Author: Lisa Regan
Genre: Mystery
Published on: August 6, 2012, self-published
With his career on thin ice and fresh ink on his divorce papers, Sacramento PD Detective Connor Parks goes searching for solace at the bottom of a bottle…and winds up in the arms of a beautiful woman. By morning she’s gone, and the one clue she left behind sends Connor on a desperate mission to unravel a decade-old mystery—her abduction.
Presumed dead for the last ten years, Claire Fletcher has been living her life as “Lynn,” a woman in the terrifying grip of her captor. After her unforgettable night with Connor, Claire clings to the hope that she’ll see him again, that he’ll follow her into the dark. But anyone who gets close to Claire has a way of turning up dead…and she’s unwittingly made Connor next on the list.
Before long, it becomes disturbingly clear: finding Claire Fletcher isn’t just going to be dangerous—it could be deadly.
This is a mystery/crime thriller novel centered on titular character Claire Fletcher. She’s a young woman who was kidnapped when she was fifteen. Her captor is a twisted monster whose identity is a mystery for most of the book. He’s kept Claire to himself for an entire decade and calls her Lynn. She’s been unable to escape his clutches. The man does allow her a little freedom, as Claire holds a job. She hasn’t lost all hope, fortunately. Claire sneaks out of town one night looking to pick up a man.
Enter Connor Parks. He’s a detective with the Sacramento PD. Connor recently found himself in huge trouble. He killed a suspect he thought was carrying a weapon. Connor is at a bar when a woman introduces herself to him. Claire uses her real name but doesn’t reveal her situation. She passes herself off as just another bar customer. Connor and Claire hit it off, and they go to the detective’s house, where they sleep together. The next morning, Connor wakes up to find Claire gone. All she left is a note with her name and address.
When Connor goes to Claire's house a few days later, he's in for a shock. Claire's siblings, Tom and Brianna, reveal that their sister has been missing for a decade. Connor's certain the woman he met was the real Claire Fletcher. After telling the siblings he's a detective, they refer Connor to Mitch Farrell. He's a private investigator who searched for Claire years ago. Connor also learns he's the fourth man in eight years who's come looking for Claire at her former house.
Finding Claire Fletcher is written from the first-person POV of Connor and Claire. Every time the POV switches, a new chapter begins. Connor’s chapters all take place in the present. Claire’s chapters alternate between the past and the present. She recounts how her captor came up with a ruse to snatch her in broad daylight. There was one witness, but she didn’t help much. At least Connor tracks this witness down in his search for Claire. He and Mitch work alongside each other to finally rescue Claire. For Connor, it’s not about love…at least not yet. He only wants to make Claire’s life right again and return her to her family. Connor has to be creative, though. As he’s suspended, Connor doesn’t have the full resources of the police at his disposal.
Claire at least isn't alone with her captor. He found another girl some time after kidnapping Claire. The new girl is Tiffany, a young runaway. She's younger and doesn't resent being with the man. Claire got too old for him to be sexually interested in her anymore. It's not certain if he'll keep Claire alive much longer. This means Connor and Mitch must work against the clock to free Claire. For her part, she’s never lost hope of the authorities rescuing her. Claire wants her life back and is willing to fight for it.
This was a riveting mystery novel. Claire is a slightly damaged girl you can’t help but root for. It was entertaining to read about Connor’s efforts to save her. The odds aren’t good, but that doesn’t stop him. I also liked that Claire never resigned herself to her fate. She always fought her captor, especially when he threatened other girls. Finding Claire Fletcher was a little long, but not tiring. I strongly recommend it to mystery and crime suspense fans.
My rating: ★★★★
4 stars - Definitely enjoyed it!
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