Gone Astray

by Michelle Davies

This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.

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Pub Date Oct 20 2016 | Archive Date Jul 27 2017

Description

When a Lesley Kinnock buys a lottery ticket on a whim, it changes her life more than she could have imagined . . .

Lesley and her husband Mack are the sudden winners of a £15 million EuroMillions jackpot. They move with their 15-year-old daughter Rosie to an exclusive gated estate in Buckinghamshire, leaving behind their ordinary lives - and friends - as they are catapulted into wealth beyond their wildest dreams.

But it soon turns into their darkest nightmare when, one beautiful spring afternoon, Lesley returns to their house to find it empty: their daughter Rosie is gone.

DC Maggie Neville is assigned to be Family Liaison Officer to Lesley and Mack, supporting them while quietly trying to investigate the family. And she has a crisis threatening her own life - a secret from the past that could shatter everything she's worked so hard to build.

As Lesley and Maggie desperately try to find Rosie, their fates hurtle together on a collision course that threatens to end in tragedy . . .

Money can't buy you happiness.
The truth could hurt more than a lie.
One moment really can change your life forever.

Advance Praise

"I loved it. It's a brilliant, compelling read, with characters who came alive and were completely believable, as was the heart-wrenching portrayal of the anguish suffered by the parents of a missing child" —Debbie Howells, author of The Bones of You

Available Editions

EDITION	Other Format
ISBN	9781447284185
PRICE	£18.99 (GBP)
PAGES	480

Additional Information

Average rating from 5 members

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Featured Reviews

Reviewer 255544

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

Mack and Lesley's 15 year old daughter Rosie goes missing from their garden while she is revising for her GCSEs. The family recently won 15 million GBP on the lottery and has moved to a big house in an upmarket village. Maggie is one of the family liaison officers assigned to the case.

I read a lot of police procedurals, but have never read one from the perspective of the FLO, so this was interesting. Maggie manages to explain a good deal about the role of an FLO, although she does go a bit Indiana Jones towards the end to save the day single-handedly. There was quite a lot of back story about Maggie having previously been disciplined as an FLO, which made the book seem less like the first in a series, although I'm pretty sure it is - I sense a "will they-won't they" romance brewing.

I was very impressed. There are chapters from the perspective of a character clearly implicated in Rosie's disappearance, and his motivations made very good sense, especially in the light of his [steroid usage (hide spoiler)] and health. Various plot threads came together by the end, in a way which seemed fluid rather than forced.

I would be keen to read more by this author.

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Samantha M, Educator

Following a Family Liaison Officer, Maggie, as she is assigned to work the case of a missing teenager, Rosie. Rosie’s parents have recently struck gold after winning the lottery; did Rosie go on her own will, was she kidnapped? Maggie must work with the family as the police tirelessly look for Rosie. Family is ripped apart, friendships are betrayed and one thing is made clear: money cannot buy you happiness.

I have always been clear that I am a fan of an abduction story, usually I find myself interested in stories told through the perspective of the missing person but I really did enjoy the change of pace by having the main character a Family Liaison Officer. I do not know much about them so I did find that it absolutely brought some new life into an abduction tale.

This one is a lot slower than what I am generally drawn to but I still felt like the author’s writing was fantastic enough to keep me in the moment without needing all the bells and whistles I usually love. The ending also genuinely surprised me. Davis did a fantastic job at setting up her red herrings and other twists to ensure that this one came out of left field. I was impressed!