In Charlie, Presumed Dead by Anne Heltzel, Charlie’s two girlfriends uncover his secrets after his plane crashes and his body has gone missing.

After Charlie’s plane crashes and his bloody sweater is found amongst the ruins, his family and friends attend his funeral in Paris. There, Lena and Aubrey meet each other for the first time and realize they’ve been dating the same person. The girls decide to find out if either of them really knew him at all.

Lena and Aubrey are keeping their own secrets, though. They dig into Charlie’s life, hoping to find any evidence that will tell them why he used them and why he was in the plane when it crashed.

Even more shocking? Lena doesn’t believe Charlie is really dead at all.

‘Charlie, Presumed Dead’ review

The first thing you should know about this book is that it’s so much more than it first appears. At its heart, the story is about Lena and Aubrey’s unexpected friendship. Though you would imagine them to be enemies at first sight, they bond over their hatred of what Charlie has done to both of them. At first their relationship centers around Charlie, but they soon find out they have a lot more in common than just their ex-boyfriend.

The girls set out on a global adventure, which takes them from Paris to London and eventually to Bombay. Each country has a different flavor, and the writing reflects both the charms and dangers of the cities without bogging you down with too much history or detail.

What will stand out the most, however, are the continual twists and turns Heltzel keeps throwing at you. And the end of the book will have you begging for more.

Charlie, Presumed Dead by Anne Heltzel is available now. You can add it to your Goodreads list, or purchase it from Amazon or IndieBound.