cccarinacc's review against another edition
4.0
Well to start off, I love the way this book starts. It reminds me of a super cool cold open of some of my favorite crime/first responder shows. It puts you right into an action and sucks you in before you know a damn thing about any of the characters.
Frankie is a complex character- around every turn is a new discovery about her but they’re slowly embedded in the overall story. I love the way the trauma of Paul unfolds throughout the book, leaving just little droplets of information until it’s all finally revealed.
The way her and Lotham slowly go from the annoying person stirring up Angelique’s investigation to friends to ….. whatever it is that they really become is phenomenal. It’s truly two people coming together to find this missing girl.
The pace of this book is also so well spread out. It never feels too slow, as if the investigation is lagging. There are constant new discoveries in both Angelique’s case, Frankie’s story, and the relationships she’s building with those in Mattapan. The way that each clue builds on the last, each new thought is revealed, the wrong turns, the right turns, just all of it is so well executed and intriguing to follow.
Also as someone who lives in Boston and is familiar with the area of Mattapan it’s super interesting to dive into a book that’s taking place there. I spent a while working with the lower income community there, and recognize a lot of the culture that’s discussed in the book. I also am aware of a lot of the drug/gang related violence (and to be quite honest I don’t actually know much, just that it happens) and this book definitely has me thinking about how these things can happen SO close to home.
Overall such a good read, considering reading the second book of Frankie to see what missing persons case she decided to tackle next.
Frankie is a complex character- around every turn is a new discovery about her but they’re slowly embedded in the overall story. I love the way the trauma of Paul unfolds throughout the book, leaving just little droplets of information until it’s all finally revealed.
The way her and Lotham slowly go from the annoying person stirring up Angelique’s investigation to friends to ….. whatever it is that they really become is phenomenal. It’s truly two people coming together to find this missing girl.
The pace of this book is also so well spread out. It never feels too slow, as if the investigation is lagging. There are constant new discoveries in both Angelique’s case, Frankie’s story, and the relationships she’s building with those in Mattapan. The way that each clue builds on the last, each new thought is revealed, the wrong turns, the right turns, just all of it is so well executed and intriguing to follow.
Also as someone who lives in Boston and is familiar with the area of Mattapan it’s super interesting to dive into a book that’s taking place there. I spent a while working with the lower income community there, and recognize a lot of the culture that’s discussed in the book. I also am aware of a lot of the drug/gang related violence (and to be quite honest I don’t actually know much, just that it happens) and this book definitely has me thinking about how these things can happen SO close to home.
Overall such a good read, considering reading the second book of Frankie to see what missing persons case she decided to tackle next.
shona_harding's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
bookishkash's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you to Netgalley for providing a free ARC of the book.
"My name is Frankie Elkin and finding missing people is what I do. When the police have given up, when the public no longer remembers, when the media has never bothered to care, I start looking"
Frankie is in Boston, out on one more of her missions to find the missing girl Angelique who has been missing for months. We follow Frankie's search for the missing girl, along with the police department. As the story moves along, we uncover unexpected twists and the plot keeps getting deeper and deeper.
I enjoyed reading this book. I usually do not enjoy police procedurals, but this was was unique in that sense because we were following a civilian trying to solve the case. Also, Frankie has her own past which the author keeps hinting at, which makes her a more interesting character.
I liked that the author was inspired by real civilians who devote time to solving cold cases, I thought the whole idea was very intriguing.
That being said, I felt the story dragged at some points and the same things kept being repeated several times which got boring quickly.
I wish the book was more action-packed, which would keep me wanting to read more. The ending seemed to fall flat and I just felt incomplete after the ending. Although, I think that is a personal opinion and each reader would feel differently.
Overall, it was a good book. If you like following missing person cases and police procedurals, this will be a great read!
"My name is Frankie Elkin and finding missing people is what I do. When the police have given up, when the public no longer remembers, when the media has never bothered to care, I start looking"
Frankie is in Boston, out on one more of her missions to find the missing girl Angelique who has been missing for months. We follow Frankie's search for the missing girl, along with the police department. As the story moves along, we uncover unexpected twists and the plot keeps getting deeper and deeper.
I enjoyed reading this book. I usually do not enjoy police procedurals, but this was was unique in that sense because we were following a civilian trying to solve the case. Also, Frankie has her own past which the author keeps hinting at, which makes her a more interesting character.
I liked that the author was inspired by real civilians who devote time to solving cold cases, I thought the whole idea was very intriguing.
That being said, I felt the story dragged at some points and the same things kept being repeated several times which got boring quickly.
I wish the book was more action-packed, which would keep me wanting to read more. The ending seemed to fall flat and I just felt incomplete after the ending. Although, I think that is a personal opinion and each reader would feel differently.
Overall, it was a good book. If you like following missing person cases and police procedurals, this will be a great read!
sprinklesofspooky's review against another edition
5.0
Loved this- Gardner has done it again, and readers need to buckle up as she once again kicks off a new year with a great book.
Description from the publisher: “Frankie Elkin is an average middle-aged woman, a recovering alcoholic with more regrets than belongings. But she spends her life doing what no one else will--searching for missing people the world has stopped looking for. When the police have given up, when the public no longer remembers, when the media has never paid attention, Frankie starts looking.
A new case brings her to Mattapan, a Boston neighborhood with a rough reputation. She is searching for Angelique Badeau, a Haitian teenager who vanished from her high school months earlier. Resistance from the Boston PD and the victim's wary family tells Frankie she's on her own--and she soon learns she's asking questions someone doesn't want answered. But Frankie will stop at nothing to discover the truth, even if it means the next person to go missing could be her.”
My thoughts: This is supposed to be Gardner’s first standalone book in a long time, but I really hope we get more Frankie. Maybe she could join forces with Some of the other bada** female characters that Gardner seamlessly pens.
She’s one of my favorite authors, so of course I love this book, but I think mystery and thriller fans will rejoice when they read this.
Rating: It’s a five star book for me. Just read it. It’s a must, the first MUST READ book of 2021.
**Thank you so much to #LisaGardner, one of my all time favorites, to #NetGalley, and to the publisher, #Dutton, for giving me a free eARC of this wonderful book in exchange for my honest opinion. My opinions are my own.**
Description from the publisher: “Frankie Elkin is an average middle-aged woman, a recovering alcoholic with more regrets than belongings. But she spends her life doing what no one else will--searching for missing people the world has stopped looking for. When the police have given up, when the public no longer remembers, when the media has never paid attention, Frankie starts looking.
A new case brings her to Mattapan, a Boston neighborhood with a rough reputation. She is searching for Angelique Badeau, a Haitian teenager who vanished from her high school months earlier. Resistance from the Boston PD and the victim's wary family tells Frankie she's on her own--and she soon learns she's asking questions someone doesn't want answered. But Frankie will stop at nothing to discover the truth, even if it means the next person to go missing could be her.”
My thoughts: This is supposed to be Gardner’s first standalone book in a long time, but I really hope we get more Frankie. Maybe she could join forces with Some of the other bada** female characters that Gardner seamlessly pens.
She’s one of my favorite authors, so of course I love this book, but I think mystery and thriller fans will rejoice when they read this.
Rating: It’s a five star book for me. Just read it. It’s a must, the first MUST READ book of 2021.
**Thank you so much to #LisaGardner, one of my all time favorites, to #NetGalley, and to the publisher, #Dutton, for giving me a free eARC of this wonderful book in exchange for my honest opinion. My opinions are my own.**
catreader18's review against another edition
5.0
Frankie is an normal woman who wants to help reunite missing persons with their families. She came to Boston to solve an 11 month old missing person case involving a teenage girl. Frankie does not fit in with the neighborhood and as a white woman, is the vast minority. Most of the neighborhood is made up of people who immigrated to the US on 10 year visas and their 10 years are almost up.
I loved this story. Outside of the missing person story, there is a story about kids trying not to become gang members or drug dealers. If they can find something they are passionate about they have a chance to leave the neighborhood. Frankie is determined and does not let anything get in her way. She is battling her own past but has a firm control over her life. I love how independent Frankie is and loved the book.
I loved this story. Outside of the missing person story, there is a story about kids trying not to become gang members or drug dealers. If they can find something they are passionate about they have a chance to leave the neighborhood. Frankie is determined and does not let anything get in her way. She is battling her own past but has a firm control over her life. I love how independent Frankie is and loved the book.