"Girl, Missing" was an absolute delight from start to finish! From the very beginning, I found myself captivated by the mystery surrounding the missing girls and the gripping journey of Gem. Her profound sorrow over Sara-Jane's disappearance and the community's response tugged at my heartstrings. The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat, some expected, but others caught me off guard in the best way possible. And that ending! While I had a gut feeling about it, the way everything unfolded still managed to surprise me. I wholeheartedly give this book 4.5 stars.

Love this pairs writing. Always a great read. Have read every book. Fast paced, well written, great characters. Each book is different and not a clone of the others which is very refreshing.

This is definitely a one more chapter book it was really hard to put down.This story is told from two timelines and grips from the start to finish.You know everyone has secrets so you suspect them all at one point.A recommended twisty thriller.
Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for the ARC

Scrolling through my Kindle looking for something to read, I came across Girl Missing. This worked for me as it was not only a thriller that sounded interesting, but being Black History Month, I do love to spotlight black authors and Dreda Say Mitchell falls into that category. The book which I think is set in the UK as it did have that feeling starts with Gem Casey who is now a successful businesswoman receiving an award when a news alert goes off. There have been remains found at her daughter's old school that look like they have been there a long time. Gem rushes in the hope she might be able to finally get closure as fifteen years ago when her daughter was eight years old she was kidnapped alongside Abby Prentice but only Abby came home. Sara-Jane was never seen again. As the book moves along, Gem starts to receive a few items in the mail anonymously that belonged to Sara-Jane on the last day that Gem saw her. Is someone teasing her and where is Sara-Jane? The bones turn out to be someone else's but still connected and a huge conspiracy at the school is uncovered and secrets people have been trying to hide for fifteen years are coming to the surface. Is Sara-Jane alive? Will Gem get closure? In one way I did enjoy the twist at the end but at the same time was disappointed when the truth about Sara-Jane was revealed as I would assume even if I vanished, my parents would still have some idea what I would look like as an adult - well you would hope. Due to the ending, the rating for me has been rolled down to 4 stars as readers of my reviews will know that I am a real "ending" type of girl and for me, an ending can make or break the story. In saying that, I am interested to read any other mysteries that Dreda Say Mitchell and Ryan Carter release as I did enjoy this book as missing children is one of my favourite thriller tropes without sounding like a weird creepy reader.

If you only read one book this year, make it this one. I picked it up intending to read a couple of chapters before going to sleep. It's a good job I have nothing urgent to do today because I couldn't put this book down until the very last page. There were so many secrets and so many suspects but did any of them know anything about the abduction of Gem's daughter or were they just intent on covering their own backs. There turned out to be some of the most ruthless people I have ever come across but that didn't necessarily mean they were capable of murder although someone is because there are bodies at every turn. But whether or not any of these were connected to Sara-Jane's kidnapping was something I didn't have a clue about right until the very last pages. These authors were new to me but I will be checking out their back catalogue soon.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book

An interesting read, exploring a mother’s despair when two young girls go missing and only one returns. Gem, as the mother of Saran-Jane, the girl who isn’t found, is portrayed really well, you can feel the depth of her despair, the way the local community and the media turn against her, even her friends doubting her. Told from two different time lines, you see the story slowly coming out. It is well written, you get a genuine sense of despair from Gemma, especially when Abby is found and no one seems to care what’s happened to her daughter.

Fifteen years later, when a body is found, Gem leaves her new life and heads back to her old home, convinced she may now get some answers. I really wanted to like this book, but there were some things that just didn’t work for me. The police always look at family or friends when someone goes missing, but they follow all enquiries, not just apparently give up on one of the main ones. I also thought that the way the school was run didn’t feel quite believable. However, the way the press can be used to twist a story, apparently not checking their facts, did ring true. I’m afraid that this just not the book for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Sara Jane has been missing for 15 years
She was only eight years old
Abby her friend was with her
And she has been found but alone
Can you find Sara Jane at last
This book was very good
I had an ARC

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

This book broke my heart as a mom of two. The fight that the MC has to put up after her daughter went missing, the rotten attitude of so many additional characters made it even worse. As a mom, I know I would go through ANYTHING for my babies and that is what the MC did. The twist at the end was a reveal that I had a feeling about at a certain point but was not 100% certain of until it happened. Great read overall.

This novel was full of surprises and kept me guessing right to the end. A young mother gets the opportunity to have daughter attend a prestigious school and trouble soon follows. The snobbish parents look down on her and her daughter and things go from bad to worse when he daughter is accused of assaulting another child. Then the unthinkable occurs when her daughter and the girl she may have hurt go missing from the school, but only one girl returns bloodied and traumatized. Fifteen years later, her daughter is still missing and she has left the area under a cloud of suspicion, but when remains are found on the school grounds she must return to learn the truth about her daughter's disappearance. Everyone is a suspect and everyone has secrets in this taut thriller.

Having a child go missing is every mother's worst nightmare, and that's exactly what happens to Gem Casey. Why would someone take her little girl? Girl, Missing is a rollercoaster ride as we follow Gem and her efforts to find her daughter. Filled with unexpected twists and turns, this book is a page turner from the very start. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes mystery and suspense.

The red herrings kept me from guessing the ending. There were hints but…a mother looking for and hoping for her daughter’s return after many years. Would
She ever be seen again? The twists and turns in this story were challenging. This talented author has written a page turner. Thanks Netgalley.

I was given this book through Netgalley.

This is one of those cases in which "I really wanted to like this book because of its premise, but it just wasn't for me".

I gave this book a 2 star rating because: (1) Some of the twists of the book were very hard to believe, especially the one concerning the headmaster (if you know, you know!); (2) The ending was very hard to accept; (3) Going from first to third person broke off the rhythm of the book (I would have preferred if the authors had stuck to either or); (4) The hatred towards Gem, by the community, seems very disproportionate; (5) Some characters responded to situations in a very unrealistic way; (6) There were a lot of spelling mistakes, words missing, which made me annoyed at the book.

While this book was not personally for me, I always like to state that this is MY OPINION, and that this book might be a 5 star read for someone else! We all have different tastes, and that is the beauty of it!

Reading a couple of reviews I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy Girl, Missing as much as this dastardly duos previous collaborations but I did. This is the fifth psychological thriller written by Dreda Say Mitchell and Ryan Carter, I'm hoping that we don't have too long of a wait for the next one.

There was things I liked and things I didn't about this plot but overall it did make for a good read. The plot for Girl, Missing centres around two schoolgirls, Abby and Sarah-Jayne who were from opposite sides of the track so to speak, girls who formed an unlikely friendship which abruptly ended when one of the girls goes missing,. One of the things I loved was the way that the divide didn't matter a whit to the two girls friendship.,

While reading there was one thing that I couldn't quite work out was why the natives disliked Gem so much as when all said and done she is the mother of a missing child, Sarah-Jayne. You would've thought they would want to support her on both occasions, the first being the disappearance and then the new discovery all these years later. I did wonder if a lot of the reasoning that folk didn't like her when she came back fifteen years later was a good old fashioned case of jealousy due to her making something of herself from next to nothing.

As the book progressed I began to have a glimmer of an idea what had ultimately happened with regards to her daughter. Although not everything made sense until the authors played out the final scenes of the plot. The sparks that seemingly flew between Gem and A Another felt a little off to me, I understood the need for physical contact but the person it was with seemed wrong to me (no idea why). I felt so very sorry for her at one point, after letting her guard down she must've been devastated to discover that she had been lied to and deceived to such an extent.

Thanks to the authors, Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC. All reviews and opinions are mine and mine alone.

Very thrilling and exciting story.

Love the characters and plot, although it was not hard to figure out some of the events.

I would recommend this novel.

"Girl, Missing" by Dreda Say Mitchell and Ryan Carter is a suspenseful and engaging psychological thriller that captivates from start to finish. The story revolves around Gem, a single mother whose daughter, Sara-Jane, went missing years ago. When human remains are discovered, Gem is drawn back to her hometown, determined to uncover the truth about her daughter's disappearance.

The narrative seamlessly transitions between past and present, offering a comprehensive view of Gem's relentless pursuit for answers. The authors skillfully build tension and suspense, keeping the reader on edge throughout the novel. The cast of characters is diverse, with not all being likable, adding complexity to the story.

The writing is strong and engaging, with the plot unfolding methodically, leading to a satisfying resolution. The exploration of Gem's struggle against a community that accused her of stirring class tensions adds depth to the narrative. While the length of the book may feel a bit excessive at times, the overall pacing keeps the reader invested.

"Girl, Missing" is a gripping psychological thriller with a well-crafted plot and a satisfying blend of mystery and suspense. Mitchell and Carter's collaboration proves successful, and if you enjoy psychological thrillers with a touch of darkness and intricate character dynamics, this book comes highly recommended.

A twisted tale of power and wealth that sees eight year old Sara-Jane abducted with her friend Abby. When Abby is found but Sara-Jane is still missing her mums plight to find her daughter is relentless. Fifteen years on the skeletal remains of someone are found in the school chapel from where Sara-Jane was taken so her mum returns to her home town hoping they are not the remains of her daughter. As she digs deeper into the past she uncovers truths that will haunt her.

Told on two timelines of then and now this is an easy read with a believable storyline

Thank you to NetGalley the author and publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review

Girl, Missing had everything from suspense, shocking twists, and heartbreaking betrayal. Although some scenes felt drawn out, it was an enjoyable read overall.

Thank you, Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer, and the authors, for my free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks so much NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer.

It's been 15 years since Gem's daughter Sara Jane disappeared with her best friend in front of school. The best friend was found, but Sara Jane remained missing. A body has been discovered near the school, and Gem feels she is so close to getting answers.

I was intrigued by the story line and I thought the authors got several things right - how people judge single mothers, how much prejudice exists among parents in school systems among social class. I thought a lot of the suspense was quite good and kept me into the story. However, it was hard to grasp the twists at the end because they did not feel realistic. I still liked the book and think it could be a favorite for other people!

This book was given to me pre-publication in exchange for an unbiased review.

I had high hopes for this book, as the blurb promised an interesting read. The basic story is okay, but there are so many innaccuracies regarding school policies and procedures which, as an ex-teacher- I couldn't ignore; especially as two of these blow the plot wide open. The book then becomes a tedious web of ridiculousness!
A school's results are not moderated by a single person, let alone one connected to the school. Moderators do not do that for a living, it is part of another job. No headteacher would resort to the level of stupidity portrayed here, just because the SATs results took a dip.
It isn't even particularly well written. The characters are stereotypical, unpleasant and unbelieveable. The number of times Gem said, 'My Sarah-Jane' was grating.
I struggled to get to the end, but persevered because I had agreed to give a review.

Gem's daughter Sarah-Jane went missing fifteen years ago. Sarah-Jane and her best friend Abby were kidnapped. Abby returned home, Sarah-Jane never returned. Now, fifteen years later there were new developments in the case. Gem will stop at nothing to find the truth about her daughter's disappearance. Even if it means exposing the deep dark secrets of the supposedly pristine Princess Isabel school that Sarah-Jane and Abby attended. No one can be trusted, not Abby, or her family, or the Princess Isabel staff. Dark, twisted, edge of your seat thriller. The end blew me away!