Title: Search for Her
Author: Rick Mofina
Published on: 10 March 2021
Genre: Mystery and Thrillers
Search for Her is a gripping, totally engrossing and riveting page-turner by Rick Mofina. This is the first Rick Mofina book I read but it definitely won’t be the last. What a fantastic thriller! I was hooked on to the story from page 1. The suspense is at an all-time high throughout the story – just when you think ‘Phew! The mystery behind Riley’s disappearance is solved”, there’s a twist – you would have never ever expected it!
The story starts with a family of four moving from San Diego, California to Pittsburg. They are taking a long circuit to Pittsburg – via a rental RV. We have John, the father and his son Blake; Grace and her daughter Riley. John lost his wife and daughter to a boating accident a few years ago. Grace lost her husband to a road accident a couple of years ago. Grief brought the two together and they have been married for two years now.
Riley was not happy to leave California – the house she grew up in, her school friend and her boyfriend – she doesn’t want to leave it all to move to Pittsburg. The two teenagers (Blake and Riley) are engrossed in their cellphones. Grace is frustrated with their behavior and takes away their phones for a while. This irritates Riley and she locks herself in the room (of the RV).
The family stops at a place for refreshments and Grace tells John to let Riley be on her own – until she cools down. They return to the RV in some time and are a few kilometers on the highway when they realize Riley’s not in her room. They are about to trace their way back to the truck stop but they meet with an accident. The Las Vegas Police are informed of Riley’s disappearance and an AMBER alert is issued.
Search for Her is making its way into my best books of 2021 list. What a fantastic thriller! Gripping, mind-blowing, spine-chilling and keeps one on the edge of their seat.
As the story proceeds, we readers are given a gist of the characters’ ‘other side’. Let me explain. John, Blake and even Grace have something to hide – something from their past which is troubling them. Is Riley’s disappearance related to the mistake they made in their past? Did Riley run away with her boyfriend? After all, Grace was against their relationship. Or, did Riley become a victim of human trafficking?
Halfway through the story, a clue is found – something that might lead to Riley’s whereabouts. But the detectives reach a dead end. We also have the angle of ‘pesky’ reporters. Grace gave one of the reporters her contact number; the reporters call her to share information – most of which the police have kept hidden from the family – or to dig for more details on their personal lives. It can be quite annoying when the family is going through tough times and the press makes a field day out of their grief!
Excellent character portrayal, excellent storytelling and mind blowing suspense. I absolutely loved every bit of this story. If you are a mystery lover, you wouldn’t want to miss reading Rick Mofina’s Search for Her.
Many thanks to the lovely Nina Kicul for the ARC. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.
The Book Decoder 
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