this read is my first official ARC from netgalley and it was such a gripping psychological thriller, reminding me of the book “the last house on needless street”.

it has a very dark setting and is told in a “before” and “today” format. i loved the entire build up and the ending was both, shattering and beautiful.

it does have some trigger warnings, so be on the lookout for those.

“lauren is missing” is expected to publish on July 2, 2025 and i want to thank s.j. king and netgalley for allowing me early access to this one, im definitely looking forward to reading more from s.j. king.


rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

I really enjoyed S. J. King’s last book, so I was excited to read this one and it was definitely a solid, fast-paced read that kept me engaged throughout. The writing is strong and the story unfolds in a way that’s easy to follow without ever feeling slow.

That said, I found myself picking up on some of the clues a bit early. While I didn’t predict every detail, I had a pretty good idea of the general twist well before the reveal. For me, that took away a bit of the tension, since I prefer twists that feel more unexpected.

Still, it’s a well-written story with an interesting premise, and I’ll absolutely keep following S. J. King’s work going forward.

Interesting, but a bit slow at times. Certainly has some twists that keep you guessing.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

Wow. So well written, I loved how it was written, I’ve never read a book like it.

My one and only dislike was at some places in the book it seemed to go really slow and in some chapters I felt some information wasn’t needed however this didn’t impact the book, just interrupted the flow a little.

I loved how it was written, the different POV’s, the explaining things in real time how it was unfolding, the fact the author kept making subtle sentences so you never really figured out exactly what was going to come.

This author is extremely talented and I can’t wait to read more.

*full disclosure I was given this book in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley*

I really wanted to like this book but it was slow. It had trouble keeping my attention throughout. The story was good but I need books to be a little faster paced. Decent read, good storyline and twist.

First I want to say thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.
At first i was confused and wasn’t sure that I wanted to keep reading it but I pushed through and let me tell you I’m so glad I did. This book was amazing. As a mother of a teenager daughter it’s hard. This book brought my fears to life and I could not put it down. I’m was kept thinking from the beginning is this a case of multiple personalities and is David a therapist. I never figured it out fully until you let us know exactly what happened.
I felt Lauren’s pain and how scared she was. I was sad how she thought her family parents didn’t care for her.
I felt how horrible it was for Rene to go on without her sister and traumatizing that could be. I felt the mums pain from her past with her mum and how she needed to make it right. But most of all the end how it all happened.
This was such a great story thank you again for the chance to read this book

Strangely dark and twisted reality told from different perspectives. I found this a bit confusing and disorientating at times and also quite poignant and sad. The premise is that of a missing girl and the strange occurrences that led to her disappearance which unravel slowly as you follow the convoluted paths the book leads you down. I must admit I’m not entirely sure I followed or entirely enjoyed this but some parts were compulsive and pleasingly mysterious.

Gripping and mysterious. Very well written. The attention to details. All had me hooked right through. Definitely an author to consider in future

Lauren is Missing pulled me in from the very first page with its eerie, claustrophobic atmosphere and a protagonist who’s as fragile as she is determined. Rene’s world is quiet, controlled, and unsettling—her days spent in a basement flat surrounded by carefully arranged objects and fading memories of her vibrant, missing sister.

When a letter arrives claiming Lauren is alive, the story shifts from introspective to urgent, and I was hooked. As Rene starts to question everything she remembers—and everything she’s been told—the mystery deepens, revealing buried trauma, unreliable memories, and a past far more tangled than it first appears.

The writing is quietly powerful, building tension through mood and detail rather than cheap thrills. It’s not a fast-paced thriller, but it is a psychological puzzle that keeps you second-guessing everyone, including Rene herself. Some twists I saw coming, others caught me off guard, but all of them were grounded in a strong emotional core.

I docked a star only because a few threads toward the end felt slightly rushed, and I wanted more closure on certain side characters. Still, it’s a haunting, suspenseful read that lingers long after the final page. Fans of psychological thrillers with an emotional edge will find Lauren is Missing well worth their time.

Lauren Is Missing
By: S.J. King

4 Stars

This was a psychological roller coaster ride from start to finish. This book is about a girl lost. Lost. Hurt. Missing. A story told of hurt, pain, loss, forgiveness, love. Lauren Fisher goes missing, and through bits of memories, you slowly uncover her tale of captivity and pain. Slowly, secrets unfold on the page until the very end when the truth is finally revealed.

This was such a twisty story. At first, when I started this book, I got a little confused, but the more I read, the more I was sucked into the story of this young girl, her sister, her family. I loved how it was laid out. Bits and pieces, here and there, until a crazy and shocking end. One that I was not expecting.

This was captivating. It was moving. It was written well. A great read full of psychological suspense, danger, and intrigue. It's definitely one I'll tell my friends about.

*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Reviews

Thank you NetGalley for the arc.

Although this book was listed as True Crime, it majorly fell short and was extremely confusing. The cover gave happy vibes but the points of view take forever to even discuss Lauren.

I just couldn't get into this book.

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review-
Lauren is alive- Rene needs to find her - but where?
Years ago thinking her mother never loved her she found love with Keele or so she thought.
Years later Jane looks out the window to see a girl in her yard - who is it? What does she want? Could it be Lauren?

Book review ✨
Lauren is missing by Sj King

Lauren has been missing for 8 years, her sister Rene is determined to find her. No one listens to her but she has to find Lauren.

This book was written in before and now tenses each chapter in the perspectives of Lauren, her sister Rene and Jane who currently occupies their family home.

I thought i had sussed out what happened to Lauren whilst binge reading the first third of the book, then to be confused and questioning what the hell is going on!? Even up until the end I had no idea how this was going to work out 🤣 you really kept me on my toes AGAIN SJ king.

Another fantastic read by the lovely SJ King. Brilliantly written! Really excited to read more of your books.

If you’re looking for a binge worthy psychological thriller then you must pick up her books 😍.

So happy I was accepted to read and review this book as I thoroughly enjoyed reading where you belong.

Another 5 star read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book wrecked me, emotionally. We as humans are flawed, aren't we...that's what this story tells us. The story, initially confused me and I was not able to guess what the next twist will be and, I was not able to put it down.
But let me tell you it's a heavy read, at least for me.
A solid 4 star for the writing and the emotions. And the ending, I'm not sure about it, exactly 🙃

The premise of this book was great unfortunately for me the book itself was VERY slow and just never grabbed me in. It was a very dark book and isn't a book I can recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC.

The story starts when Lauren has been missing for eight years, and her sister Rene, who lives alone in a neat and tidy basement flat, hasn’t given up hope that Lauren may still be alive.

A lady called Jane gets home one day and finds a young woman digging in her back garden. She goes out to ask her what she’s doing, and sees that she has bruises and scars, and looks terrified, so Jane takes her into her kitchen. She is holding onto a muddy book, which is what she seems to have dug up. Jane gently asks questions but the young woman is silent until Jane asks if she knows this house, and she just says, “Home”.

A dark, psychological thriller which I’d recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

If this one feels a bit confusing a first, hang in there, because like jello, jooooooop, it all comes together and boy, is it worth it. Chock full of sharp dialogue, vivid descriptions, and troubled characters, King knows exactly how to weave detailed plots that leave readers no choice but to hop on board and become emotionally invested.

I, for one, didn't mind one bit!

Thank you to Storm Publishing for gifting me a copy. It is my pleasure to write an honest review.

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.