Missing, Presumed

really enjoyed this book - well developed and credible characters with great plot line. Using multiple narrators really worked in deepening understanding of the individuals and didn't feel confusing at all dude to the sequencing. Not heavy but intelligently written with strong factual basis around procedures and protocols.Would recommend

We read this book at the same time as Missing Presumed so this review is exactly the same for both as we discussion them together and i cannot for the life of me split my notes down.

Two member of the book club didn't manage to finish the two books in one month. Some people did find them hard to get into due to the writing style.

We did feel that the books were more like writing exercises rather than fully fleshed out books. They felt a little unrealistic and some of the characters were a little flat.

We all felt that Manon was a very needy person and that she would be a person who would drain you if she was in your life. She did seem to need a lot from everyone in her life and didn't seem to give that much in return. Her character really changed a lot between the two books and we weren't sure this was entirely realistic.

Overall we gave this book 5 out of 10.

This is a very good crime novel with a quirky lead female detective. In my head I picture a Vera type detective--prickily, no nonsense, human with her own myriad of problems. Very much a loner she stumbles across a young boy and develops a relationship that is odd and detached but caring in the beginning. The crime she investigates is that of a missing person whose story is told through the vantage point of the characters.Each chapter is told by one character and then the next chapter is another character's slant of the event with a few new issues added. It is a bit disconcerting at first but very effective. I had trouble putting this book down. I wanted to read just that next page or chapter or another chapter until I knew the solution. I recommend this to almost anyone.

Crime fiction.
I struggled through the first 20 pages. After that, strong style and characters fell into place. The interest and suspense increased as people come to life. The crime investigation is well documented and rings true.
An enjoyable book which I would recommend.

It’s a tried and tested genre, the crime novels so hard to create a new angle but DS Manon Bradshaw is someone a bit different. Like most cops portrayed in novels and films, her private life is a complete mess but her well-developed characterisation reveals the sheer desperation of her situation. It is clear her disenchantment with computer dating leads her to over-react when a ‘natural’ opportunity enters the scene. As for the plot, it does not suffer from the contrived convolutions of an Agatha Christie, but is perhaps a little too straightforward. We are given few blind alleys to travel but the ending is perhaps more plausible than many. Once I’d got into, it was hard to put down and that’s as good a recommendation as the book needs

MB from Bookmarks Reading Group

I read a lot of crime fiction and found this a gripping read. The fact that it really was a missing person case was quite unique and the tension really built up as Edith was missing first for 48 hours, then a week and then more than a week. I liked the way little discoveries led to some major surprises and un-anticipated connections with Edith's family. I liked the way the story unfolded from different points of view and the realistic way the press and media can affect investigations. I liked the main detective character- Manon- and have already started reading the next in the series. Hoping for many more.

Edith Hind has gone missing. She is a young woman from a well-to-do family who lives with her boyfriend. Her father is a prominent physician with connections in the higher echelons of society, creating a huge headache for the police who are desperately trying to ascertain whether she is alive or dead. Each chapter is written from the point of view of one of the main characters as the search continues.

This is a well written police procedural. What makes it stand out is that it is more character-driven than crime-driven. The characters are extremely well developed. Manon, probably the most prominent voice in the narrative, is particularly strong. Lots of information is given about both her private life and her thought processes and this really made her come alive as a person. The plot is good and suitably fast-paced, despite the focus on people and personalities.

From my point of view there are a couple of minor issues but, I would stress that they did not detract from my enjoyment of the book at all. On the subject of character development I found that I didn’t have a clear visual picture of the characters in my head, despite feeling that I knew them well as friends. I can only assume this is because the physical descriptions were sparse, although it may well have been my visualisation ability which was at fault! Also, the plot could have been more complex with more twists and turns but this may well have detracted from the character-centric nature of the narrative.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I loved the characters. The author is definitely one that I will be looking out for in the future and I am pleased to say that Manon appears to be the lead character in a mini-series (hopefully soon to be a full-blown series), of which this was the first.

The first of a proposed series of detective thrillers starring DS Manon. Her adopted son Fly makes his initial appearance and hopefully he will feature in further books as he grows to maturity. The possibilities for the direction of this series of novels is great and I look forward to how the author handles the subjects. This book is a great start. Twists and turns abound and the characters are well drawn. Will keep readers guessing, which is as it should be in a thriller.

There were plenty of surprises and the author kept me interested and involved. I enjoyed this book and can recommend it to readers who enjoy Crime Fiction. It's a complex story with a large number of characters - but not too many to make it difficult - who are well drawn with a variety of back stories and appear ‘real’.
The story is written in the first person, by each character, so you see everyone's point of view of the plot. The story is driven by the powerfully developed characters that keep it so engrossing. DS Manon Bradshaw is at the centre of the novel - flawed and often annoying, but a powerful force. Can't wait to read her new book 'Persons Unknown'.