Book Review | Please See Us by Caitlin Mullen

Please See Us

by Caitlin Mullen

Gallery Book

Publication Date : March 3, 2020

Pages : 338

Synopsis From Publisher :

Summer has come to Atlantic City but the boardwalk is empty of tourists, the casino lights have dimmed, and two Jane Does are laid out in the marshland behind the Sunset Motel, just west of town. Only one person even knows they’re there.

Meanwhile, Clara, a young boardwalk psychic, struggles to attract clients for the tarot readings that pay her rent. When she begins to experience very real and disturbing visions, she suspects they could be related to the recent cases of women gone missing in town. When Clara meets Lily, an ex-Soho art gallery girl who is working at a desolate casino spa and reeling from a personal tragedy, she thinks Lily may be able to help her. But Lily has her own demons to face. If they can put the pieces together in time, they may save another lost girl—so long as their efforts don’t attract perilous attention first. Can they break the ill-fated cycle, or will they join the other victims?

Sixteen year old Clara is not your average teenager. Rather than picking out prom dresses and scouting colleges, she is working as a tarot card reader on the boardwalk of Atlantic City, New Jersey. When vulnerable women start disappearing, Clara’s gift allows her to see what has become of these women. Terrified for herself and possible future victims, Clara enlists the help of Lily Louten to investigate the disappearances. However while Clara and Lily are searching for the killer, the killer has already found them.

Lily Louten grew up in Atlantic City then moved to New York City to pursue a career in art. After a devastating breakup, she is back in Atlantic City. In New York, Lilly worked in a well known art gallery alongside her boyfriend Matthew. Lily was a “gallery girl" getting coffee, picking up lunch, and answering phones. Her long term goal being owning a gallery of her own representing artists like Matthew. The incident which led to Lily fleeing New York was terribly embarrassing but it could have also accelerated her career. Rather than seizing on the opportunity, Lily walks away with her pride bruised a bit, but in tact. It took a while to learn the details behind Lily’s departure but once I did, my respect for her went up a notch. Lily has integrity, this is why she was unable to walk away from missing women despite the danger.

Despite Clara’s young age, she has seen a lot and lived a difficult life. Not only is she supporting herself but also her aunt who is struggling with addiction. There were many times while reading Please See Us, I had to remind myself that Clara was just a kid. Lily’s and Clara’s paths cross at the spa where Lily works. Although Lily sees her current situation as less than ideal from Clara’s view - Lily’s life looks pretty good. Lily’s life has some stability, unlike Clara who has no foundation. Lily and Clara are so different but they both want the same thing, the chance to start a new life. Reading how their relationship played out was just as riveting as the central mystery. 

I have only been to Atlantic City once, many years ago. What I remember is much different from what Mullen describes of the once prosperous city. However knowing Hurricane Sandy ravaged the world famous boardwalk in 2012 as well as the decline of the casinos, Mullen’s depictions are not difficult to imagine. Mullen illustrates a city on the edge of collapse, where jobs are few and it appears the residents have given up. Many of the once bustling casinos are now boarded up, the ones in operation are merely a shadow of what they once were. Atlantic City is the third main character of Please See Us. The story would not have been as gripping if it was set anywhere else. 

As we approach the Spring season I am beginning to look back at the books I have read in 2020. Which books stood out, which books faded into the back of my mind. Please See Us holds a firm spot in the front of my mind. Please See Us is a thought provoking story with unique pacing and unforgettable characters.  Readers looking for a socially relevant and engaging read should add Please See Us to their list of must reads. 

Murder and Moore Rating : 

4.5 out of 5 Stars