Thank you to publisher and NetGalley for this read. So far I am really enjoying this series. It is a great thriller and kept me engaged through whole book. Can’t wait to continue reading!

I would like to thank Netgalley and HarperCollins, One More Chapter for a review copy of Isolated, the second novel to feature investigative journalist Emma Hunter, set in and around Weymouth.

Emma is in London visiting her agent when she witnesses a young woman throw herself off the building with the last words, “find Sally. Tell her I’m sorry”. The young woman is Natalie Sullivan and Sally is her friend Sally Curtis who, as a 14 year old, disappeared 15 years ago from the woods near the army barracks in Weymouth after a game of truth or dare. Natalie’s home suggests a Wiccan connection and darker forces.

I thoroughly enjoyed Isolated which is another fast moving investigation in what is turning into a compulsive series. Like the first novel, Ransomed, this revolves around a cold case and follows a similar format with Emma’s first person narrative covering present day events and Natalie’s third person narrative covering the events surrounding Sally’s disappearance. It switches easily between the two with Natalie’s narrative putting meat on the bones of Emma’s fairly meagre investigation, although the reader has to wait until much later in the novel to discover what exactly happened in the woods and why.

I found the novel to be quietly compulsive as the author skilfully builds the tension and curiosity through a series of well timed reveals. There are a few twists, some I guessed, the big one I didn’t, perhaps because I have recently read Ransomed and have a grasp of the author’s mindset. I think the big twist is very well done and it totally surprised me.

Emma is pushed to help others as she is troubled by the unsolved disappearance of her 9 year old sister, Anna, twenty years ago. This is a thread in the series so the novel opens with the results of the cliffhanger in the previous novel and ends with another development which may get her nearer to the answer of what happened to Anna. It’s not looking pretty, but it’s fiction so I can hope that it’s all a mistake.

Isolated is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

A gripping, gritty and highly entertaining story that kept me hooked and reading till late in the night.
The plot is tightly knitted, quite fast paced, and it flows.
I loved the character development and I was happy to get to know Emma and the characters better.
The mystery is solid, full of twists and turns, and very interesting.
I can't wait to read the next story, this one is highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This is the second book in the Children’s Missing Case Files and it is going from strength to strength. Emma Hunter, a best selling investigative author is at a meeting with her agent, Maddie at her offices when a commotion draws their attention to the roof, a young woman, Natalie is on the edge. Maddie has had experience with the Samaritans and tries to talk her down but just before Natalie jumps, she asks Emma to find Sally and tell her she’s sorry.

Natalie’s dying request is plaguing Emma and after some research, she discovers that 15 years ago on an Army Base (where Natalie grew up), four girls, Sally, Louise, Jane and Natalie sneaked into the woods one night, however, only three of them returned! What happened to Sally and what is Natalie sorry for? Emma together with her friend Rachel and her police cold case officer, Jack will stop at nothing to get to the bottom of it and find Sally.

Another fast paced gritty investigation, lies and secrets uncovered, twist and turns to get to the truth and what an ending, didn’t see that coming, can’t wait to see what’s in store next for Emma.

This is the second book in the series focusing on missing children cases and certainly did not disappoint.

Emma Hunter is an investigative journalist who carries around the heavy burden of her missing sister who disappeared some years ago.

This story is told from 2 time spans. It starts in the past where 4 teenage girls living in army barracks sneak out on night into the woods. Only 3 return and the hunt begins for the missing girl, which has never been resolved.

Whilst Emma is visiting her agent in London they become embroiled into the situation where a woman is threatening to jump off the roof. Unable to change her mind, the woman pleads that 'Sally' is found and that Natalie was sorry.

After some investigating, Emma becomes embroiled in a case which appears to hold many secrets behind the locked down army camp. Visitors are not welcome and secrets are held close.

This story is fast paced with twists along the way and an ending I wouldn't have predicted. Highly recommend, a grea

Isolated by M.A Hunter is the second in The Missing Children Case Files series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Harper Collins UK (One More Chapter) - in particular Claire Fenby, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


Series Background:    (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)

Emma Hunter is an investigative journalist who is now a best-selling author. Between her friend and literary agent Maddie, and her best friend from college Rachel, Emma has a good support team, although she wishes they got along.    DC Jack Serrovitz  has started helping Emma on her missing children cases. Emma's sister has been missing for over 20 years, but she is still looking for her.


My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)

When Emma and Maddie try to prevent the suicide of a young woman named Natalie, she tells Emma to "find Sally, and tell her I'm sorry".  Emma has no idea who she is referring to.  After the detectives find a box with Emma's name on it in the dead woman's apartment, Emma decides she will try to find the elusive Sally.  Apparently when they were teenagers, Natalie and her friends had entered the woods near the military base where they lived, and Sally was never seen again.  Natalie felt that she was responsible for Sally's disappearance, and it has haunted her 15 years.

Meanwhile, Emma is still trying to bring Fitzhume to justice for being behind the kidnapping of his grand-daughter.  But he has friends in high places, and other than the fact that he admitted this to her, there is no concrete evidence.  Emma's book about the kidnapping is on hold until the lawyers can figure out how much she can say about this in the book.

Then, Jack's facial recognition software got a positive match for Emma's sister on some videos taken from the home of Turgood.  Unfortunately,  Emma is responsible for his arrest, and he's not very willing to help.


My Opinions:

This book leaves off immediately at the end of the first in the series, and you are going to have to read these books in order, or it's going to get confusing.  Yes, there is some recapping, but even I was confused when this one started and I had read the first book.

Anyway, with reference to the characters,  I like Emma and Jack.  I am getting used to Rachel and Maddie.

The story alternates between Natalie's childhood, and Emma's current investigation.

The book is about bullying, sexual and physical abuse, and the fragility of a young girl's mind at an impressionable age.  It shows that guilt, real or imagined, can be deadly.  It was a little dark.  The book is also about Alzheimer's, and Emma's guilt at having to confine her aging mother in a nursing home. Speaking from my own experience here, the author handled this very well.

Again, this book reads a little different.  I find the suspense, and therefore excitement, missing.  However, the plot is good and so is the writing.  I'm going to stick with it.

Book 2 in the series of missing children had journalist Emma Hunter back in the forefront. Her search for her missing sister continued while a new mystery came to light which was intriguing in its concept. Natalie’s last words – Find Sally – after falling from the building had Emma, her best friend Rachel, and cop Jack scurrying to find Sally

The story alternated between the past and the present where I got to know Natalie slightly better in her childhood and Emma’s investigation as it happened now. Having read author M. A. Hunter’s books earlier, I hoped for a galloping prose. But this was slow and meandered in the middle.

The suspense started fine in the beginning but kept wavering. The mystery was intriguing to solve with twists aplenty, when the investigation made inroads into Sally’s disappearance. Emma as the main character worked well; her reactions seemed apt to the situation. I liked the nuggets of personal life weaved into the story.

Overall, a fun read. I have book 3 with me, looking forward to a rocking ride.

I’d like to thank HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Isolated’, the second in the Missing Children Case Files written by M A Hunter, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

In the middle of the night four teenage girls living at Bovington Garrison, Louise, Jane, Sally and Natalie, sneak out of their homes to cast a spell in the woods, but only three girls return. For fifteen years Natalie believes she’s to blame for Sally going missing as she lied when they made their pact. Emma Hunter, investigative journalist and author of best-selling book ‘Monsters Under The Bed’, is visiting her agent Maddie when she becomes aware of Sally’s disappearance all those years ago. Could she use her investigative talents to unearth the truth?

The story begins fifteen years ago with events that have deeply affected Natalie, to the present time as Emma meets her agent Maddie with her completed second book ‘Ransomed’. During her visit she becomes aware that Natalie wants her to find Sally to tell her she’s sorry. ‘Isolated’ is an intriguing and cleverly thought-out sequel to ‘Ransomed’ and I’ve enjoyed seeing how Emma’s character has developed, her friendship with Maddie and best-friend Rachel, as well as her relationship with Jack who’s been helping in the search for her missing sister Anna who disappeared twenty years ago. This is an interesting book that’s kept me reading and I can recommend it.

Emma Hunter is at a meeting with Maddie, her agent, discussing where she might go with her next book. Suddenly there's shouting- a young woman is on the roof about to jump. Maddie, having had experience with the Samaritans attempt to talk her down. Sadly she doesn't succeed. Just before she leans back & falls she asks Emma to find Sally & tell her she is sorry. Emma discovers that the victim, Natalie once lived on an Army base. One night she & three friends snaked out into the woods. Sally disappeared & there had never been any answers. Emma, along with her friend reporter Rachel & cold case cop Jack attempt to find out what happened.

Told from the time when Sally disappeared & present day this fast paced thriller keeps the reader on their toes. I really enjoyed the first book in this series & this one was equally enjoyable. I like seeing how the characters are developing & how the story arch is progressing across the series. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

Another excellent read from M A Hunter. I was hooked from the start and couldn't out it down throughout

This is the second book in The Nissing Children Case Files series.

Emma Hunter is still investigating the disappearance of her sister and is following up some of the leads that emerged at the end of the first book.

There is also a completely new mystery to solve that begins with the suicide of a young woman.

The main mystery if this book is intriguing but not quite as gripping as the first case in my opinion.

It’s hard to review without giving any spoilers but some of the facts if the case just didn’t ring true for me.

Despite this I really like the characters of Emma, Jack and Rachel and the dynamics between them. The idea behind the books is really great and I am looking forward tonseeing how the final case is resolved.

Thank you One More Chapter and Netgalley for the gifted copy in return for an honest review.

Interesting, Unique and a book I will be collecting for my forever shelf I have found this one hard to put down and have been completely captivated.
I adore the writing style, plot and characters. A great book!

A good series with another interesting storyline set alongside the main characters hunt for her sister. Twists and turns,teenage pacts all add up to a good read.

I really love this author and this series of books and it’s actually killing me to have to wait for the next one. I dying to know what happened to her sister. Please get writing quicker? This edition of the story follows Emma after she witnesses someone take their own life. As a 15 year old mystery starts to unravel Emma gets drawn in on a request from the dead woman. What did happen to Sally 15 years ago? This is another ripper of a read and does not disappoint. Now where is book three!!!!

This is the second in the series featuring Emma Hunter, a investigative journalist. She was first featured in Ransomed which got rave reviews from me. In Isolated, Emma is at the offices of her agent when a woman jumps from the roof. Before jumping she passes on a message to Emma, “Find Sally” which sets her on the path to her next story. The woman who jumped, Natalie and her 2 friends, Louise & Jane were involved when aged 14 in the disappearance of her friend Sally from an army base and still missing many years later. An enjoyable and twisty read, told over two timelines, the past at aged 14 and the present. A must read. I am looking forward to the next in the series, Trafficked.

I would firstly like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn't massively gripped by the whole wiccan thing, but this was still a very enjoyable read. The second thrilling and gripping book in this series!
Emma Hunter still remains a character that is very likeable - relentless, determined but respectful, when it comes to seeking the truth. Her interactions with her mum in this book were heartbreakingly realistic to read. Throw in another cleverly-written mystery, the continuing story plot concerning Emma's missing sister Anna, a uniquely original main plot, plenty of twists and turns and another engaging then/now timeline; this is a book I would highly recommend!
Can't wait for the third book!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book.

It is the second in the Emma Hunter series and I really REALLY enjoyed this book. It begins very shortly after the end of the first book Ransomed. I thought it had a brilliant first chapter, one that had me hooked and reeled in right from the start. This was, for me, one of those books that just got better and better the more I read. Emma and her agent witness someone throw herself off a building with her last words being “Find Sally. Tell her I’m Sorry”. This leads Emma to look into the disappearance of a teenager from an army base 15 years before. The story moves from ‘then’ and ‘now’ so easily and is written so well it held my attention all the way through. I really like the characters, especially Emma - she is very believable and likeable with a good back story which plays a part in this series. The last quarter of the book raced to a thrilling conclusion with so many twists I didn’t expect (wow, wow, wow) and most loose ends tied up. Overall, a very well written book, with a good plot line that kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat. I am loving this series and eagerly await the next book.

Thankyou to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and the author, M. A. Hunter, for the opportunity to read a digital copy of Isolated in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
This book is the second in the Missing Children Case Files series. Such a ripping, good yarn that keeps you hooked until the end.
The storyline was well thought out and written. I certainly can't wait for more in this series.
Well worth a read for crime thriller fans.

This was a complex and totally absorbing story. Lots of different threads in different timelines which all come together at the end. Great characters and descriptive writing which brings the whole story to life. A thoroughly enjoyable read..

Through Net Galley, I recently read an advance copy of Isolated by M.A. Hunter. This is the second entry in the highly entertaining Missing Children series. Investigative Journalist Emma Hunter continues to search for details surrounding his sisters disappearance as a child while stumbling onto another cold case involving a missing 14 year old who disappeared from the woods adjacent to a military base 15 years earlier.

Told both in real time and through flashbacks, Ms. Hunter has written another compelling mystery centered around a very likeable lead character. Every time I thought I had it figured out, another twist or turn was introduced that deepened the mystery and kept me enthralled. Emma’s potential love interest, Jack, plays a smaller role in this story but continues to be a character I look forward to getting to know better.

Fast paced, well written and ultimately very satisfying, this one gets an enthusiastic 5 stars. While it could be read as a standalone, there are enough references to the prior entry that the reader would be better served by reading the first in the series, Ransomed, first.

An ebook copy of Isolated was the only compensation received in exchange for this review. My thanks to Net Galley and One More Chapter (Harper Collins UK) for the opportunity to read this book and provide feedback.