***** - Just Another Missing Person
JUST ANOTHER MISSING PERSON GILLIAN MCALLISTER
*****
OLIVIA. 22 years old.
Last seen on CCTV, entering a dead-end alley. And not coming back out again. Missing for one day and counting . . .
Julia is the detective heading up the case. She knows what to expect. A desperate family, a ticking clock, and long hours away from her husband and daughter. But Julia has no idea how close to home it's going to get.
Because there's a man out there. And his weapon isn't a gun, or a knife: it's a secret. Her worst one. He tells her that her family's safety depends on one thing: Julia must NOT find out what happened to Olivia - and must frame somebody else for her murder . . .
MY REVIEW *****
I’ve read a lot of books by Gillian McAllister, and I really love the fact that she still manages to surprise and shock with twists and new takes on crime thrillers that really make a refreshing change to the genre. Wrong Place, Wrong Time was one of my Kindig Gems of the Year for 2022 so I was excited to read her next book.
Just Another Missing Person is a great standalone thriller featuring a new Detective; Julia. Julia feels well rounded and interesting - she loves her job, sometimes at the detriment to her family life, she has a daughter she loves and a past secret which she will do anything to ensure does not come out. She feels realistic and gritty without becoming too much of a stereotype. There are quite a few other characters throughout the case – friends and family of the victim, police offices and experts but it is easy to keep track of them throughout. The book also jumps perspective between 3 main characters, who all have their distinctive voice. Although they all feel like 3 different plots at the beginning, they become interwoven with each other quickly. One of these perspectives is also in the second person, which keeps it separate from the others.
I don’t want to delve too much into the twist as I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but it’s such a clever idea and really well done. The cards are also shown at around 65% which leaves plenty of time to continue the story without making the twist the main focus.
Just Another Missing Person is a great twist which stands out in a saturated genre – another fantastic addition to Gillian McAllister’s repertoire which really makes her a must-read author in my eyes. Thank you to NetGalley & Penguin Random House – Michael Joseph for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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