I really enjoyed this book. It quickly became a page turner which had me riveted from the very start.

There were more twists and turns than I could keep up with and each revelation opened the story up to a new level of understanding.

The main character was likeable, relatable, and I was invested in her story the whole way through.

It’s the first book in a new detective series, which I’m very happy about, because I would love to read more mysteries being solved by this lady detective.

Wow! What a fantastic story. Gripping and thrilling. You follow the step by step investigative actions and hold your breath to see if this yields any results. Meanwhile, suspicions start emerging and then they are thwarted, which refocuses the investigation. You are looking over the investigations shoulder while sharing her worries. Can they find the baby in time to save her?!

As each stage of the story unfolds, personal relationships get intertwined with the missing baby bringing a tense feeling to the investigator who has her suspicions but is held back by superiors who think they know better. A murder many years later offers an opportunity for Martha to conclude unfinished business. Her diligent approach brings a conclusion which is totally unexpected.
Realistic, fast paced and unable to put it down. An enthralling read.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC and to E.A. Jackson for her introduction.

Missing by E A Jackson is a stunning crime thriller with twists and turns right up to its last pages.

London, 1990. Detective Inspector Martha Allen receives a phone call that a baby has been abducted from a hotel in Pimlico where her parents had taken her while they took a short holiday. Martha is feeling the need to establish her credentials in a male-dominated police force and is determined to solve this case. When the baby is handed in to a police station, after days of intensive investigations by Martha and her team, and it doesn’t seem possible that they can trace the person who handed her in, Martha is ordered to close the case; however, she knows there is something not quite right about the whole thing and never gives up wondering about what might be the truth behind the baby’s disappearance and miraculous return. Then, thirty years later, something happens that makes Martha decide to try again, albeit on her own time, to get to the bottom of the Baby Bella story.

E A Jackson is a brilliant writer as she painstakingly presents everyone Martha encounters and all the situations she gets into. I loved the way the book was different in so many ways from traditional crime thrillers; I loved all the character studies, and Martha’s way of coping with how her personal life had turned out differently to what she had expected. Highly recommended!

Published by Faber & Faber Limited

What a great read this is! The tension builds right from the start, pulling you into a story full of secrets buried for thirty years. Detective Inspector Martha Allen is a determined and engaging lead, driven by her need to uncover the truth no matter how painful it may be. The two timelines are woven together brilliantly, leading to a gripping and truly shocking conclusion—especially in those final few pages that I really didn’t expect I’m so pleased to hear this is the first in a series, as I really liked Martha and can’t wait to see more of her. A perfect read for fans of psychological thrillers—tense, twisty, and impossible to put down!
Thank to Netgalley and Faber and Faber Ltd for the Arc.