I'm absolutely obsessed with detective dramas at the moment: Undercover, Line of Duty and Marcella have all got me gripped to the edge of my sofa so Susie Steiner's second novel, Missing, Presumed, is the perfect book for me to hunker down and get stuck into. Cambridge post-grad Edith Hind has disappeared and Detective Sergeant Manon Bradshaw knows that the first 72 hours are crucial. A body is discovered, but is this the end of the story, or just the beginning?
Missing, Presumed is the compelling and exciting story of the disappearance of Edith Hind, daughter of a highly regarded doctor who counts the Home Secretary as one of his friends. Edith has disappeared from her home, leaving her front door wide open, and a shattered wine glass. She has a live-in boyfriend and her best friend lives close by, but her love-life is not as straightforward as it seems.
Manon is the Detective Sergeant tasked with investigating this case and a lot of the novel focuses around her and her love life. At 39, she is perpetually single and we are told snippets of her disastrous internet dating experiences. She finally meets someone who could be the one, the same someone that discovers the body of a young man, and all of this becomes key to the story. Pressure mounts from Sir Ian Hind, Edith's father, so Manon delves deeper into Edith's background and discovers secrets that could break a family apart.
Steiner writes each chapter from a different character's perspective and it builds the plot so well, you really get to know the characters. You'll love Manon; she's warm and funny but smart and a very good detective. This book isn't your classic crime thriller though. In fact, if you usually like crime thrillers you will probably be disappointed. It's more than just a crime thriller; it goes deeper into character's lives.
The writing is fantastic; in my mind's eye I could see everything happening, as if watching this as a drama on TV, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. You won't find out what has happened to Edith until the very end and you won't be able to work it out either! You'll have to read it if you want to know more: Missing, Presumed is published by Killer Reads and you can find it at Amazon here and Wordery here.
What are you currently reading?
I was provided with a review copy. This post contains affiliate links. Quite Frankly She Said is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.