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The Story
She escaped the traffickers. Now the real chase begins.
When Vân throws herself into Stuart Henderson's car on an ordinary evening in Guildford, she drags him into a world he never knew existed: hidden networks, bought police officers, and men who make people disappear.
Now the men who owned her want her back. And they will hurt anyone who stands in their way.
Outmatched and unprepared, Stuart, his husband Martin, anxious IT consultant John, and sharp-tongued seventy-three-year-old Barbara refuse to abandon her. As the night spirals into violence, this unlikely group discovers that courage doesn't always look like heroism. Sometimes it simply looks like showing up when it matters.
Literary crime thrillerHuman traffickingFound family
This one gets its hooks in early and doesn't let go. What starts as a chance encounter in a car quickly turns into something much darker. Trafficking, survival, trauma, and what it actually costs to try and piece a life back together after it's been ripped apart. It doesn't shy away from any of it. The emotional core is where …This one gets its hooks in early and doesn't let go. What starts as a chance encounter in a car quickly turns into something much darker. Trafficking, survival, trauma, and what it actually costs to try and piece a life back together after it's been ripped apart. It doesn't shy away from any of it.
The emotional core is where the real strength is. Vân works as a character because she's not written to be perfect. She's scared, she's strong, she's ashamed, she's hopeful, she's exhausted. All of it at once, and all of it believable. Stuart could easily have been the white knight archetype, the good bloke who swoops in and saves the day, but he's more than that. He's flawed. He's frightened. He makes impulsive decisions. He feels like a real person, and the dynamic between the two of them is what gives the whole thing its heart.
The structure earns its keep too. The shifts between present danger and past events across Vietnam and Europe don't slow the story down. They deepen it. Each flashback layers more of Vân's experience into the narrative so that by the time the later chapters hit, the emotional weight is enormous. There are scenes in here that are genuinely painful to read, and the book never treats its subject matter as anything less than it deserves.
This isn't a polished, glamorous thriller either. It's grounded. The danger is ugly, intimate and completely believable, which makes it hit harder. The supporting cast brings warmth and the occasional moment of relief without ever breaking the tone.
If there's a minor gripe, it's that some of the dialogue and emotional beats land a touch too directly. A bit more restraint in places might have made certain moments even more powerful. But the sincerity of the writing carries it through every time.
Overall, it's a compelling, compassionate and deeply unsettling read with real emotional weight behind it. This feels like a story written not just to entertain but to make people actually look at lives and suffering that get ignored far too easily. And that ending leaves you in no doubt this world has more to give.
Susan Jones — DanielARiddle.com ✓ Verified
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5.0/5
how did this book make me feel so much? i thoroughly enjoyed my time amongst the pages and was happily sat there from start to finish gripped, hooked and needing to read right until the end. i love the found family or chosen family element in books. so many people need that kind of feeling and support in their lives, …how did this book make me feel so much? i thoroughly enjoyed my time amongst the pages and was happily sat there from start to finish gripped, hooked and needing to read right until the end.
i love the found family or chosen family element in books. so many people need that kind of feeling and support in their lives, especially right now so i think it really reaches more than ever to so many people when this element is in stories. it is for me anyway.
Van was such a woman to follow. i mean what the??? how had she been through so much and was still running to be free. we start with the action for her straight away. Van propels herself into Stuarts car and life.
what we learn of her backstory is terrifying and anger inducing. shes been held and moved and trafficked around Europe. so this woman is hurt, damaged but somehow still fierce and brave but vulnerable and lost all at the same time. i was immediately protective of this woman. i was immediately wanting to fight those rotters for what they did to her. and now i was immediately needing her to be ok!
Stuart and his husband are then part of her story alongside a few other protectors that join the race. this dynamic is such a warm and joyous thing to read. im smiling even now once again thinking and writing about them. can they come and be my protectors too please?
what makes them so great is they are just humans. they are just everyday people forced and then fiercely doing something incredible. when pushed when they care human being truly finds some incredible traits and strengths. this makes you root for them and care for them all the more too. i mean they did not choose this but now they are fully in it.
and then we have our Barbara and yes i put "our" in front of her on purpose. her own story is wow. her place in this book is wow. and once again can she come into my life too please? like now?
there is the grit, fear and urgency to the pace of this read. you are tripping over yourself read more, know more, soak in more. but there is also those moments of the heart. strength in the relationships that are so stand out for me they are beautiful. this book held my heart and soul and both gripped and hugged them both.
what a clan to help this woman. what a group formed. just wow.
this book was so much more to me, meant so much more to me that i could have envisaged going in. this book reminds me how lucky we are to have brilliant authors who give us fantastic books. i loved this!
The Other Lotus Girl is a gripping tale that intertwines the themes of love, sacrifice, and the harsh realities of human trafficking. The story follows Stuart, a man who unexpectedly becomes a lifeline for Van, a young trafficking victim. Riddle's writing is both evocative and tense, drawing readers into the emotional turmoil faced by the characters. Riddle crafts complex characters, …The Other Lotus Girl is a gripping tale that intertwines the themes of love, sacrifice, and the harsh realities of human trafficking. The story follows Stuart, a man who unexpectedly becomes a lifeline for Van, a young trafficking victim. Riddle's writing is both evocative and tense, drawing readers into the emotional turmoil faced by the characters. Riddle crafts complex characters, particularly Stuart and Van, whose struggles resonate deeply. The portrayal of human trafficking is raw and unflinching, shedding light on a pressing issue while maintaining a narrative that is both engaging and heartbreaking. The tension builds effectively, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as the story unfolds. While the primary characters are well-developed, some supporting characters, like Martin's mother, could benefit from deeper exploration to enhance the overall narrative. Overall, The Other Lotus Girl is a powerful read that challenges perceptions and highlights the importance of empathy and action in the face of injustice. Highly recommended for those who appreciate thought-provoking fiction with a strong emotional core. Such a good book! It had me on the edge of my seat the whole time!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars Ordinary people, extraordinary danger. I couldn't put it down.
The opening blurb really explains it well: "It was supposed to be an ordinary Thursday evening in Guildford. But when a terrified young woman throws herself into Stuart Henderson’s car begging for help, his comfortable life shatters in an instant." The story is about Van, a Vietnamese girl trafficked to the UK to pay off her father's debts. People living …The opening blurb really explains it well: "It was supposed to be an ordinary Thursday evening in Guildford. But when a terrified young woman throws herself into Stuart Henderson’s car begging for help, his comfortable life shatters in an instant."
The story is about Van, a Vietnamese girl trafficked to the UK to pay off her father's debts. People living in the UK will know all too well how true this scenario can be. At times it is a hard read, as it reflects a brutal reality, but the author handles Van's backstory cleverly. We know what happens to her and how she feels, but he never goes into gratuitous detail. It is written in an honest, respectful way. Its clear she is speaking in Vietnamese but the author provides it in English (we know this as her speaking is better in the backstory then present day) I love this detail. We know when she talking in English or Vietnamese without having to read loads of translated dialogue..
This backstory intertwines with her escape, involving a group of ordinary people faced with an impossible situation. This part of the story features some dark British humour which is needed to break up the hard truths of the trafficking. It's never slapstick; it’s dark humour born of genuine fear. It reminds me very much of Mick Herron and how his characters deal with dangerous situations when they are out of their depth.
It was great to see a same-sex couple in a strong, loving relationship front and centre, and to see how Stuart’s own past battles shaped his desire to help Van. As for Mrs Patterson! You'll hate her to start with, but wait and see what happens before you judge her too much.
This is truly a top-drawer read. The action starts in chapter 1 and you won't want to put it down. It’s unique, I haven’t read anything like this before and I hope the author does a follow-up.
Thank you, NetGalley and the author, for giving me the pleasure of reading this.
I honestly hated the mother in law more than life itself. Props to the author for writing so well that the mother in law was truly insufferableI honestly hated the mother in law more than life itself. Props to the author for writing so well that the mother in law was truly insufferable
This isn’t just a standard chase thriller, it has real heart. While the plot resolves around a terrifying human trafficking ring, the core of the story is about normal, regular people being pushed to their absolute limits. I really rooted for Stuart and Martin, their relationship felt real and grounded amidst th chaos. John brought another level to it with …This isn’t just a standard chase thriller, it has real heart. While the plot resolves around a terrifying human trafficking ring, the core of the story is about normal, regular people being pushed to their absolute limits. I really rooted for Stuart and Martin, their relationship felt real and grounded amidst th chaos. John brought another level to it with his logic and clumsy fear. As for Mrs Patterson! You’ll both hate her and love her by the end. It deserves its 5 star award, I rate it the same. Cant wait to see what this author writes next.
Human Trafficking FictionFound Family ThrillerLGBTQ+ ProtagonistsKitchen Sink Realism Meets Crime ThrillerRoad Trip ThrillerBritish Crime FictionDark Humour in Crime FictionVietnamese ProtagonistOrdinary People in Extraordinary Danger
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