The Boy Who Wasn't There (Book of Gabrielle) product reviews

The boy who wasn't there (Book of Gabrielle) is the first in the series by Michael Panckridge. A gripping story full of suspense, terror, apparent hauntings and confusion.

About a girl (Gabrielle) who wakes up in hospital with no recollection of her life prior to that moment. She ends up in foster care, and then in a foster home for the holidays...what happens while she is in that home, is a story that will keep any reader, young or old, captivated till the very last page.

I agree with the previous review, if you (or your child) has a vivid imagination, and scares easily, this book might leave you with a few chills, and if you are a younger reader, and still intent on reading, be prepared for a few hair raising moments within the covers.

As stated on the back cover of the book, Gabrielle must try to piece together her fractured memory, but while trying to do this, strange things are happening in her foster home. Is the other child mentioned really there? or just a figment of her imagination? The terrifying things that happen to her at night, are they truly real, or is she dreaming? The more you read, the more intense the story line.

A really great book, that i read from cover to cover in just two hours, as i simply needed to know how it was going to end.

The only thing that i didnt like, was that, although Gabrielle got the answers behind everything that was happening in the foster home, there was really nothing to indicate where she had come from, and why she ended up in hospital...perhaps book two will cover this, but a little insight in book one may have been good.

First in a series, The Boy Who Wasn't There is the story of a young girl, Gabrielle, who wakes up in hospital with no memory of who she is or where she came from. A Voice in her head promises redemption, but only if she helps others and avoids uncovering her own past.

For a short, fast read, "The Boy Who Wasn't There" was surprisingly gripping. I enjoyed the way Panckridge spun mystery after mystery, slowly unravelling his web without making anything too obvious. This is a thriller, no mistake, but not gory. If you have arachnophobia, stay clear though. I loved that even though the first book held the complete resolution of Gabrielle's first 'mission', there was heaps of intrigue left about who she was and what she had done to need all this redemption - oh and who the mysterious Voice was as well.

Great for kids who like other scary books like Goosebumps (not sure what the modern equivalent is), or for adults who don't mind looking a little silly hold such a small book. I would keep this one away from the children who scare easily though. Some of the scenes are quite intense / gross if you have a good imagination.