The first book in a new police procedural thriller series and it's off to a very good start. Joy Kluver has done an excellent job of developing Det Bernadette Noel and her supporting cast. The back story will have you watching for clues that I missed until the reveal. When secrets are revealed, the story takes a few huge twists that sure surprised me.

A solid police procedural, with believable and engaging characters. Although the end of the story felt slightly predictable, the book did an excellent job of conveying the meticulous nature of police investigations, the small mistakes that can have serious consequences. Looking forward to hearing what Bernie and her team do next!

As well-written as it is, at first this novel seems to be nothing new: a little girl who disappears in a moment of her mother's distraction, the search and the hope of finding her alive growing fainter by the day. However, intriguing elements soon appear in the narrative, such as the bizarre behaviour of the community in which the missing girl's family lives, which puts up a wall of hostility to the investigation. Little by little, elements from the past emerge, interweaving revenge, interests and pure malice, creating a thriller that is truly unusual in its development and conclusion.

Review: Last Seen (Detective Bernadette Noel #1) by Joy Kluver
When five-year-old Molly Reynolds is snatched from the park in the small village of Otterfield, Detective Bernadette ‘Bernie’ Noel throws herself into the search, sick with worry for the quiet, sensitive little girl and her distraught mother.

Wasting no time, Bernie finds a small green cardigan under a bush in the park. It still has the smiley face sticker Molly won that week at school. It’s the first in a chain of clues – and Bernie can’t shake the feeling that it was left deliberately, as a message.

But Bernie encounters a wall of silence. Otterfield is a close-knit community, yet no one in the village seems to care that Molly is missing at all. Why?

And then Bernie makes a chilling discovery: twenty-five years ago, another little girl went missing from the area. Her name was Sophie, and all they ever found of her was her teddy bear, hidden under a bush. Now Bernie knows she’s in a race against time to save Molly’s life.

Bernie’s team work round the clock to find a connection between the two girls, and just when they think they’re making progress a devastating tragedy strikes at the heart of the case. Molly’s family have been hiding a secret, and now their little girl is in greater danger than ever.

Can Bernie outwit the most warped criminal she has ever faced and bring Molly home safe, or will another innocent life be lost?

Review


Last Seen is the first book in the Detective Bernadette Noel Series. I read the second book in the series last year and couldn’t resist going back to the beginning with this title. Once again, I find myself reading another missing child mystery. I decided to slow down on these but then again, all my series seem to have at least one case that deals with a missing child. I certainly don’t regret reading this one though.

The story begins with five- year old Molly going missing while playing at a park. A missing child is shocking enough but a town that doesn’t care, that caught my attention. Instead of going out searching for the little girl, the town folks shunned the family. They just didn’t seem bothered at all. I was naturally curious as to why this was happening even as I wondered what happened to Molly.

Bernadette is a great lead detective. She is likeable, no drama or jaw dropping secrets. She works well with her team and I was rooting for her and Anderson. The problem with reading the second book first is that I jumped ahead in terms of the characters’ back stories but I’m glad that I had a chance to go back and see how different relationships were formed.

This was a captivating, well-written cop procedural with an intriguing lead detective. I am currently reading the 3rd book which is quite good so far

I'm not sure how I missed this book on my TBR and having read the next two in the series it was good to see how it all began!
A difficult case involving child abduction, both historical and contemporary

*thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture and Joy Kluver for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*


3 stars.

Umm. Overall I will say this was a good story. But it had a couple issues with it. I'll start with a positive about it though and that was what happened in the story about half way through. There was a bit of a surprise in what had happened and it really gave the story that kick it needed and it really grabbed my attention.

In the beginning, the story was starting off well. It had a good flow to it. The characters were good and it was something I was enjoying. But my attention and interest was slowly sliding downhill. That is, until that half way mark where my interest sky rocketed. I'd hoped it was going to stay that good until the end but something that really disappointed me is something I can't really speak about as it's a major spoiler but all I can say is that what should have a been a major intense overwhelming part of the story, was completely flat. I was left thinking, 'umm, ok. So that's it then?' Not something you want in a story that is ment to make you feel anticipation over what's ment to be the biggest climax of the story. To add to it, by the 70% mark I had guessed who had taken Molly. But I will add to that, that it was a clever choice of character to have done it.

Unfortunately, there was more downs to this than ups. But like I said, 3 stars, means it was still a good story and while I'm glad I read it. I'm not sure I'll continue with the series unless the second book sounds like it could have a lot of potential.

This book is a great police book which will have you turning the pages. This book is a new series and its very fast paced with a great plot. There were so many suprises and what an ending.

This is the first book in the series which follows Detective Noel. A great story line with credible characters.
I'm looking forward to reading more in this series

Last Seen by Joy Kluver is the first book in the Detective Bernadette Noel series and I loved it especially as Joy is a new author to me as well. This book was brilliant from start to finish I was hooked within the first few pages and that were I stayed - in my comfy seat and ended up reading Last seen in one sitting with Toilet breaks!

I highly recommend this book and so looking forward to her next installment in the Detective Bernadette Noel series.

Big thank-you to netgalley the Bookouture and author for the advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest opinions.

This is the first book in the series featuring Detective Bernadette ‘Bernie’ Noel. We learn that Bernie has moved from the Met to Otterfiekd, a small village in Wiltshire, after a case that resulted in her and her family receiving death threats. After returning from her Grandfather’s funeral she is called to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a five year old girl, Molly Reynolds who has gone missing from a playground whilst her mother was changing her baby brother. When Bernie finds Molly’s cardigan in the bushes she has a feeling that as well as a clue a message was being sent. After speaking to Molly’s mother she finds that none of residents in the village wants to help find Molly. The reason is revealed later when Bernie learns that another little local girl went missing a few years ago and has never been seen again. Time is running out to find Molly and Bernie is told that she only a few days left to solve the case or another more experienced officer will be brought in. For a debut novel this was a brilliant read. The.
plot is action packed and fast paced with plenty of twists and turns, I look forward to the next book in the series,
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I think it's well written and heartbreaking but the plot didn't keep my attention. It's good plotted but it misses something to keep me reading.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

A fresh new voice in police procedural. This compelling debut hits the mark – cleverly plotted, engrossing storyline and refreshingly diverse characters. A must-read! I’m hooked and will look forward to catching up with Detective Bernie Noel in the next book. A fantastic start to the series.

5 Stars from me   

I love beginning a new series and I always do so with the hope in my heart that it will be the first in a series of books that I come to love. 

Joy Kluver has created a memorable cast of characters in Last Seen and I soon found myself engrossed in the story and enjoying meeting the police team.

Last Seen is a classic race against time with a sense of urgency as Detective Bernadette Noel and her colleagues try to find missing 5 year old Molly... and yet, contrary to all that you would expect, the villagers don't seem willing to help look for her. But why?

The story unfolds in clever layers, with little snippets being released at various stages. Every time I patted myself on the back, sure that I had sussed out the culprit, it took another turn.

I greatly enjoyed Last Seen and can't wait to read the next in the series - Broken Girls.

A missing child plot arc in police procedural and I was hooked, examining every clue that DI Bernie found. First book, in hopefully a long running series, by author Joy Kluver, I enjoyed the friendliness of the prose.

There was a sense of urgency in finding the child, but the main intrigue came in when the villagers refused to help search for the child. The neighboring villages too preferred to stay out. That was the most confusing, also the most delicious subplot as I really wanted to know the reason.

The writing built up the suspense in that mystery with its careful writing. Kudos to the author. The wall of silence and no help from community, especially in a missing child was a new one for me. BERNIE was great in her role of leading the team. I loved how the cops were shown to be human.

This was their first case and also mine with this author and it was great to see both of us hard at work under the direction of the author. Yes, I blame her. I stopped my work and chores to read the book. Well, that said it all.

In recent times, a crime thriller caused more anxiety in me due to the changed real world. But this book brought me back and showed me how much I loved a police procedural, done right.

There were other subplots of robbery, connection to an old case along with facts from Bernie’s past. They were tied up nicely in one big package of 350+ pages.

A new angle, a strong protagonist, forensics and dogs playing their part, an intelligent brain to weave the clues together, along with secrets of past all made the book absolutely brilliant. Loved it.

After a little girl, Molly, vanishes into thin air without a trace whilst at the playground with her mother Jessica, the race is on to find her and her abductor. Everyone in the small local village is a suspect, especially as they seem so unwillingly to help with the search. I thoroughly enjoyed the suspense and build up throughout the book, as well as the frustration at not being able to predict was involved with the abduction. I enjoyed the language used and how the book was written, including the development of characters and their relationships with one another. However, I did find the climax of the book happened quickly and with little warning, making it feel a little rushed at the end.

When newcomer 5-year-old Molly disappears from a play park in the small village of Otterfield none of the other residents are forthcoming. Bernie, the detective assigned to the case, who also recently moved to the village, knows what it’s like to be an outsider. She also has her own problems; after the death of her father she receives anonymous, threatening and mysterious notes, and it’s clear she’s been running from something. As Bernie delves deeper into the case, she finds long buried secrets, but can she find Molly before time runs out?

Books about missing children seem to be popular right now and I always wonder how authors can put a fresh and exciting twist on them. This one started off the same - missing child disappearing from a play area when her mother’s back is turned. But as I got into the book, I was pleasantly surprised to be hooked and invested in the story. 

I was really intrigued to know why the people of Otterfield were so shady and closed off to the idea of finding Molly. It was like a puzzle I kept thinking I had all the pieces too, but then realising there were many other parts to come. 

I was gripped from the start. Bernie was an interesting character that I immediately liked and related to. It’s mostly told in her perspective, apart from a few short segments from the presumed kidnappers POV, which added more tense moments to the book. Some parts dragged around the middle, but I was still invested in the story. I’m excited to read the next book in the series. Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author, for a copy of this book for an honest review.

Last seen is centred around the kidnap of a young girl called Molly. Whilst at the park with her mum she goes missing whilst her mother is changing her babies nappy. Detective Bernie is already at the park and therefore is the first on the scene. Bernie soon realises there is more to the disappearance as the entire village appears unwilling to help find her.

An interesting crime thriller. I found it went from timid to crazy quiet quickly but I won't complain. I loved the dynamics between bernie and her team esp her newest member who seeks to have more to his story.

I liked what this case uncovers and how deeply this goes. It is done so well and believable as well. I was very hooked truing to put all the pieces together myself


I gave this book 3 stars. Its not the best crime thriller I've ever read but its not the worse. I loved how it all tide together. There are a few graphic scenes that had me taking minute to stop picturing but otherwise a solid book
I would happily recommend.


Thank-you to.netballey the publisher and.author for the advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest opinions.

This is a wonderful debut from Joy Kluver. Books about missing children tend to make me leery of reading them. But this book drew me in immediately. The writing was very good and the character development made me interested and care about them.

Molly has gone missing from the park while her mother, Jessica, changes the diaper of her very young brother. Jessica cannot find Molly. She searches but there doesn't seem to be anyone at the park to help her. She calls the police and Bernie (Bernadette) is sent to investigate. While talking to the neighbors she notices that no one seems interested in answering questions or helping find Molly. There is more to the story with the people that live there and their reaction to a missing child. There is a lot of pressure on Bernie to find Molly and whoever took her. After a few days she is told if she if she doesn't get results she is going to be taken off the case and another will take over the case. Bernie will have to reexamine the leads they have and try another direction in order to find Molly.

This was a great start to this new series, with a likable protagonist. Bernie is a newly minted detective on her first major case, a missing 5- year-old girl who was appears to have been abducted from a local playground. Bernie is a very real character, who goes back and forth between admitting her lack of experience and being frustrated that she isn't fully trusted, which made her very relatable. The book is narrated solely from Bernie's POV, with a few chapters interspersed from the unknown abductor.

This is a tough case that is more complex than it seemed, with the entire town going out of their way not to help find the missing girl, and with an odd tie-in to another missing child case from 25 years ago. Bernie tries to follow the local leads while also researching potential connections to this older case.

This book introduces you to Bernie and her whole team, and does a good job of laying out who everyone is and what the dynamics are like between them without getting away from the mystery of the primary storyline. I really want to see what happens next between this group of people in the next book. My only small nit is that I figured out the identity of the villain very early in the book.

All in all, fun read and I'd recommend it to those who enjoy police procedurals. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Last Seen is the debut crime thriller by Joy Kluver. Detective Bernadette Noel has moved to Wiltshire from the Met to try a slower pace of life.
But when a 5 year old child goes missing from under her mother’s nose in a playground, there is no way that Bernie cannot get involved. She has to take the case.
But something is not right - the villagers don’t seem to be interested in helping to search for Molly, and Bernie has to try to work with her new team to find out what the reason is. As the case continues other details emerge, and Bernie needs to solve a cold case in order to find Molly.
Kluver has laid down some storylines for Bernie and her colleagues and it will be interesting to read any sequels that she writes.
Thanks to NetGalley and @bookouture for the preview copy.