This is one of my all time favorite detective series. Reading this 18th book of the series, I’ve gotten to know Josie and her team really well. The amount of character development that occurs is deep. And it isn’t just the characters, but the cast of characters, mainly Josie’s team, that also grow and develop. And Lisa Regan doesn’t shy away from hard plot decisions, which was last evidenced in book 17. To remain spoiler free, I won’t get into specifics, but reading as the team handles and process everything brought a tear to my eye. Fictional characters’ trauma in a detective book getting me emotional. That should tell you all you need to know about the character development.

But I am supposed to convince you why you need to read this latest installment. As this one opens at a child’s baseball game right before I child goes missing (hence the name), I was quite concerned about the only child in this series. The last book introduced this mysterious Woodsman that nabs kids in the woods and that is explored in this book. So what happens when folklore becomes reality? Josie and her team start searching for the missing child.

Their investigation is layered and frustrating as they can’t catch a good break and the time is ticking. As with all the previous installments, I like the work life balance in the story. I love watching how the team works off of each other to showcase strengths to balance what another is lacking. And in this one I never saw that ending coming. I really didn’t work hard to solve this one, but enjoyed the ride, but at no point did I have an inkling where this would lead. That is unusual for me.

While you can read this one and the case itself works as a stand alone and the author is very good at briefly filling in any details for those that either don’t remember or haven’t read a previous book, this series is terrific and the personal lives and back story add so much to it, that I highly recommend you read this entire series in order, so you can enjoy this one and be ready for book 19. So many series get a little flat as they grow, but this one has me just as excited for the next book as I was at book 2.

Josie Quinn is back with another case. If you remember the Slender Man from a few years ago, this story will remind you of it. Don’t go into the woods at night or the Woodsman won’t let you go home. I’ve read most of the Josie Quinn series and love the mix of personal and professional storylines. Once I picked up the book I had a hard time putting it down. It is a quick, satisfying read if you love police procedurals mixed with personal relationships.

Character List *spoiler free*

*Detective Josie Quinn, married to Noah, her newest obsession is a cup of flat white latte. Struggling a lot with different traumas from childhood to the events from Book 17!

*Noah Fraley, Josie's strength and husband.

*Chief of Police Bob Chitwood, boss of everyone

*Detective Gretchen Palmer, short spiky brown and grey hair, the lynchpin of the team, holds everyone together.

*Amber Watts, the press liaison in the office, is quiet in this book, working through the events from the last book.

*Kayleigh Patchett, missing girl, 16 years old. Last seen wearing a blue sweatshirt, a pair of black shorts, and white sneakers. straight, shoulder-length hair almost black, with a smattering of freckles across the nose and cheeks

*Savannah Patchett, sister to Kayleigh. She is found in the woods by Josie, Luke, and Blue. 8 years old, smile that goes on for days, curly hair

*The Woodsman, the local legend, is blamed for the missing children.

*Luke Creighton, Josie’s ex and owner of Blue, works with Denton P.D

*Blue, Tracker dog who belongs to Luke, bloodhound, K9 liaison

This book was explosive and I loved the turn of events. I mean don't get me wrong, I don't love the murdered girls or what happened to people, and although I had an inkling of the twist, I loved it! It was so left field, but at the same time so relevant and twisted.

This is definitely my favourite in the series, I was blown away. I didn't always get the chance to read the book as much as I wanted to but every spare minute I was trying to speed through as much as I could. I was addicted. 18 books in and you do start to wonder if the series might wane....this book shows it hasn't.

So much to unpack in this book, so much is going on aside from the missing girls, the turn of the relationships and how broken Josie is again was sad. I felt Josie was just getting her life back, but she has been through the wringer so much in the last few books, I feel like she getting lost in herself and regressing. It's so hard to watch, and I hope she goes to the retreat - and it's crime-free!! She needs to find her sparkle. But that's what I love, each is a continuation and we see how the events from before are still impacting them. It's not all light and fluffy, it's gritty and so realistic.

I have no idea where Lisa might take the series next, but I just hope she takes the series and continues. Josie needs a break, I have said that many times, and I am looking forward to her sparkle.

Such a dark tale, a somber one, and one that sobers up a lot of people. It's a parent's worst nightmare, words no parent wants to have to ever utter. It did, however, make for a riveting read and a lot of praying that all will be ok in the end!

My Child is Missing by Lisa Regan.
Detective Josie Quinn Book 18.
The little girl’s bright blue eyes are wide with fear, her hair tousled, her tears making tracks in the dirt smudged across her cheek. Curled tight in a tiny ball, it’s as if she wants to hide away forever. “He took her!” she cries. “He took my sister!”
I really enjoyed this book. I did like Josie Amber Noah Gretchen Dougherty Brennan and Cohlen. Henry I didn't trust. I loved how Noah was with Josie. I certainly didn't see that twist. I had my theory but not that outcome. Wow. I'm looking forward to the next book. 5*.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for my copy of My Child Is Missing by Lisa Regan
The 18th book in the series featuring Detective Josie Quinn set in the fictional Pennsylvanian town of Denton.
Two sisters go for a walk in the woods back in onto their house one morning, but they don’t come out.
After a massive search the younger child is found terrified and saying her sister was taken by “The Woodsman’.
The race is on to find Kayleigh before it’s too late.
A gripping story.

Detective Josie Quinn and her department are still feeling the death of one of their own. When they get a call that two children are missing. One child is found and she claims the woodsman took her sister. When it is learned that more pears have gone into the woods with only one returning Josie and her team have to race against the clock before this twisted killer strikes again!

The 18th book in the Josie Quinn series by Lisa Reagan is another winner. I am in love with the series and the writing style of the author. The characters are well developed, there are twists and turns that keep you guessing. Her stories pull you in and keep you on the edge of your seat. My Child is Missing is no exception. I highly recommend this book. You won’t be disappointed.

Holy Moly! What a twist, I did not see that coming and I loved it.

Detective Josie and her team are called in for two missing sisters, a teen and a child. There are rumours at the local school of the "woodsman" is he real or fiction? Is there a serial killer in their midst?
I loved how the author wove this tale, the clues that didn't quite add up leaving the reader guessing. The characters, their grief of a lost team member still haunting them makes them so human and real.
I totally immersed myself in this story and couldn't put it down. I highly recommend this series.

Detective Josie Quinn and her department are still dealing with the death of one of their own, when two sisters are reported missing in the woods. Using a search dog, they find the younger sister who claims that the “Woodsman” took her sister. Believing that the Woodsman is nothing more than a legend, Josie is dismayed to learn that other pairs have gone into the woods, in other areas, with only one surviving. The local teens have latched onto the legend and Josie fears that more lives will be lost. Finding a possible suspect, a former convict, they are unable to prove that he has had anything to do with the missing teen as the parents continue to pressure the police to find their daughter. When two other teens decide to brave the woods, will Josie and her team find them both alive? With the first teen still missing, Josie realizes that the killer has left their calling card, but will this help her to solve the case? A twisted killer who wants to be seen, to be known, to be recognized. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

This is another great read by Lisa Regan, the next installment in the Josie Quinn series. I received a copy from Bookouture via Netgalley. And it happened to be out today!

Missing children. Always an awful situation and that is why Josie Quinn is on the investigation immediately. However, they are not the only missing children. There are more cases of children going into the Woods and not returning home. A story goes round calling the abductor the woodsman making all children in the area frightened. Can Josie Quinn solve this case and keep the children safe? Will she be able to save a few of them?

Again, just like the last few books, this was a blast to read. High-paced, action-filled and with a great story behind it. As it is book 18 the characters are well developed and you know lots of them, their characteristics, their flaws and their strengths. Lisa Regan is quite skilled in bringing the written word to life. The way the story evolves and is described paints a picture in your imagination. Every time I see a book of Lisa Reagan on Netgalley I immediately request it. Luckily for me I received the last few and I can't wait for the next one!

This is, again, a most definite recommendation.

5/5 ⭐

Lisa Regan hits her latest book, My Child is Missing, right out of the ballpark. This is the 18th book in her incredible Detective Josie Quinn Series. This very talented author is a must read for me!! She will pull you into the story right from the start. She brings each character to life and I feel like I know each and every one of them. This is an intense murder mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Suspenseful and intriguing, this addictive story will leave your jaw on the floor. Ms. Regan out did herself with this one!!! Grab this one today and meet The Woodsman, you will. NOT be disappointed.

Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and Lisa Regan for another riveting addition to one of the best series out there. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
#netgalley. #bookouture. #lisaregan. #mychildismissing. #detectivejosiequinn. #arc

Sixteen-year-old Kayleigh Patchett is missing. Rumors abound that she was taken by “The Woodsman”. Detective Josie Quinn, husband Lieutenant Noah Fraley and the rest of their team are in a race against time with hopes of finding her alive. Kayleigh disappeared after going on a walk with her younger sister, Savannah, and after finding Savannah safe and unharmed, all she could say is “He took her. He took my sister.”

When a K-9 officer leads the team to a cabin in the woods, they find the trail for Kayleigh suddenly reaches a dead end. While Josie is determined to follow lead after lead, the tension she feels is palpable. While the reader is drawn into the story with regard to the investigation, there are also snippets from the killer’s point of view, giving this already thrilling book even more impetus.

Josie doesn’t want to believe in the story of a creepy “Woodsman”, but since things are so unclear and so wrought with danger and tension, she is forced to consider the possibility. Meanwhile, aspects of Josie’s personal life add an additional layer to this already well-written and intriguing story.

Eighteen books in! Yes, eighteen, and this series is still running at full throttle. I cannot wait for the next installment.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

I would not advise to start this book in the evening because it could be really hard to stop reading as this is a top-notch sleep-deprivation and one-more-chapter crime thriller. You want to know what will happen, who did it and if everything will be ok.
It an emotionally charged novel, there’s a lot of grief after the loss of a member of the team and Josie is more able to manage and express her sufferance.
The plot it tightly knitted, fast paced and keeps you on the edge page after page.
The characters had to adapt to a new situation and there’s some important changes that you will discover reading the story.
It’s a an excellent crime thriller, the best in the series so far, and it’s also the most gripping and entertaining.
I strongly recommend it, it can be read as a stand-alone but you will surely appreciate all the nuances if you read the previous books.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Bookouture for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Josie Quinn is on the case again. This time the detective and her team are looking for The Woodsman. At first glance it seems as if it's just a silly story spread by children and meant to cause fear, but then two sisters go into the woods and only one of them is found. It's just like the story says. Now Josie is trying to find The Woodsman before any other children go into the woods.

I really could not figure this one out! Lisa has done it again and this series never seems to disappoint. The ending left me shocked! Great book and I definitely recommend.

In the latest by Lisa Regan, Detective Josie Quinn and her team are dealing with several cases of missing children. Stories about "The Woodsman'' are spreading throughout the area schools, but kids are still going into the nearby wooded areas. Josie hates that the media is sensationalizing this, and knows they are dealing with a very real killer.

I highly recommend this series! The case in this book stands on its own, but the main characters are dealing with the aftermath of something important that happened in the prior book, so you may want to read that one first. The tensions in the investigation grow as the story progresses. Josie and her team get an assist from Josie's ex, Luke, and his K-9 partner, Blue, when searching for a missing girl. There are a few likely suspects in these strange killings, but I was shocked by the final reveal. The ending alone makes this another great read in this excellent series.

I received an advance copy of this ebook from NetGalley and Bookouture at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

I don't know how Lisa Regan does it, but My Child is Missing is the best book yet in the Josie Quinn series in my opinion! My Child is Missing is book 18 in the series but you could definitely pick it up and read it if you're a first time reader! Lisa Regan does a great job of filling in background information so you won't feel lost. My Child is Missing is about a rumored story, The Woodsman. The kids in school are terrified as stories of The Woodsman are rampant. The story goes that two children enter the woods but only one makes it out. The other child will never see their mother again. There are missing kids that entered the woods in other towns, but none in Denton yet.

That all changes when Kayleigh and Savannah Patchett decide to enter the woods behind their house while their parents are grocery shopping. Kayleigh wants to prove to Savannah that the story of The Woodsman is made up by other kids in order to scare them. There are all of these dares circulating on social media telling the kids to enter the woods in pairs and see if they both make it out. When the Patchett's arrive home from grocery shopping they yell for the girls to help unload. They figure the girls are upstairs and don't think much about them not responding. After they've unloaded the groceries they go to look for the girls and panic when they're not home. They split up and go into the woods looking for their daughters.

The parents get turned around in the woods and have difficulty finding their way back to the house. Once they get back, they call the police to report their missing girls. Detective Josie Quinn arrives with her team. They take down vital information, get photos of the girls, pieces of clothing for each girl for the search dog, and they head out into the woods. The dog takes a sniff of the clothing and starts off with everyone else following as closely as possible. They've walked for hours with no luck.

A bit later Savannah is found scared and shaken, but alive. Savannah is 8 years old and her sister Kaleigh is 16 years old. Kayleigh always looks out for Savannah and the two are quite close. She tells Josie that the Woodsman took Kayleigh and she's afraid she'll never see her again. She saw the man from a distance. He had on jeans and a yellow sweatshirt. Once they get to the road they radio for help to get Savannah to the hospital. She needs to be checked out as she's shaking and may be going into shock.

Josie and the others hydrate and get back out there with flashlights. Eventually, the dog stops and barks at a house deep in the woods near Murder Mountain. It's called that because hundreds of girls were buried there after they were killed. Why would anyone want to live in a house here? Josie knocks on the door and a man answers. He says they can come in and look around. He's recently out of prison and doesn't want any trouble. He's got a job and is trying to stay clean. Why did the search dog stop and bark at this house? The detectives don't see anything out of the ordinary, but bring him in for questioning.

During the investigation, the Patchett's were found to always be disciplining Kayleigh for one thing or another. She hated softball and told them she wanted to quit, but her parents made her continue even though she'd never wanted to play. Why would a parent force their child to do something they hated? When Josie asks to search Kayleigh's room she finds some interesting things. Kayleigh had a secret boyfriend that her parents knew nothing about. She used to sneak out from work to be with him. Could her boyfriend be behind this? Could the man in the cabin in the woods know more than he's saying?

As Josie and her team keep coming up empty, another pair of kids is reported missing. Neither showed up for school and they're not at home either. The local news is now running a story about the Woodsman and saying he could be a serial killer as kids from nearby towns have also gone missing the same way. Mr. Patchett is getting more angry by the day and threatening to sue the Denton Police Department for not doing their job. Josie and her team find the second pair of kids deep in the woods. The boy is dazed and covered in blood while the girl is laid out on the ground dead with her head bashed in. The boy says he tried to save her by checking for a pulse and doing chest compressions. That's how he got blood all over him. Is the boy telling the truth?

As the suspects mount you'll have a hard time figuring out who the killer is. The twists at the end are fast and furious and leave you wanting more! I read this book in one day and couldn't put it down! My Child is Missing comes out on 9/8/23 and if you love mysteries it's a must read! I rate My Child is Missing 5 stars with my highest recommendation. I hope Lisa Regan writes fast because I can't wait for the next installment! I'd like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for a fair review. #MyChildIsMissing

Detective Josie Quinn and her husband, Noah, are called in to help search for two missing sisters. They went missing after setting out for a walk in the woods for the older sister to prove to the younger sister that The Woodsman that all the kids are talking about is a myth. But the lore that “two go into the woods but only one comes out” holds true when the younger sister is found and describes how her sister was taken by a man in a yellow coat. When search & rescue dog Blue tracks the older sister’s scent to the cabin of an ex-con, the man becomes the prime suspect, but Josie and Quinn can’t find any evidence that the sister entered his cabin. The investigation continues, Josie combats fatigue and the insomnia that has plagued her since one of her colleagues was killed in action during their last big case, and social media challenges have more kids going into the woods to look for The Woodsman but not all of them coming back out. A good thriller with twists I did and didn’t see coming along with well-developed, likeable characters, whether you are a long-time fan of this series or a first time reader, any mystery fan will enjoy this book!

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of My Child Is Missing, the eighteenth novel to feature Detective Josie Quinn set in the fictional Pennsylvanian town of Denton.

16 year old Kayleigh and 8 year old Savannah Patchett waked into the local woods and disappeared. Josie and the team race to find them, but get tangled up in the local urban legend of the Woodsman, whereby two children enter the woods and only one comes out, the other taken by the Woodsman. It would be nonsense but with Savannah found it’s a hunt to find Kayleigh before she dies like in two previous similar incidents.

I thoroughly enjoyed My Child Is Missing, which has a gripping plot and a massive twist that I didn’t see coming. I like the change in emphasis in this novel, where the hunt for Kayleigh supersedes the hunt for a killer, even though one will lead to the other. Still, no body encourages hope and renewed efforts. In another interesting departure they have an immediate prime suspect when the K9 follows Kayleigh’s scent to his door. All they need is evidence and a motive. Thus the novel is all about hunting - for Kayleigh, for evidence, for a motive, for a killer. I was glued to the pages as they unravel Kayleigh’s secrets and try every which legal way to unmask a killer.

I found the Patchett family very strange. The parents border on abusive in their attempts to protect their children. There is no social media and enforced participation in sports. It seems to me that they are prescriptive rather than supportive and nobody calls them on it, as if it’s acceptable.

The novel rattles along at a fast pace with developments big and small in every chapter. There is mystery - is the prime suspect a viable proposition or was the dog wrong, what happened to Kayleigh? For much of the novel no one is sure. There are shocks and surprises and not always major ones, although the conclusion is worth the journey for its impact.

My Child Is Missing is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

My Child is Missing by Lisa Regan is a horrifying tale of a serial killer who is playing on a legend called “The Woodsman” to frighten young children and tempt older ones into stupidity. Two girls were the first to go missing in Josie’s territory: sisters, one eight and the other sixteen. The Chief called Luke and his dog, Blue, and Josie went with them into the woods. Eventually Blue tracked the younger girl, Savannah, who was hysterical and severely frightened. Eventually Josie coaxed some information out of her, but it was getting dark when she and Luke and the dog set out to find the other sister, Kaleigh. They tracked her to a cabin in the woods, right up the front steps, but then the dog lay down between the two cars and barked. His sign that he’d found something. They searched the cars and took them to the station for forensics to go over the, but nothing appeared. Josie was frustrated and tired, as were the other cops. With some research they discovered that crimes similar to this had taken place in adjacent counties. Then it happened again: a teenage boy and girl, but this time they found them both. The girl was dead.

This was a tough time for the team, still reeling from Mett’s death. They hadn’t even cleared out his desk, let alone replaced him. This was all to reminiscent of a crime they had solved years earlier, a serial killer who had buried many, many bodies out in the woods. The case wan’t helped by the fact that the girls’ father was kind of a jerk. Josie and Noah are wanting to have a baby and
now Josie is worried that they wouldn’t be able to protect their child. So many emotions, and no leads. Love Josie Quinn but I do worry about Lisa Regan, who writes such amazing, but dark and violent, fiction. This is a book full of interesting characters and intriguing situations. Very well done.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of My Child is Missing by Bookoutre, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Bookoutre #LisaRegan #MyChildIsMissing

I have read quite a few of this authors books. I really thought they were great.
This book was super great! It wax very interesting to read.

Thank Lisa for another fantastic read!!!

Lisa Regan has done it again. She has stolen my afternoon and evening. I have been completely immersed in this story for the past few hours while I frantically raced through the pages to get to the end. This was a chilling story of a mythical monster who resides in the woods. (Disclaimer - obviously it is not a real monster). All of the kids (young and old alike) know him as The Woodsman. The legend states that two go into the woods and only one comes back out. Detective Josie Quinn and company are called to the home of a family where both daughters are missing. The parents are frantic and petrified. They find the youngest daughter curled into a ball in the woods. She is sobbing and tells them "he took my sister, Kayleigh". She is insistent that The Woodsman is responsible for her sister's disappearance. Obviously Josie Quinn knows that the monster is not real, except for the human kind of monster she chases on a daily basis. As they investigate. the mystery deepens and gets more complex. Time is not on their side. They have more questions than answers. This was quite an adventurous ride as the sinister puzzle pieces are revealed slowly. The twists will give you a little case of whiplash.

I adore the characters in this series. I have read so many of the books in this Josie Quinn series that I feel as if I could sit down and have a cup of coffee with any one of them. This is only one of the many talents that Lisa Regan displays in her writing - her characters come alive off of the page. You can feel the tension emanating off of the pages of the book. If you enjoy a brilliant mystery/thriller with a creep factor, you will enjoy this book. Forget about work or sleep. You will get nothing done once you start reading this book.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.