them thar hills.

Flora may be a survivor but she has struggled to become a thriver. This may be to the turning point. We also meet Bonita. A young girl who is also a survivor. She may have handicaps but she is very intelligent and will play a key role in helping D.D, Flora, and Kimberly. A bond develops between D.D. and Bonita and I am hopeful that she will return in future stories. I am looking forward to the next installment in this series.
Profile Image for Deb.
790 reviews27 followers
September 23, 2020
I enjoyed the book up until the end. It felt very rushed to me. I felt cheated by the "paranormal" aspect of the ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Celestina1210.
478 reviews72 followers
April 25, 2024
3,5 ⭐️
Un thriller de la reine du suspens anglo-saxon. J’ai apprécié la deuxième moitié de ma lecture. Je n’aime pas spécialement l’alternance de point de vue ou alors avec des chapitres plus élaborés. Ça reste un agréable moment de lecture. Dans une petite ville perdue de Géorgie le cadavre de plusieurs femmes ont été retrouvés. Tout le monde pense au fameux tueur en série Jacob Ness. Mais l’enquête va s’avérer beaucoup plus complexe et beaucoup plus énigmatique qu’il n’y paraît. Que cache réellement cette petite bourgade ? Qui est le ou qui sont les monstres qui se cachent derrière cette disparition ?
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