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The whispering magpies

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Two months have passed since seventeen-year-old Kaylee Hamilton's twin sister, Abby, disappeared without a trace, shattering the family she left behind.
When Kaylee finally accepts that she may never see her twin again, Abby returns – but not as expected.
To help her sister uncover who is responsible for her disappearance, Kaylee needs Abby’s assistance. Snag is, Abby only remembers the whereabouts of her secret diary.
With the mystery unravelling towards a world of crime, Kaylee comes to the conclusion that everyone could be a potential suspect. And when she receives threatening messages warning her to stay away, she has to be quick. What if she’s the next person on the list?
Torn between letting things lie, and rescuing her twin, will Kaylee be brave enough to take a leap into her sister’s unknown world?

256 pages, Paperback

Published October 16, 2020

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A.J. SAUNDERS

8 books45 followers

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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Profile Image for Jennifer Pezzano.
Author 5 books48 followers
August 22, 2021
This was a great read! Full of vivid imagery and a fast paced plot that kept you on the edge of your seat. This story was haunting and the end will shock you. Highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys a thrilling ride.
Profile Image for Katherine Black.
Author 16 books62 followers
March 22, 2021
A tense and gripping thriller with more twists than a corkscrew. Halfway through this book, I had it all sewn up and sorted out—only I didn’t. The story explores the bond between identical twins.

Abby has been kidnapped, and Kaylee sets out on a quest to find out what has happened to her. However, she isn’t alone, Abby appears in spirit form to help her unravel the clues. Abby doesn’t know what happened, she has no memory and is confused about whether she is alive or dead.
As Kaylee gets closer to the truth, menace and danger stalk her at every turn.

We see the effects that a lost child has on the rest of the family who are at breaking point and how a teenager, who has always been half of a pair, copes on her own. Every time she looks in a mirror she sees her sister looking back at her. Kaylee turns to her boyfriend, but he has his own issues and trouble understanding Abby’s appearances.

The pace and tension build well through the book and the end jumps out at you from nowhere in a final and unexpected twist that knocks you for six.

A really good story that takes you on a roller-coater barrage of intrigue and emotions to the very last word.

Another unexpected pairing comes in the afterword when we discover that A J Saunders is a writing collaboration between two friends. They make a good team, and I’m looking forward to seeing what they come up with next. And exciting and thrilling read with some lovely characters. Highly recommended.
Profile Image for Tanya .
667 reviews12 followers
September 5, 2021
I received a free copy of this book and I am leaving a review voluntarily,

The prologue to this book is probably a victim's worst nightmare. We are thrust into a violent situation with Abby and then must watch as she endures the pain and torment to come.

Then we start the book we meet Kaylee, the twin sister of Abby who is now coping with her loss. I find the inclusion of the magpies interesting. The fact that the family refers to Abby's loss and disappearance rather than death is so intriguing.

As the magpies, a type of bird, get more described, I realize they aren't ravens but a species that seems to be connected to witch lore. As for Kaylee, she keeps seeing them, remembering her sister's rhyme and experiencing the feeling of impending doom.

This book gets curious as the twin receives a visit from her sister, seeming to guide her to something. So I get the feeling that Abby is alive but somehow disconnected. Her visits to her twin sister are a bit strange. I'm kinda wondering where she is and why her family is not notified of her issues.

This book is very suspenseful as Kaylee, and her boyfriend try to figure out what happened to her sister and by who. I find it intriguing that the magpies correlate to the events, the birds, and the rhyme, as well as more sinister groups of people in the book.

This book gets even more twisted as they uncover clues to the perpetrator who hurt Abby and the reason behind it. I thought that would end it with a happily ever after, but was I wrong. Instead, the book gets dark and twisted and has a shocking ending.

I have to say this book was intriguing from the start. I wanted to know the who and the why as to the immediate dark scene. As the book got going, I honestly felt like it took too long to get the answers. But I enjoyed the suspense and clue that the readers got to stumble upon with Alex and Kaylee. I felt the parents probably were a little naive as all this happened under their nose, and they didn't seem the wiser. However, the ending of this book was one heck of a twisted result.
Profile Image for D.J. Hawkins.
Author 5 books45 followers
November 9, 2021
A well-written, thrilling story about loss and sibling bonds mixed with a healthy dose of suspension, lore, and danger. It seemed like a ghost story at times, seeing as Abby - the abducted and possibly dead sister- visits her twin, Kaylee. Yet it wasn't exactly a spirit coming back; we didn't know if Abby was alive or dead. Totally enthralled with the magpies and their relation to lore. Overall, the book was well-paced and filled with suspense and tension all the way through. The characters were pretty were also fleshed-out and very realistic. The ending was a shocking and dark twist.
2 reviews1 follower
October 21, 2020
I really enjoyed the book, I must say I don't usually read young adult books, but the cover caught my attention, which led to the blub on the back, and the next thing, I'm halfway through the book.!
Great ending, never saw it coming
Profile Image for Jenni.
Author 25 books16 followers
October 30, 2020
Easy read.
Great characters.
The mystery unravels with some twists and turns and the main character's reactions are realistic.

There are quite a few YA issues raised and dealt with sensitively in the story too such as eating issues, depression, drugs and harassment.
January 23, 2022
Such a wonderful read! It is well-written and the characters are perfectly developed. The story has a suspenseful flow that keeps the reader engaged and excited to reach the end. The ending was unexpected but enjoyable. All-in-all, a great read that I would recommend. Good job to the author!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews

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