First and foremost; I would like to thank the publisher, author and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this ARC. Thank you so much!

The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers is a haunting mystery that delves into the aftermath of two unsolved disappearances and the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood.

Set in Mishawaka, Indiana, this novel follows 24-year-old Nicole “Nic” Monroe, whose life has been a very shitty downspiral since her sister Kasey vanished seven years prior.

When Jenna Connor, the sister of another missing woman, Jules, enters Nic’s life; the two women decide to work together in a desperate quest for answers. Their journey uncovers long-buried secrets and challenges their perceptions of truth and loyalty not only with themselves but with the world around them.

With crazy twists and a chilling narrative, Flowers creates a story that explores the depths of grief and the lengths one will go to uncover the truth while going back to the one thing that is never unbreakable: sisterhood.

Seven years after their sisters disappeared within two weeks of each other Nic and Jenna come together to discover the truth of what happened.

This book has all the hallmarks of a trashy thriller - flawed and semi-unlikeable main character, fast paced, red herrings and a major twist.

I had a really good time with this book and could not put it down! A great sophomore novel by Ashley Flowers. Some of it could be seen as unrealistic but for this type of novel to work you have to suspend some disbelief (it does only take two women a few weeks to uncover more clues in the case than the police have in almost a decade). However, I thought it was a great entry into the genre with an interesting premise and twist that isn’t overdone - which in itself is an achievement. 4/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book pulled me in from the very beginning with its gripping premise: two women go missing within days of each other, and their sisters search to find them years later. You think you know how it’s all going to play out—but you don’t! I loved the twists, and the ending was truly jaw-dropping. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this advanced reader’s copy.

Thank you to NetGaley and Ballantine for the gifted e-ARC.

This was a slow burn mystery about missing persons. Two mid-20's women have lost their sisters and have always wondered where they went with no outcome. Things progress in this story in their effort to find what happened to their "missing half".

This was too slow for me and I didn't care much for how it ended.

When I say that I could not put this book, actually, my Kindle, down, I am serious. 100%. The only reason it took me a whole day is because I have a real life and unfortunately, have to participate in it.

The book circles around two sets of sisters. Nicole (Nic) and Kasey, and Jules and Jenna. Both Kasey and Jules go missing within 2 weeks of each other, and Nic is in a crater 7 years later. Jenna pulls her aside one day after work, and they start to investigate together.

While I did enjoy the book in total, I felt like the ending was a little rushed. I was extremely surprised by it, but I felt like it could have gone another 30 pages. Every time I thought I knew what was happening, my whole world was shook by the next few pages. I just needed a little more of that.

Not sure if this is a spoiler or not, but I cried for 10 minutes over the shelter cat, Banksy, being adopted.

Huge thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read The Missing Half early! I love Crime Junkie and Ashley Flowers SO much, can’t wait for her next book!

The Missing Half completely pulled me in—it read like a true crime podcast, which I loved. As someone who’s always drawn to stories about missing persons and cold cases, this one checked all the boxes. Nic’s grief and obsession with her sister Kasey’s disappearance felt raw and real, and the added layer of Jules’s case kept the tension high throughout.

Ashley Flowers’s writing is emotional and immersive without being overly complicated. I could feel everything Nic was going through, and I flew through the pages, trying to piece it all together.

The only thing that fell a little flat for me was the ending—I was hoping for a bigger twist or a gut-punch moment, but it wrapped up more quietly than expected. Still, it was a gripping read, and I’d absolutely recommend it to fellow true crime lovers or anyone who enjoys a layered, emotional mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC.

This was such an intriguing book that reads like a true crime podcast. I loved the story line and the twists and turns along the way.
Two women are brought together by their sisters' unsolved disappearances years ago. The police have nothing to go on.
Jules disappeared days before Kasey, so the police connected their disappearances.
When Jules' sister Jenna approaches Nic to discuss the connection between their sisters disappearances, Nic starts to think there may be hope. As Nic and Jenna grow closer to the truth, they realize it's so much more than they could imagine.
This story covers so much about Pat trauma and grief as well as how far family will go to find the truth.
The Missing Half is written by Ashley Flowers, host of The Crime Junkie Podcast. Her writing and story telling unfolds as such an intriguing story that will draw you in from the beginning.

As someone who’s obsessed with storylines about missing people and solving cold cases, The Missing Half was exactly the kind of book I gravitate toward. From the start, I was hooked by Nic’s pain and the haunting mystery of her sister Kasey’s disappearance. The parallel with Jules’s case added even more layers, and I found myself flipping pages trying to piece everything together.

Ashley Flowers’s writing is easy to get lost in, simple, emotional, and really pulls you into the story. I felt everything Nic was going through, and I couldn’t stop reading.

That said, the ending didn’t quite land for me. It lacked the punch I was hoping for after such a strong buildup. I wanted to be shocked or at least have that “wow” moment, and instead, it just sort of… settled.

Still, this was a solid read, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who loves a missing persons mystery.

The Missing Half - Ashley Flowers

⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Two branches of the same tree, two pieces of a soul. Where one sister goes, the other will be, for she is but half of the whole.”

The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers is a psychological thriller that follows two women—Nic and Jenna—whose sisters vanished under mysterious circumstances years apart. United by grief and suspicion, they embark on an investigation that uncovers dark family secrets and a truth that will change their lives forever.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine for the ARC copy of this thriller! I remember not loving the first thriller Flowers wrote but I decided to give her writing a second chance. Both Jenna and Nic were very frustrating to follow as they investigated the disappearances. Nic was truly one of the worst thriller main characters I have read in a long time. I also just did not find this an engaging thriller to follow, I wasn’t connected to the story and the steps along the way. The ending twist was almost too out of left field for me to truly feel satisfied.

Just when I know where Ashley Flowers might be going, I'm wrong, and I love it. Her debut, All Good People Here, was one of my top reads of 2022, but I actually think The Missing Half had me more riveted. I was lucky enough to also have an early copy, and Saskia Maarleveld is the absolute perfect choice for a narrator. She nailed every single word and took what it already a five-star read and added her special brand of narrator magic. There isn't a single thing that I would change about The Missing Half. The characters, the plot, the pacing, the ending (mind blown)...perfect.

I thought this book was really well written and I kept my interest throughout. It kept me in suspense and I didn't see the ending coming. I must say i wasn't thrilled with the ending, but more in the way that I wished things had turned out differently, rather than that I thought it wasn't well done, because it was. Many thanks to Random House Publishing/Ballantine and to NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book.

Shorter than I expected! But filled with a lot to discuss and immerse yourself in. A good mystery that has enough to keep you invested and heartbroken all at the same time

This crime thriller twists and turns keep you on the edge of your seat until the end, when you sit with your jaw hanging open.

Ashley Flowers' latest book is about two sisters, each missing a sister under mysterious circumstances.

Nic is in a rut, barely existing and struggling through life since her sister disappeared. Jenna is functioning, but is focused on finding out what happened to her sister.

Jenna seeks Nic out to find connections to the cases and hopefully find some answers. The reader stays with Nic as she struggles to see through the fog of her grief, her alcoholism, and her apathy to life to dig into what happened to her sister.

Flowers' experience in true crime through her podcast lends itself to creating an uneasy atmosphere of people searching for answers and laying enough clues for the reader to follow--- but I know I didn't figure it out until the last chapter.

I enjoyed Ashley Flower's last thriller and am always excited to read a fast-paced thriller -- this one kept me engaged and guessing.

While the characters made some questionable choices, I was still rooting for them as they tried to find out the truth about what happened to their sisters -- and I was invested and wanted to keep reading. I didn't see the twists coming which I always love.

I will definitely read what Ashley Flower's writes next and am excited to check out her podcast as well!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

All I can say is WOW!!! Ashley Flowers has outdone herself once again! I will say I am an outright Ashley Flowers fan from her 1st book “All Good People Here” to her podcast and all live videos. However, if you are not familiar with her or what she does and this is your first impression you will NOT be disappointed! This book was captivating from the first page to the last. I had to remember I was reading a book about a fiction case and not watching a documentary or listening to a podcast about a real life case about these 2 missing girls. The twist with BRAD floored me!! Who actually killed Jenna…..MIND BLOWN!! All the twists were great! There was depth, intent, twists and information and so much captivating writing that I had to pull an all nighter to finish and review this book! Honestly, a great 5 star read for all lovers of true crime and all things Ashley Flowers! "Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the arc! All thoughts and reviews are my own."

Two young women missing on a dark road a short time apart.
Of course - it must be the work of a serial killer!
Two sisters left behind to live the nightmare of a lost lived one and to navigate all the emotions that tear apart families
I really liked this book - until the end! Totally not the way I thought it would go
Good, fast paced thriller.

This was an interesting fast paced thriller. Ten years ago Kasey’s sister mysteriously disappears. She and the police believe her to be dead. Present day, Kasey meets Jenna, a girl whose sister also disappeared ten years ago. Could the two cases be connected? Kasey and Jenna work together to find out.

Hope and desperation are a powerful motivator. Author Ashley Flowers uses both of those seamlessly to create a compelling fast paced story. There was a lot of build up for an okay ending. I enjoyed this book but was hoping for a bit more at the big reveal in the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the advance digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest review.

I was really excited to get an arc of this book from Netgalley and I loved Ashley Flowers first book. This book was really fast flowing at first and then I just felt like it kind of dragged on a bit near the middle/end of the book. Overall, I do recommend this book because it did keep me guessing up till the end.

Two sisters are brought together by the disappearance of their sisters 7 years earlier . The girls are working together to try to solve a the case that the cops haven’t been able to solve.

Nic is just drifting through life. She’s had a troubled life, especially after her sister Kasey went missing 7 years ago. Nic and Jenna discover some secrets but the secrets might cause more trouble for them about they go confront people they think might be involved anyways.

Overall, if you’re a true crime junkie like I am I think you’ll enjoy this book. It definitely kept my interest.

Thanks netgalley and publisher for a chance to read this for free in return for my honest opinion.
Pub date: 5/6/25

So, after feeling very conflicted about All Good People Here (I stand firm in that the ending ruined what could have been a pretty good book) I wanted to give The Missing Half a chance.
I enjoyed the beginning of the book and was engaged with the mystery for the majority of it. The biggest issues I had were once again with the ending: a big bowl of nothing that made ZERO sense, and the fact that there was no character development - the MMC was flat and did not change in a dynamic way whatsoever by the end of the book. This was too much for my suspension of disbelief and I was honestly kind of surprised with the all of holes since there was a collaborator and the connections to true crime. Full of red herrings and not much else, this had potential but failed to reach it in my opinion. 2.5 stars.

An incredible follow up novel for Ashley Flowers. Definitely enjoyed the ride with this one, fast paced and twisty.