I am a big Crime Junkie fan, and I was very excited to get my hands on this book by Ashley Flowers. Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC. I give this book 5 stars. It kept me on my toes and did not end the way I thought it would. Lots of twists and turns in the last 50ish pages.
I don't have many bad things to say about it. I did not like the MC. I thought she was very annoying and needed to get her shit together. But I think that's the way the author wanted us to feel about her. It was a little annoying that they got away with not one, but 2 murders. I was kind of surprised this outcome came from Mrs.Flowers, since she is all about JUSTICE. I guess that's why it's a work of fiction. :P

This was a good one and fun mystery to see unravel. Although look, if I was in this position there’s no way I’d react the same way. Nope. Nope. Nope. This is a book about the bond of sisters and the lengths we go to protect the people we love.

I’m not usually big on slow burns but I was interested in this one once point where I didn’t mind the slow burn one bit.

I don’t want to give anything way but this town is MESSY!

Seems like a lot of people didn’t like the ending…it wasn’t anything earth shattering but I felt like it was a good conclusion to the story.

I loved this story about sisters in their different forms. This novel was well-paced, and I read it in only a couple of days. There are so many strong subplots and red herrings that really keep you guessing the direction. I was floored by some of the final twists and reveals. This is a great twisty thriller with interesting, well-developed character--my favorite combination! Definitely recommend this one.

The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
272 pages
Published May 6th, 2025

Nicole “Nic” Monroe is in a rut. At twenty-four, she lives alone in a dinky apartment in her hometown of Mishawaka, Indiana, she’s just gotten a DWI, and she works the same dead-end job she’s been working since high school, a job she only has because her boss is a family friend and feels sorry for her. Everyone has felt sorry for her for the last seven years-since the day her older sister, Kasey, vanished without a trace. On the night Kasey went missing, her car was found over a hundred miles from home. The driver’s door was open and her purse was untouched in the seat next to it. The only real clue in her disappearance was Jules Connor, another young woman from the same area who disappeared in the same way, two weeks earlier. But with so little for the police to go on, both their cases eventually went cold. Nic wants nothing more than to move on-from her sister’s disappearance and the state it’s left her in. But then one day, Jules’s sister, Jenna Connor, walks into her life and offers Nic something she hasn’t felt in a long hope. What follows is a gripping tale of two sisters who will do anything to find their missing halves, even if it means destroying everything they’ve ever known.

This is a bingeable, twisty, wild ride of a book! As someone who also LOVED Ashley’s first book, I was so excited to see she was coming out with a 2nd. I had the pleasure to read an eARC of both books & I thoroughly enjoyed her latest one. I felt like I was in a Crime Junkie episode with the descriptions of the crimes. With touches of grief, sisterhood, and small town secrets mixed it, you don’t know what you’re in for when you first start this book. I recommend this book for anyone who loves true crime, especially Crime Junkie or those that love fast paced thrillers!

Read if you like:
🔪Crazy plot twists
🔪Psychological Thrillers/True Crime
🔪Small Town Secrets
🔪Fast Paced Reads

#ashleyflowers #themissinghalf #randomhousepublishing

I really enjoyed The Missing Half. It had a good mix of mystery, emotion, and some twists I didn’t see coming. The story pulled me in pretty quickly, and I liked how it kept me guessing about what really happened. The characters felt believable, and even though the pacing slowed a bit in the middle, it picked up again toward the end. I wouldn’t say it’s the most shocking thriller I’ve read, but it was definitely entertaining and kept my interest all the way through. If you like true crime vibes mixed with fiction, this is a solid read.

I liked this one more than Ashley Flowers' last novel, but I struggled with the slow pace and incredibly aggressive and dramatic MC. The way she handled herself when communicating with people was hard to read. Overall I liked the mystery and would recommend readers pick this up!

This incredible new book from Ashley Flowers is much better than her debut novel. The Missing Half has everything that thriller, mystery, and true crime fans want. Nicole and Jenna bond over their sisters' disappearances and since the cases have gone cold, decide to investigate together. Nicole learns more than she bargained for, including that she can't trust Jenna.

I absolutely loved this novel and devoured it. This is sure to be in every beach bag this summer.

This book fell a little flat for me. It started out really well but I was losing interest about half way through. I really prefer that my thrillers be a bit more thrilling. Not sure I would recommend this book to my friends.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

3.5⭐️. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the arc to this great, summer thriller! Full of a great plot and a couple of twists that you will have your jaw dropped. The last half of the book flys by. Recommend reading or finding the extra content in the Target version - the bonus content had me 🤯. Hope everyone takes the time to check out this great summer 2025 read — and under 300 pages. Ashley knows where it is at!

Content Warnings: grief, divorce, kidnapping, murder, substance abuse, DWI, AA, sexual assault, breaking and entering, death
Spice: none (outside of CW of sexual assault)
Tropes: Thriller, Mystery, Crime Podcast, Crime Junkie, Crime Thriller

Ashley Flowers has done it again! She had a lot to live up to after All Good People Here but I think The Missing Half came out superior!

I am a sucker for a thriller and this book did not disappoint. There was great character development on all sides where you really understood not only the main characters but also the supporting characters as well!

As someone with multiple sisters, I thought this was a really unique take on the idea of what the bond of sisterhood can withstand and just how far one sister is willing to go for another.

It’s not very often I don’t see a twist coming, but this book got me! I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mysteries and thrillers with the caveat that this book really is about the characters more than it is the crime

Ashley does it again...she has made a seamless transition from podcaster to author! This time fictitious (the first book was a complete Jon Benet tale). Good story and you'll love the ending (no spoiler!)

Reading challenge category - 2025 Flourish and Blotts: Shop Proprietor - Leaky Cauldron: Includes a bar/pub (Nic is an alcoholic and part of their investigation brings them to a bar)

Nic's sister Kasey disappeared 7 years ago and is presumed dead. Nic just got a DUI and had her licensed suspended and is working at her high school job at a local Chuck-E-Cheese-esque place while doing community service at an animal shelter. One evening, she is approached by Jenna - the sister of another girl (Jules) who disappeared 2 weeks before Kasey did. Jenna wants Nic to work with her to help figure out what happened because the cops have all but stopped. "Twists" ensue. Spoilers for people who don't want to read the book: (on Goodreads)

Thanks to #Netgalley for the ARC of this. I probably won't be ready anything in the future by this author.

I devoured All Good People Here so I was excited for this one! It was good but not better than that, it got my attention and kept it through the whole read. Everyone always needs a solid thriller. Her writing and development of the story is really good and I loved the twistiness and the emotions put into it.

Ashley Flowers’ first book was enjoyable and as a fan of “Crime Junkies”, I knew I had to quickly read her follow-up, “The Missing Half.” It follows two sisters who are trying to figure out what happened to their older sisters who went missing around the same time several years earlier. This book was interesting, kept me on my toes, and was enjoyable. While I always appreciate a twist ending, it became slightly too unbelievable for a bit. I still r largely was a fan. 4 stars ⭐️. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley.

✨️Review✨️
The Missing Half By Ashley Flowers
6/5 🌙's

Overview: Nicole “Nic” Monroe is in a rut. At twenty-four, she lives alone in a dinky apartment in her hometown of Mishawaka, Indiana, she’s just gotten a DWI, and she works the same dead-end job she’s been working since high school, a job she only has because her boss is a family friend and feels sorry for her. Everyone has felt sorry for her for the last seven years—since the day her older sister, Kasey, vanished without a trace.

Thoughts: wow! This book was my favorite so far this year. From early in the book I was hooked. I couldn't put the book down. I never called the ending. The characters were believable and well rounded. The vibes were spot on. Every time I felt like I had reached the last twist there was another one right behind it. Ashley knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat and shock you with surprises.

I would recommend this to anyone one who loves twists and turns and an unpredictable ending.

I loved Flowers’s first book and definitely wanted to read this follow up.

Nic is a mess after the disappearance of her older sister 7 years ago, so when she’s approached by the sister of another missing woman who wants to investigate, she gets on board. They start going through the evidence, making new connections and discovering new pieces to help them locate their sisters.

Nic is a messy main character, which I actually really like in thriller novels. Give me someone unreliable! The pieces slowly come together in this one, and the ending was a surprise to me. I liked how this one is a thriller but it also explores the bonds of siblings and the things you would do to keep them safe. Definitely recommend!

Ashley Flowers is such a captivating storyteller, she always has me transfixed. The Missing Half was no exception. Just when I thought I had this book figured out I would be surprised!
All The Good People Here was a good book. The Missing Half did not disappoint!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC!!

My first book of Ashley Flowers and I enjoyed it. It was a fast-paced read with some twists and turns.

We have some flawed but believable characters. I wasn't a big fan of the ending but this is one of those stories where anything goes and any ending is to be expected (minus an alien or other genre-bending stuff)

Overall, a decent, fast-paced read. Thanks to Netgalley & Random House for the e-copy!

3.5/5

In her sophomore thriller, Ashley Flowers’ background as the creator of the Crime Junkie podcast serves her well. Following two sisters seeking answers about their respective missing siblings, the story is intriguing and could easily fit in the annals of true crime. The story is well-paced and the characters are vulnerable with one another while seemingly withholding just enough to make the reader question each movement and motive.

The Missing Half is a suspenseful and twisty mystery that keeps you guessing until the end. Paul makes for a convincing red herring, and the tension is well-paced throughout. However, the relationship between Nic and Jenna could have been more developed, and the ending felt a bit rushed. Still, it's an engaging read for mystery lovers.
3.5 stars