Ok. I hate giving a bad/mediocre review, but here goes. So, I wanted to give this author another chance, thinking Wrong Place Wrong Time was just maybe a one off. BUT, I think this authors writing style just isn’t for me.

I will say I loved the plot of this book and there were twists in there that I honestly didn’t see coming. So already, it’s better than Wrong Place. But, man if she didn’t repeat the same words 3 times in a row, 4 times on 1 page. It drove me CRAZY! Like, honestly is it a word count thing? Cause I saw no reason for the repetition, it didn’t even make sense.

Anyways, if you can get past the writing style, this was a pretty enjoyable book. Will I read another by this author? I don’t know. But, I still finished this book in a day so that has to mean something?

I loved Wrong Place Wrong Time and I loved this one too. McAllister is the queen of plot twists! I read it in an evening because I couldn't put it down. I had to know whodunnit! Not only is this book entertaining, but it's also a deep examination of being a parent and realizing just how far a parent will go to protect and/or save a child. Highly recommend.

This was a good, fast paced thriller. I read it in a day. I’m not a huge fan of detective novels, and there was a little too much pro cop propaganda in it, but I still enjoyed it. Definitely unpredictable.

Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy. I loved the plot twists throughout the book. I enjoyed this one as much as I enjoyed Wrong Place Wrong Time. I look forward to reading more books by McAllister.

I’ll admit that the first 6-9 chapters were hard to get through. It felt choppy, the writing and story just didn’t flow. But I stuck with it and I’m glad I did. I was surprised by the turns in this story and the ending, I did not see coming. Overall, I really liked this book!

Another winner of a book from Gillian!! I am a huge fan of this author and her writing. Her thrillers are some of my favorite. This book was suspenseful and kept me guessing. The writing style flowed nicely and could easily relate to the characters.

It happened again! My mind was blown, and my last remaining gray cells burned to the ground, as if I had binge-watched the entire six seasons of Black Mirror in one go or had an Inception-Tenet-Interstellar marathon all in one day! This natural side effect comes with reading any of Gillian McAllister's mind-bending, intelligent, adrenaline-pumping, anxiety-inducing books. She's a master at bending different timelines, confusing our minds with multiple narrators' statements, and dragging us into a puzzle-solving frenzy.

But what sets Gillian McAllister's books apart is her unique descriptions, the banter between characters, and the emphasis she places on the importance of family, especially motherhood, in each of her stories.

"Wrong Place, Wrong Time," her previous work, rocked my world, and I was left awestruck, unable to find proper words to express my feelings in a coherent review. Words wouldn't suffice!

"Just Another Missing Person" is another riveting thriller that continues her trend of puzzling, enigmatic, and complex writing. You feel like a detective not only solving the mysteries she throws your way but also becoming attached to the three different narrations: Julia, a workaholic, honest police officer; Lewis, a caring father devoted to finding his missing daughter; and Emma, a single mom who would do anything to protect her son, even as she suspects his behavior.
The characters in this book are so well-developed and relatable that you become fully invested in their journeys. Julia, the dedicated detective, has her world turned upside down as she searches for the missing Olivia. Her relentless pursuit of the truth and the dilemmas she faces add layers of complexity to the narrative. Then there's Lewis, the father on a desperate mission to find his daughter, tugging at your heartstrings with his unwavering love and determination. And Emma, the fiercely protective single mom, whose struggles and suspicions add an extra layer of tension to the story.

The plot revolves around Olivia, a 22-year-old who disappeared without a trace, leaving behind many inconsistencies that rub Julia, the detective, the wrong way. During the investigation, she encounters a mysterious man who seems familiar, and soon she finds herself facing a difficult decision: to corrupt evidence to protect her family or risk losing her daughter forever by exposing the truth. And what if this case is connected to her past demons, the other missing women cases she still couldn't solve, all leading to her own destiny?

The plot is riddled with mysteries like Easter eggs that you have to uncover one by one, all interconnected. Just when you think you've solved the main mystery, the author throws another puzzle piece your way, leaving you screaming in surprise as you start theorizing all over again.

As I delved deeper into the plot, I found myself entangled in a web of secrets, lies, and revelations. The mysteries were like a chain of dominoes, each one falling into place and leading to even more thrilling discoveries. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, McAllister threw another curveball my way, leaving me reeling with surprise and admiration for her storytelling prowess.

The emotional depth and raw vulnerability of the characters added a human touch to the suspenseful plot. I felt their fears, their pain, and their unwavering love for their children. McAllister's portrayal of motherhood and the lengths parents would go to protect their offspring struck a chord with me, making the story all the more powerful and resonant.

And that ending! Oh, what a masterpiece! The cleverly woven threads of the plot culminated in a stunning revelation that left me in awe of McAllister's narrative brilliance. It was a satisfying conclusion that tied all the loose ends together and left me with a sense of fulfillment and admiration for the author's storytelling skills.

If you're looking for an original, intelligent, riveting, deliciously twisty, addictive, and exceptionally well-written thriller, you've found yourself a gem! This is easily one of the top five best thrillers you'll read this year!

A big thank you to Ariele Fredman, NetGalley, and William Morrow for sharing this AMAZING book's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

When a 22-year-old college girl goes missing down a dead-end alley with no doors and no way to get out Detective Julia is stumped and has no leads but that night while leaving the precinct she too will be kidnapped but she won’t be kept she will be told who to convict and given the evidence needed to convict the man but detective Julia cannot be bought. When the man threatens the life of her daughter Genevieve and alludes to the accident that Julia covered up she feels like she is up against a brick wall. Can she solve the case and convict the right person or will she become the things she hates most and that is a dirty cop?

Julia, the lead detective on a missing case for a twenty year old girl named Olivia, thinks she knows what to expect. But as it turns out, the criminal at the heart of this disappearance has information on Julia. And if she finds Olivia, the criminal will reveal her secret. As the clock ticks and Olivia’s family becomes increasingly desperate, Julia is forced to decide what to do: find Olivia and risk everything, or frame her disappearance on someone else and keep her secret.

The premise of this book was more interesting to me than the actual story itself. I DNF after 25% because to me, it was a slow burn and never picked up speed. I am sure fans of Gillian’s previous books will enjoy this one, but I could not get into it. I am leaving feedback as required by Netgalley.

Thank you to Netgalley, Gillian McAlister and William for the ARC. This story releases August 1, 2023.

DCI Julie Day is here to solve the case of yet another missing person, Or will she? The twists and turns of this whodunit thriller had me flipping through the pages so fast!! And gasping when each surprising turn!!
This storyline was so good, so detailed and so dramatic—I felt like I was on every phone call and logged into the database search along with the police force.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC and the honor to share my feedback.

A great missing person suspense novel with lots of twists and turns. I enjoyed this book very much and I highly recommend it

While I did not read (it’s still in my TBR pile) Gillian McAllister’s “Wrong Place, Wrong Time,” I thoroughly enjoyed her newest entry into the thriller/mystery genre. With multiple narrators, “Just Another Missing Person” layers storylines in a way which keeps you both invested and guessing until the end. I was entertained from start to finish and will certainly continue reading her work. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Publishing for the advanced copy!

This was my first Gillian McAllister book, and I'm a big fan of the way she writes a thriller! Many books save their big twists for the end, but this one was filled with shocking revelations along the way. I liked that it was written from 3 POVs, and it wasn't your typical missing person plot. There were so many layers in such a quick read.

The beginning was a little slow. I struggled to latch on at first, but once the character building and backgrounds were established, I was hooked.

Just Another Missing Person is available August 1, 2023.

Thank you #netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Okay…this is one of my all time favorite thrillers. I will be SCREAMING about this book for a long time! It is the perfect balance of compelling writing and amazing plot. I will definitely be reading more Gillian McAllister after reading this! 100% must read!

TL;DR: she’s back! The author of the massive bestseller (and Reese’s Bookclub pick) WRONG PLACE WRONG TIME returns with JUST ANOTHER MISSING PERSON, and let me tell you: this is my favorite McAllister book yet! an emotional crime thriller about the sacrifices parents will make in order to protect their children, JAMP is clever and well-plotted, a missing person thriller that hits bookshelves just in time for the dog days of summer. It’s a 5-⭐️ read for me, which is saying something when it comes to thrillers this year!

Just Another Missing Person
Thank you @williammorrow for the gifted copy of this book {partner}

Genre: Mystery
Trope: Missing Person
Format: 📖
Pub Date: 8.1.2023
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

“Sometimes things become crystal clear only when one is faced with the immediacy of them.”

Last year, I read and loved Wrong Place Wrong Time, and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her newest novel, Just Another Missing Person. But I was nervous; what if it didn’t meet my expectations as much as WPWT did? Well, let me tell you that it did and then some!

I love how McAllister creates such complex characters with dark secrets and qualities you can’t help but admire. Throughout this book, you get to know them all, adding a captivating dimension to the story. Her books have a way of asking, “Just how far would you go for the person you love?”

For the first 50% of the book, I felt like I was slowly assembling the puzzle pieces, but some weren’t fitting. And then there was the twist that completely blew my mind and turned all my hard work upside down. After that point, I couldn’t put the book down because I needed to know what was happening. It was everything I had hoped it would be!

🕵🏽‍♀️ Missing persons cases
🔀 Mind-blowing twists
🚨 Police procedural
🗣️ Multiple perspectives
👏🏼 Complex characters
📖 One that I would read again

I recommend reading Just Another Missing Person if you’re in the mood for a story that keeps you guessing until the end.

Wow! I absolutely loved this mystery/thriller. The characters were complex and interesting. The themes of family and what parents will do to protect their children were emotional and heart-wrenching. The mystery was well-crafted and had numerous twists, turns, and surprises that kept me intrigued until the final page. I highly recommend this read and look forward to reading more from this author.

The last time Olivia Johnson was seen, via CCTV, she walked into a dead end alleyway and never came back out. Now she is missing and detective Julia Day knows it’s a race against time if they hope to find her alive. However, the person responsible knows a secret about Julia and her daughter that she would do anything to keep from getting out. Julia is forced to make an impossible choice- to find Olivia or to protect her daughter.

What a great mystery! The second half of the book is a series of engaging twists and reveals that kept me up past my bedtime. The plot was clearly well planned- I loved how many little details came back at the end.

The story is initially told from Julia’s perspective but eventually adds in two other perspectives, both of which were written entirely in second person. Initially, I found it pretty confusing trying to keep straight who was being talked about, but once I was more familiar with the second person POVs it got easier and was an interesting way for the story to be revealed.

I read a fair amount of thrillers and this one managed to surprise me! The characters were well developed and the ending was satisfying. This is the first book I’ve read by Gillian McAllister and I will definitely be reading more.

The first part of the book was quite slow and it took some time for me to get into it. I would have appreciated a faster start but the second part of the book was quite lively. I enjoyed the mysteries behind the story and kept me going with the book.

22 year old Olivia Johnson has been missing for 1 day. She was last seen on CCTV entering a dead end alleyway leaving DCI Julia Day to believe she vanished into thin air. It’s up to DCI Day to uncover what happened without digging up secrets from her own past connected to the case.

I enjoyed the different 1st person perspectives from the main characters though I was thrown off by 2 of the perspectives being told in an almost 2nd person manner. I kept having to go back and see who those two initially were within the story which pulled me out of it a bit. I thought the twists and turns were well worth it and, for the most part, unpredictable, but the ending was a little rushed for my taste.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and was invested in the characters’ journeys through the end!

***Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review***