It seems strange to say this about such a sad book, but I really enjoyed it. The plot unfolds subtly and the final explanation of events happens without excessive drama. The portrayal of the loss of a child is beautifully evoked and I was totally consumed by this for the two days it took me to read it.

This is a stunning debut novel that is beautifully written. The characters are well placed and the plot is emotional and engaging. A fab summer read.

An excellent read. Great characters, and a storyline that keeps you guessing right to the end. Covers some difficult issues and does it well.
I will be looking out for more reads by this author.
Thank you to Netgalley for an early copy in return for a review.

I received a digital ARC of #MissingPieces from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really good book, although I'm not sure which genre it really belongs to. It's not really psychological thriller. It's just an emotional read about how members of one family come to terms with the loss of a child, and how it changes their lives forever. I did enjoy it but I think I was expecting something more - not sure what! Its difficult to review it without giving anything away, so I will say no more.

This was a heartbreaking read. A story of family and grief, it was quite hard to read at times, but ultimately enjoyable. I will definitely be looking for more from this author.

Missing Pieces is Laura Pearson’s debut novel. The book is divided into two halves, with the first half telling the story of the months following the death of Tom and Linda Sadler’s daughter Phoebe. The second half is set twenty-five years later, and Phoebe’s younger sister Bea is trying to make sense of Phoebe’s death and the devastating effect it has had on her remaining sister Esme and on their wider family.

This is one of those books where your heart breaks for the characters involved. The book is extremely well-written and is honest in its portrayal of grief for all those that have been affected by the consequences of events from decades before and delicately depicts how they attempt to move forward with their lives without the “missing pieces” of their family jigsaw. I shouldn’t - and don’t want to – tell you too much about the plot in this review as I feel that it would spoil it for future readers however the storyline is well-rounded and gradually revealed and whilst the subject has the potential to be a depressing read, it is in fact heart-warming in places, extremely emphatic and compassionate and overall feels realistic in how it tackles the issues raised. 

4/5 – An honest, beautiful novel with a gripping storyline tackling grief and its differing effects on the members of a family and their relationships going forward. I would recommend this for fans of family stories and authors such as Jodi Picoult and Jojo Moyes. It would make an excellent choice for book groups with lots to discuss. I look forward to reading more of the author’s books.

Thank-you to NetGalley for providing me with an Advance Readers e-proof copy from publishers Agora Books. All opinions are my own and are impartial and free from bias.

This was a really interesting read, I think it would be best suited to an older audience as I found it too ‘mature’. I thought that it was going to be more of a mystery novel and although there was an element of that, I would say that the main themes are family relationships and identity. Overall it was a good read, I did feel for some of the characters but again, I felt that I was too young to really appreciate it.

This is Laura Pearson's debut and honestly you would think that she had been writing for years it's that brilliant. It was raw, original and full of emotion. I was hooked from the first page until the end and wanted to reach through the page and hug them. It was a brilliant and honest look at how loss can hurt and change people, and how guilt can grow and manifest into something no one can comprehend. I loved Bea and how determined she was at making sure she gave her child a good future no matter what. Well written and a great summer read.

A beautifully written tale covering the extremely sensitive subject of the death of a child. The book explores the complex emotions experienced by each family member as they battle with the tragedy of Phoebe dying. Set in two parts, the first is set in the 1980s when the incident occurred. The second part brings the story up to 2011 as secrets are revealed. Excellent book.

A really heartbreaking and emotional read that grips your heart so tight at times it feels its going to break. I feel this book will not be for everyone as its a pretty sad kinda book bot for me it was amazing written. Even though it brought out a lot of emotions I thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend.

I’m going to start by saying that this is a great book. Its got interesting characters, enough suspense to keep you guessing, a good story line. I’ve read many books like this recently though, that’s all I would say by way of constructive feedback - it’s a bit similar to many books around at the moment with its plot.

Loved this book from page 1. Characters are so well developed. I felt like I was a part of their lives. This is a story of a family who loves each other more than anything but can't get past the pain. A  family who needs to learn how to move on and accept what is and accept what can be. I wanted to keep reading. A sequel is needed. I want Tonkin how the all turn out!

A heart wrenching book from start to finish.  

The story begins with a tragic funeral that should have been able to be avoided - pheobe (3) had lost her life.  Part one of the book written during the days following the funeral tells us of the huge impact this loss has had on the family, how each of the surviving members - mother (pregnant),  father and sister were dealing with their sorrow.  More tradgedy ensues.  
Part two, written years after brings into the story the new sister who knew little about her ‘absent’ sister begins to question what actually happened all those years ago.

A story of family, heartache and acceptance.  A highly recommended read.

This is a sad book. A very sad book. A book that is sad from the beginning almost to the very end.

As such, it's not really for me. It's a hard read and depressing.

Having said that, it's written beautifully and it explores the impact of tragedy in a caring, thought out way.

If you like that type of domestic drama, you'll love this.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

Slow start but then it gathers pace and you will love this! A very well written and original thriller.

This book starts with death of a child and the drama that surrounds it. The aftermath of this event is told but not in full. Fast forward 25 years and new dramas unfold waiting for the full family secret to come out. The characters have a depth to them and you can empathise with them. A great read.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and have enjoyed it very much.  

The story is based around 3 sisters, one of whom died as a child, one who carried the guilt of that death to adulthood and the third which knew nothing about what happened and was finding out in letters written as if talking to the dead sister.  That’s all I’m going to tell you about the story, you’ll need to read to the end to find out for yourself .  I’m sure you won’t be disappointed by the outcome.

Missing Pieces is novel about how grief, mistakes, blame, and isolation can spur negative repercussions. Those repercussions affect relationships, mental health, and self actualization. The raw emotional depth of this novel is stunning. As a reader you often feel like intruder, witnessing private grief and pain, seeing how it manifests in each of the main characters. 

The novel opens on August 5, 1985, 21 Day’s After, with, “The coffin was too small. Too small to contain what it did, which was not only Phoebe’s body, but a large part of Linda too.” Phoebe, the almost 4 year old daughter of Linda and Tom, sister of 7 year old Esme, has died. We continue to follow the heavily pregnant Linda, Tom, and Esme through Part I, as we count down from the day of Phoebe’s death. We experience the intimate portrayal of grief which is raw, uncomfortable, and often maddening. We live all 161 days of Part I with our main characters cycling through the stages of grief and the depths of their despair, feeling intermittently angry, betrayed, and hopeful. We witness the birth of Bea, and hope beyond hope that she will be the light to lead them out of their darkness. 

Part II opens 9610 Days After on November 6, 2011. Bea is now 26 years old, Phoebe’s death having happened before she even took her first breath, yet we continue the countdown. Why? Because the loss of Phoebe has cast a shadow over every aspect of this family and their lives. It’s caused an unending cycle of loss and pain, but Part II gives us the hope that it’s never too late to overcome your sorrows, to begin anew. 

Beautifully written, emotionally raw, and brutally honest, I devoured Missing Pieces in a few short days. While I didn’t always love the characters or their choices, they were realistically flawed.

Oh my what a read. 

Linda, pregnant, lost her little girl in a tragic accident and is trying to come to terms with it 

This is a tense and heart rending tale and I truly loved it. it is superbly written and I loved the two time lines of the story. You do actually feel the family's grief and I must admit I was choked up a few times. 

It is a fabulous debut and highly recommended

This book broke my heart.

I read it in two days, just couldn't put it down once I started. Linda's guilt is understandable, and ultimately destroys her family and the rest of her life.

Leaving a child alone in the house is always a dividing question. In this day and age, two children in a house alone, would be alerted to Social Services, however in the 80's it was an everyday occurrence. I remember myself, as an 11 year old, looking after my 7 year old sister during school holidays, all my friends did it.

The destruction caused by Linda's emotionally torn decision, lives with each and every one of them, for the rest of their lives. Tom, Linda and in some part, Esme, are all responsible for Phoebe's death. It changes their ongoing paths, resulting in a splintered, destroyed family.

Whether this book is loosely based on personal experience, or solely from the author's imagination, the story places you right in the middle of their grief. I could relate to all three of them, and even felt angry at Tom, because of the reason he wasn't home with the girls.

I felt maternal towards Esme, understanding her feeling it was her fault, but desperately wanted Tom or Linda to reassure her, she was not to blame.

An amazing book, I will be looking out for more by Laura Pearson for sure