A nail-biting suspense involving a missing child; a crime in the present tied to a tragedy in the past, this was one helluva page-turner.

Twenty-six years ago, Josie Bennet's eight-year old younger brother, Jimmy was found dead and her then 19-year old neighbour Samuel Barlow was convicted of the crime. Now, a single mother to eight-year old Ivy, Josie thought she had put the past behind her by moving away from her hometown, cutting ties with her old neighbours and starting her own bakery business. But when she comes to know that Samuel is to be released from prison soon, she fears for her daughter's life - that history may repeat itself. And when Ivy goes missing, Josie knows that her worst fears have come true.

This gem landed into my hands after a steady string of duds and I savoured every single twist that it had to offer. Right from the start, this book yelled creepy. Josie's paranoia at the thought of her daughter meeting the same fate as her brother swings between palpable to over-the-top; nevertheless it was engaging. Cold and calculating, Samuel Barlow's very description is enough to give one the heebie-jeebies.

I love this author's writing as she keeps her readers on edge with every turn of the page. The plot twists keep on coming keeping one spellbound. The climax wasn't as wow as the overall build-up, but it still takes you by surprise.

The one gripe that I may have in this book is about the use of repetition. Maggie's move from Mansfield  has been reiterated around three times in the book, once in each character's POV. Similarly, Josie bumping into Maggie twice in the past has also been mentioned a number of times. While the repetition doesn't take away from the overall enjoyment of the plot, it just seemed unnecessary.

Overall,  absolutely riveting. Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing a digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Bookouture and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.


Another winner from K.L. Slater.

Missing - K.L Slater
🌟🌟🌟🌟

K.L Slater is back with another fantastic new thriller that will keep you gripped for the entirety.

I have read every single book of Kim's to date and she never disappoints. She's defo one to look out for and her latest book is no exception.

This one pulls you in from the opening lines and will keep you hooked and guessing all the way through.

A brilliant psychological thriller.

Once I started it, I had to keep reading to get to the end and stayed up way later than I should have (even with an early start looming tomorrow) but I JUST HAD TO FIND OUT THE ENDING or I knew I wouldn't sleep Lol 😂 I absolutely flew through it. Love a grippy, quick read. My fav kind of books.

If a fast paced thriller full of surprises and twists and turns is what you're into - then, trust me, you will love this one!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture publisher's and the author K.L Slater for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book due to be released on 19th May 2022.

A well deserving 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Will be recommending this one for sure.

This book was sent to me by Netgalley electronically for review… murder and intrigue…family and friends…kidnapping…secrets…these themes run throughout this book that has so many twists and turns, it is difficult to keep track…surprises…wow…a plethora of surprises to keep the reader intrigued…this reads like true crime with characters who are so realistic they could be our neighbors…friends…coworkers…this would make a terrific movie… this book is a can’t put down mystery…frightening because who knows? We might know people like these.

I love K.L. Slater and I’ve enjoyed a couple of her books in the past—however, this latest offering from her didn’t work for me. I hate to give her a less than 4 star rating but I just couldn’t get through to this book without feeling bad.

The characters were flat and uninteresting. I couldn’t connect and understand Josie, her whole being is very confusing to me. Instead of giving a shock factor to the whole mystery, the twists brought more questions. Like, when the culprit was revealed, I was like; what? Where did that come from?

Also, the truth about Josie wasn’t very effective. I was hoping for a fresh and a very well-crafted revelation but everything dragged until the end. Ugh. Too bad. I’m still a fan, though. If I didn’t like K.L. enough, I would’ve dropped this.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC.

What a mind blowing psychological thriller!!! K.L. Slater is back with another thriller that will keep you hooked till the end!

In 1993, a young boy named Jimmy was murdered by locking him up in a warehouse. The suspect, Samuel was then sent to prison. Now back in the present day, Josie, Jimmy's older sister is owning a cafe and has a daughter named Ivy. She then hears the news that Samuel has been released on parole. Now Josie was worried that Samuel was released and was worried about her safety. Then her daughter, Ivy goes missing and Josie suspect that Samuel is behind her daughter's disappearance.

From the first chapter till the end, it was mind blowing and unputdownable! I finished this book in less than two days and still my mind is reeling from what I have read. This was fast paced, with twists and turns, the story mostly told from Josie's perspective. The author has done a great job of drawing the reader into the story and making the reader feel like they are part of the story. The ending was what actually blew me away and I was literally shocked at the ending--so unpredictable ending. Out of all her books I have read, I felt this book was one of her best.

If you like a fast paced, twisty thriller that will keep you up all night with a theme of dysfuctional relationships, then this book will be one for you--worth five stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

The book initially gripped me as we were inside the head of eight-year-old Jimmy. We were with him as he took his last breath and were instantly invested in finding out what happened to him.
However, we jump forward 26 years with Jimmy’s death a solved crime and the perpetrator having served 25 years of a thirty-year sentence.
The time span of such a magnitude made it hard to come to terms with. The other characters, Josie and Maggie, had carried on with their lives, but it didn’t feel like such a vast amount of time had passed. It was strange.
Josie was an infuriating character, and I felt like her sections of the book did make it drag somewhat. It is told from a couple of perspectives and chapters from the past. Maggie was more likeable; however, I did find some of her actions frustrating.
At the end of the story, the twists as to who had taken Ivy and why came out of nowhere. Sometimes this can be good if breadcrumbs have been laid throughout, but these villains came out of nowhere, and it all felt a little too forced. None of the reasons were realistic.
There were a lot of loose ends to tie up in the end, which were completely sewn up in pretty bows. However, the ending dragged as there were just so many leaps through time. There were a couple of ‘one week later’ chapters, a 1993 chapter, then a three-month later chapter, and if that wasn’t enough, we ended with an eighteen-month later insight. I was like, oh for goodness sake, just end now!! I felt like I rushed through these last five chapters and didn’t really savour the story.
Some of the bows felt a bit too loose as well and didn’t just sit right with me. Too many people were just let off the hook and were able to get on with their lives.
So, overall it was a good storyline, but I just couldn’t find myself that invested in it, and it took me a while to get through. Just a three-star read for me!

Another fabulous psychological thriller by K.L Slater. She really can do no wrong.
It’s fast paced, intriguing and has lots of twists. Once I started it, I had to keep reading to get to the end.
It’s definitely a 5 star read and one I’d certainly recommend.

This book has to be my favourite by this author so far! Wow! I adored it from start to finish. And what a twist! I did not see that coming at all, it was excellently plotted, I didn’t know which way the plot was going to go next. Kept me guessing all the way through.

K.L. Slater once again delivers an addictive, edge of your seat thriller packed with twists and turns.

Once again I really enjoyed this book, it had me hooked from the beginning. Ivy, Josie's daughter has gone missing and Josie is sure she knows who had taken her but are past events clouding her judgement.

I found myself irritated at times with Josie but also sympathetic considering her daughter has gone missing. I thought this was a really good story with an ending which tied up all the loose ends which is something I enjoy.

Wow what an absolute thrill ride! KL Slater knocks this one out of the park. Excellent plot line and delivery. I may have whiplash from the never ending twists and turns. Read this in one day. I could not put it down. Highly recommend!
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book

I always really enjoy KL Slater’s books. I find them so easy to start reading and quickly get hooked by the storyline. I get a false sense of security that I have everything sorted out as to who did what, why and how, and then every single time I am utterly astounded by the clever twist in plot that I should have seen coming as all of the clues were there!
Missing is another example of Kim’s brilliant books. The story of Josie and her daughter was one I just had to keep reading until I was finished. It is so well written and totally addictive. Highly recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another masterpiece by this author. I loved it. These types of books keep me going. I love a good thriller.
And 5*****

K.L Slater is one of the authors I always look out for as her books are fast paced page turners that are difficult to put down. I regularly rate her books highly so I was a little disappointed with her latest offering, perhaps due to the high standards she has set. The book is a good read and I am sure that many people will rate it a lot higher than me but I failed to connect with the characters and didn’t feel the usual addiction to her writing that I normally do.

Josie Bennett’s daughter is missing and she is convinced Samuel Barlow has her. When Josie was a teenager her 8 year old brother Jimmy also went missing and Samuel Barlow was convicted of his murder. Today, 25 years later Samuel Barlow is released from prison only for Josie’s daughter to also go missing only days after his freedom. Josie doesn’t believe that this is just a pure coincidence as her life is turned upside down.

There was plenty to like in this novel and the more I write the more I feel I am perhaps a little harsh with a 3 rating.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

The book focuses on Josie Bennett who, as a young teenage girl, lost her brother in the most tragic of ways. Jimmy was only 8 years old when he went missing, and family friend, Samuel Barlow was charged with his murder. Twenty-five years on, Josie’s life goes on, she is a single mother with a young daughter and is running a successful catering business. When she hears that Barlow is to be released from prison five years early, her life heads off into a spin and Josie is convinced that Barlow will be out for revenge for Josie giving evidence against him.

This was certainly a thriller of a read which twisted and turned with every page! It captured me from the beginning, and I felt for Josie all the way through her story. Josie is such a nice character, having had some hard life experiences with a neglected childhood, Jimmy dying and her marriage breaking down. She’s a good mum however, although some may not see that as it does seem she is leaving her daughter with a childminder an awful lot to concentrate on a big customer at her bakery business. We’ve all done it though, strived to work hard to provide a good life for our families and Josie does seem to be trying her best to be good at both. The storyline is dark and filled with suspense when Samuel Barlow is released from prison, and he’s definitely a very strange character who manages to set my nerves on edge throughout!

The storyline is quick paced and holds your attention throughout. When Josie’s young daughter, Ivy goes missing, I could feel my panic rising along with Josie, and this didn’t leave me throughout the book! The author cleverly keeps the suspense and tension high as the story moves on and although there are big arrows pointing as to what happened to Ivy, there are also lots of dead ends and red herrings - enough to make me consider everyone a suspect! The chapters switch between not only main characters, but also back in time to when Josie was young. This is done effortlessly, and the storyline is easy to read and understand, even with these switches. I really liked DI Helena Price, the detective who was given the unwanted job of informing Josie of Barlow’s early release and realised how difficult it must be for the police to break through the red tape and bureaucracy of keeping victims’ families informed.

This was a gripping read, which had me feeling nervy, chilled and on edge throughout! The emotions evoked fitted perfectly with the characters personalities and whilst some were definitely more likeable than others, there were one or two of the characters who I wasn’t sure if I could or should trust! Full of tension, suspense, emotions, lies and sadness, this book will keep you hooked until the very end! Would recommend!

“It was 9.6 miles. A fifty-minute bus trip. A twenty-minute cab ride. I always knew exactly how far I was from my past, and it was never far enough.”

Josie Bennett will never forget April 14, 1993. It was the day her whole world changed. It was this day, 26 years ago, that her eight year old little brother, Jimmy, went missing. Her 19 year old next door neighbour, Samuel Barlow, was charged and sentenced to 30 years in prison. He’s just been granted parole five years early. The problem? Josie now has a little girl, Ivy, who is exactly the same age as Jimmy was when he was murdered….

When Ivy goes missing one afternoon, Josie knows without a doubt who’s responsible.

Missing children are such a popular trope for psychological thrillers, BUT K.L. Slater puts her signature twist with an emotional punch on it and makes it such a compelling read. I was so excited to be granted early access to yet another of the Queen of Psychological Thrillers’ books. Slater knows that our human nature drives us to eagerly flip pages to learn the identity of the kidnapper in this trope, so she takes it up a notch and presents us with a story where the mother already knows the kidnapper’s identity. You would think that it would decrease the panic and that the energy spent searching for a suspect could be spent elsewhere, but it actually adds to the panic and frenzy because the parent knows what the kidnapper is capable of doing. In this case, Josie knows that he killed her little brother. The clock is ticking.

Readers will love the twists, yes, plural, and appreciate what it took for Josie to find the strength to face her past in order to move forward with her future. In exploring parenthood, Slater places us right in the middle of a parent’s worst nightmare, straps us into the rollercoaster and writes to emotionally invest us in the events as we breathlessly and white knuckled take one twisty turn after another.

Like any great ride at an amusement park, the thrill seeker will hop off at the end of the ride and line up once more to subject themselves to another adrenaline rush. It’s no different after turning the final page of a Slater thriller. You’ll be eagerly anticipating the next one. Guaranteed

Will Josie forever be known as the murdered boy’s sister and mother of the kidnapped girl? Will the evil event pass “through the generations like an ill wind” or will Josie be able to press pause and rewrite Ivy’s future?

I was gifted this advance copy by K.L. Slater, Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
.

Good book! I'm really liking this author! She's fairly new to me and I'm loving the writing! This book had suspense, intrigue, action, and so many twists and turns! And a great who done it! The storyline was very interesting and flowed nicely! I will definitely recommend reading this one! Its well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

Missing by K.L. Slater is another compulsive read from an author who seems to do no wrong. I absolutely devoured this one.

Josie is moving on with her life after years of living with the grief of losing her young brother, Jimmy, when they were both children. The man convicted of Jimmy's murder, Samuel Barlow, has just been released from prison following a lengthy sentence, and Josie fears not only for her own safety, but that of her young daughter, Ivy. Will Samuel return with revenge on his mind? When Ivy goes missing, the sins of the past will force Josie to confront some very dark truths that have haunted her for years. As Ivy's life hangs in the balance, the race is on to find the child before history repeats itself.

You will want to clear your afternoon to read this one straight through, so riveting are the twists and turns. Recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC.