This book felt strange to me. The title tells us that Lauren is missing and the book starts with a young woman appearing in a garden digging up a notebook and being taken in to the house which she says is her home. The story is told from the viewpoints of Lauren, Rene, her sister, and Jane, the lady who finds her in the garden. I found that format a little confusing especially the chapters with Lauren and Rene narrating as there is a lot going on. There are 2 'big' reveals but I had already worked them out and I couldn't decide whether the author meant for us to work it out so easily. The author seems to be attempting to misdirect readers with a lot of the content, but in doing so, it leads the reader to guess what is actually happening. This book will definitely find an audience who like unravelling the different aspects of the story, but it wasn't for me.
Thanks to Storm and NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Really enjoyed this book, didn’t expect that ending! Felt anxious all the way through wondering if Lauren would ever be found alive. Good characters and storyline.

Lauren is missing & Rene is determined she gets found.

The first couple of chapters really had me hooked- I was definitely intrigued and anxious to see where this book was going to go. Also love a book with multiple POVs/timelines & this book has both.

The middle of this book draggggged. It was very repetitive and you feel confused almost the entire story. The big “twist” is pretty predictable/obvious in my opinion. The end of this book was to the point & tied up all the loose ends nicely.

I think this could’ve been a 100 page short story rather than a whopping 350 pages.

Thank you to NetGalley & Storm publishing for this ARC.

I received a free copy of, Lauren is Missing, by S.J. King, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Lauren is Rene sister, and she has been missing for awhile. I found this book to be dark and sad.

This book had me in a chokehold! Such a gripping thriller, told from multiple povs I thoroughly enjoyed it. Lauren has been missing for sometime, and this novel explores how this affects those around her. A really gripping read.

I really tried to enjoy this psychological thriller. But. I never could connect with the character(s). Written in the first person, the story of Lauren's disappearance is told from several viewpoints. While the writing is good and the plot started out interesting, it got bogged down in the constant inner musing of the characters. I understand the "need" to provide those inner thoughts. However, the story did not move along and I found myself skipping a lot of the repetitiveness. Additionally, I figured out the plot before I had read a third of the book. Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

A dark, mind twist of a story that keeps you on edge and wondering what will happen next! Told through multiple POV's, which adds interest and confusion throughout the book until all is revealed in the end.

Many thanks to netgalley, the author and the publisher for approving my request to read this book.

Well this one had me well and truly hooked!

Lauren has been missing for 8 years and her sister Rene has never given up her search for her when she feels that others seemingly have.

This story is told from dual timelines and from multiple character point of view and switches between them effortlessly.

Dark, unnerving and emotional this book had everything I love, can only be 5 stars from me.

I'd recommend if you are a fan of Lisa Jewell and if you enjoy this particular genre.

This book is so good! From different POVs this store will captivate you and keep you glued to the pages.

Fast paced, suspenseful, and really smooth timelines, you will be entertained from the start, trying to find out more.

Rene is coping with the disappearance of her sister Lauren, the stressful situation, the memories of their childhood, everything comes through her mind while trying to figure out what happened 8 years ago.

I definitely recommend this book. The writing style is sharp, smart and clever, with a twist at the end I didn’t see coming.

Thank you so much Storm Publishing, S.J. King and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Okay, this one pulled me in fast. If you enjoy multiple POVs and dual timelines like I do, Lauren is Missing definitely delivers on that front. S.J. King builds tension slowly, revealing just enough to keep you curious but never quite enough to make you feel settled—which is both a strength and a slight weakness, depending on your patience level.

The writing reminded me a lot of Lisa Jewell—dark domestic vibes, flawed characters, and secrets bubbling just beneath the surface. You’re thrown right into a “what the hell is actually going on?” kind of mystery, and while that feeling was fun at first, I’ll admit it dragged on a little too long for me. There’s a fine line between suspenseful and frustrating, and this book danced a little close to that edge.

I also had a strong suspicion early on about what the big twist was going to be, and unfortunately, I ended up being right—so the reveal didn’t hit quite as hard as I think the author intended. That said, the way the story wraps up is satisfying, and I appreciated how the pieces eventually came together.

If you like layered thrillers with shifting perspectives and a slow-burn mystery, this one’s worth picking up. While it didn’t fully shock me, it did keep me turning pages, and I’d still recommend it to fans of Lisa Jewell, B.A. Paris, or Freida McFadden.

Overall I enjoyed this book. I did, however, see the ending coming so I didn't feel there were any major suprises for me. It was quite a dark plot at times. I did like how it showed how trauma affects people and also coping mechanisms that our minds use to deal with trauma.

I didn't immediately warm to this book, it troubled me. However it got better and better. Difficult to say more without spoiling the plot. Suffice to say I realised half way through what was happening. My thoughts then were that the book was extremely clever. I did enjoy and can highly recommend.

ARC review. Thank you NG & SJ KING

Trigger warnings. Please DM me if you want know to them so I don’t give parts of the book away

“Except he never comes. Because he made us think he loved us most. But in the end, he lied too.

What a page turner. So many parts I was eager to finish reading the paragraph to turn the page. The before and after set up was brilliant in building up suspense and emotions. HOLY SHIT to that plot too. It’s hard nowadays to catch me with a good plot and this one got me damn good.

It also heavily touches on what someone goes through mentally to process trauma and to survive. SJ king, you really did it with this book. You should be proud of this ending! (the entire build up of the story really)
This book confused the shit out of me but in a good way. Like what the hell do I believe?

Slight spoiler below


This story especially the end is heartbreaking, dark, realistic to abuse survivors, and puts things into perspective.

Multiple plots, twists, heartbreaks and hope.

“In the dark. The mind fills in the empty spaces. The holes.

Thank you for sending me this book to read prior to release. I believe people will absolutely love this book 📕

Renee's sister Lauren is missing, but one day Renee receives a letter that Lauren is alive. good psychological thriller.

Sadly I couldnt get into this story. Sorry but this one isnt for me but from the other reviews I can see that I am in the minority

Lauren is Missing is a taut, chilling psychological thriller that lingers in the mind long after the final page. At the centre is Rene, a fragile yet determined woman whose life has become a solitary routine of medication, memories and mourning. Her sister Lauren has been missing for years, a shadow over Rene’s existence. But when a letter arrives suggesting Lauren may still be alive, Rene is jolted into action, unlocking a web of buried secrets and fractured recollections.

S. J. King crafts an atmosphere of claustrophobic unease, with the basement flat setting enhancing the sense of isolation and dread. The writing is sharp, the pacing deliberate, and the tension relentless. As Rene’s search unfolds, the narrative expertly toys with the reader’s perception of reality, leading to a shocking twist that reframes everything that came before.

This is a book that will appeal to fans of psychological thrillers that delve deep into the emotional scars of trauma, family dysfunction and the elusiveness of truth.

3.5/5.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

First things first, thank you Netgalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC!

In this book, we do meet Rene, and her sister, Lauren, who is missing for several years at the point where the story starts. Rene is convinced Lauren is still alive somewhere, waiting for her sister to find her.

The plot is certainly not new, but I was glued to it from the start. Good pace, a lot of twists and tension that makes you feel like needing to question everything! Well done, 4.5 stars from me!

Lauren is missing is about a sister who went missing 8 years ago and the other sister who won’t give up looking for her.

This story is told through the POVs of Jane, Rene and Lauren. Rene and Lauren are sisters and their POVs are told in the past while Lauren was held captive. Jane’s POV is in the present and begins with her finding a girl digging through her garden. Laurens chapters consist of her time in captivity, the way she copes, and the way her captor mistreats her. Rene’s chapters are of her desperation to find her sister and bring her home after new clues lead her to believe to know where’s she’s held captive. Towards the end we get both POVs that are only told from the present and everything finally fully make sense.

The change in POV and timeline flowed smoothly. I liked being able to read all of their POVs and the way each of them handled the situations they were in. The things Lauren went through and the way she preserved all those years showed just how strong she was as a character. She was my favorite character.

The first half of the story is easy to follow. I thought I had everything figured out but once the book reached half way I began to become confused. I couldn’t understand who was actually telling the truth which was super interesting to me. I really liked the way Rene fought so hard to find answers for her sister. I loved that final plot twist. It was something that I hadn’t seen coming and had pulled me by surprise.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had no idea that this was going to be a full on mystery thriller novel! The cover of this book is so pretty! This book is dark, mysterious and tense. It can be confusing at first because this book comes with dual timelines, but it does all come together. This is a fast paced read, containing lovable characters and multiple points of views. It took me a while to get into this book, but once I did, I was fully immersed. This book contains strong character developments, came with an excellent premise and a clear thesis. I found that the plot in this story was well executed and I absolutely loved the twists! The book had haunting elements to it as well. It definitely kept my interest as to what was going to happen next! I really enjoyed the suspense this book came with!

“Lauren is Missing” is a story that dives into complex family dynamics. It involves past family secrets and trauma and a sister bond between Rene and Lauren! Overall, I give this book a 3.5 (rounded up to 4) out of 5 stars!

I think that anyone that is a fan of Gone Girl would enjoy reading this book. Content warnings include emotional distress and disturbing content.

Thank you to NetGalley, author S. J. King and Storm Publishing for this electronic ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This book is expected to be published on July 2, 2025!

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.