Say You're Sorry Hardcover – October 2, 2012

First Sentence: My name is Piper Hadley and I went missing on the last Saturday of the summer holidays three years ago.Two girls went missing. After three years, the body of one of the girls is found, frozen and mutilated. Is the other girl still alive? A family has been murdered in a farm house and the house torched. A young man is accused, but psychologist Joe O’Loughlin believes he is innocent and that the murder and the girls are connected.The book starts off very well with a compelling opening of the situation from the perspective of a 15-year-old girl. Robotham captures the voices and personalities of his characters. He does have a compelling voice filled with wry humor and pragmatism.Joe is an interesting character; very human with his own shortcomings and insecurities. Robotham does a good job of bringing readers, new and old, up to date on Joe’s life.The story is about two cases; one which began in the past, one in the present. The threads are joined together very well and with a good building of suspense.Where the story falls down is in its predictability. Because of its structure, you can guess the outcome, although not the villain, very early on.“Say You’re Sorry” is not Robotham’s best work, which is sad. He is a very good writer who has written some wonderful books. Unfortunately, this is not one of them.SAY YOU’RE SORRY (Lic Invest/Psychologist-Joe O’Loughlin-England-Contemp) – OkayRobotham, Michael - 6th in seriesMulholland Books (LB&Co), 2012

For years I have been saying that Michael Robotham is the next big thing. Now he's the new big thing. Say You're Sorry meets all expectations; it is the equal of all of his previous novels.Say You're Sorry concerns the disappearance of two young girls in and around Oxfordshire. They appear to have been running away from home, but somehow they never got wherever it is that they were going and they've now been missing for three years.The fascinating plot twist is that, from the very beginning of the book, one of the girls speaks to us (in italicized chapters), tells us that she is still alive and begins to reveal details about her abduction and confinement. Meanwhile, Joe O'Loughlin is helping the local police to find the person who did this and he is helped, eventually, by Victor Ruiz. Quick-cutting between the two points of view--Piper's and Joe's--with frequent cliffhanger endings in each chapter, is a tried and true narrative method and Robotham milks it very, very well.The local environs are well-described and they will be familiar to all who have ridden the train from Paddington to Oxford. When was the last time that Didcot got this much attention in a novel?Joe's relationship with his (sort-of) estranged wife makes for a nice subplot and there is an unexpected twist at the novel's end--not a triple-reverse Deaver twist, but a twist that is both plausible and unexpected.Looney abductor with a smiling face meets spunky abductee while he's being tracked by Joe O'Loughlin: the perfect ingredients. Prediction: this will counter the biggest dose of Melatonin and keep you up into the small hours.

"Say you're sorry" is a gripping story in more ways than one. It's a very exciting thriller that keeps you on edge right until the end. Robotham's style has definitely evolved and you can see he has honed his already considerable skills to a point where he leaves you with a utterly absorbing and believable story.On another level "Say you're sorry" is a story about children's hopes and dreams confronted with (mis)trust, prejudice and selfishness. Robotham does a very clever job at making the (abducted) girls' minds as genuine as the adults'. I couldn't help wondering if his experience with growing up children gave him some insights.Being the next in the series featuring Joe O'Loughlin, it's good to see him back on track, rubbing shoulders with Vincent Ruiz once again and wondering where his family life is heading. Don't worry, you'll know more when you've finished the book.So, a must-read for those already familiar with the series, but if you are not, you're still in for a hell of a ride.Finally, I would like to make a remark about some of the "reviews" that are posted here. Apparently some people are dissatisfied with the Kindle concept and the price of the e-books. Fine, send a mail to Amazon. But what the point is of giving a single book a 1 star "review" if you haven't even read it, just to gripe about Kindle, is really beyond me. It lowers the average rating in a big way, for no reason whatsoever. A bit of moderating would do wonders.

I truly wish I’d listened to this CD when I bought it. Having had 3 VERY LONG hospitalizations, circumstances made that impossible.i finally got all the audio versions in this series, I love his books. But when I got to this one, every single CD is so badly scratched, the book is unlistenable. I just bought the audible version. But I sometimes prefer the CD’s, like in this case. After too many failed market places failures to count, I’m never ever trusting sellers again. This was from a library, and that breaks my heart as I’m a lifetime library patron.Can’t trust anyone anymore.

Say You're Sorry is one of the most gripping thrillers I have read in years. Dealing with the story of abduction and the way young women are seen in our society the book not only delivers toe-curling thrills but also takes a long hard look at sexuality and societal expectations. Throughout the book we not only see it from Joe O'Loughlin's POV but also have sight of the diary of Piper one of the young women who was abducted. Reading her story I was reminded of 'The Collector' and although the books are very different I think Robotham surpasses Fowles in delivering a wholly realistic narration of a young girl struggling in the most extreme circumstances. Cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Ever since I read this author's brilliant Shatter (arguably the most exciting thriller I've ever read) I've been hoping for a repetition. Certainly, this novel is exciting and well-written, but still not in the same league.Tash and Piper, teenage friends, disappeared three years ago, and hope for their safe recovery has faded. Until, that is, a fire in a farmhouse and the serendipitous presence of the psychologist Joe O'Loughlin, cause it to be reopened (O'Louglin is a character known to fans of Rowbotham, and very likeable). The storyline is divided between first person narrative (O'Loughlin) and Tash's diary, and this works well. I did find the first two thirds of the novel a little slow, but the last part more than makes up for them as the story builds to its gripping climax. The novel is as much whodunnit as thriller, and when the final denouement came, I felt a little cheated. Some may have guessed the ending; I certainly wouldn't have (and so, no "oh, of course!" moment for me!). Also, one piece of extreme cruelty did strike me as unncessary - and would it really have happened? (no details to avoid spoilers. Anyone who has read the novel will know what I'm referring to).But in conclusion, a good, enjoyable - in some parts, thrilling - read, although I'm still waiting for another Shatter!.

The author is a well accomplished writer within the thriller genre. Say you are sorry proves the point clearly.The psychological aspect is insightful and well researched. It is a complex subject, as it gives you an insight into the human mind and what triggers their behaviour. The tonne is straight away set from the opening pages. It is all ready, set and go from the first page, as if you are in a race circuit. The plot is gripping, thrilling and enthralling. It concerns the disappearance of two teenagers in a small town. What prompted their sudden disappearances? Clinical psychologist works in conjunction with the police force to assist in the investigation. His approach is different from the police. There are few suspects in the picture. It is a guessing game, as you never know what to expect. The trail becomes warm. The pace increases, as you flip every page.The author knows how to keep readers interested with a cracking plot. It is filled with a dark atmosphere and high levels of suspense. Michael Robotham's forte is writing quality thrillers.

Let me start by saying this book was far too expensive,the most I have ever paid for a novel.So was it worth it? Well yes it was,an unputdownable story told by a writer at the peak of his talent.Not the best he has ever written but still head and shoulders above others in the genre.The two main characters Joe O Loughlin and retired policeman Ruiz are fast becoming the best crime duo since Dalziel and Pascoe,they are fully fleshed out characters who leap off the page,with human frailty and flaws,but also extremely funny banter between the two.The story is classic Robotham,drawing you in until the very last line on the very last page,I did pick up on the clue given halfway in the book and guessed the identity of the killer,but I was never really sure until the end,and to be honest the identity of the bad guy is secondary to the way the story unfolds,Robotham doesn't really write whodunnits,Its the complex plots and character driven stories that make him one of the best crime writers alive today.But I sincerely hope they dont charge such a high cover price again,or I might have to wait for the paperback!

Bought this book for my wife, who is an avid reader but who had hit a bad run of books and was becoming disillusioned of ever finding a mystery/murder/adventure book that 'did it' for her. She complained that most stories were slow to get going, if at all, made up for lack of story with an abundance of descriptive flannel, were very similar to that already read, and were generally very disappointing.Michael Robotham's "Say You're Sorry" saved the day, and from the moment she started reading it was totally captivated by it, and only drowsiness at night made her put the book down, or more accurately when it fell out of her hand onto the floor!. She didn't want the book to end, and was now gone on and ordered 4 other Robotham books to ensure good reading continuity. What do we do when the supply of his books runs out?