katieeliza's review against another edition
5.0
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was gripped.
An intricately woven plot had me guessing til the end. A well constructed, believable unreliable-narrator sealed it. Fantastic writing.
I was gripped.
An intricately woven plot had me guessing til the end. A well constructed, believable unreliable-narrator sealed it. Fantastic writing.
sde's review against another edition
4.0
Gripping mystery that includes an average family facing average problems of middle age parents and teens and young adult children. The family dynamic is more complicated than seems on the surface - just like all families. I'm not sure if I like the ending. Am still trying to figure out how believable it is. There are some grim parts that I would have skimmed if I read it as a print book, but it is not incredibly gory, so not too bad to listen to.
stephh's review against another edition
3.0
This is one of those books that honestly sat on my shelf for YEARS before I got round to it, but i'd heard great things and always assumed I'd love it. Turns out that my expectations were a little too high (note to self: do not save books for so long thinking you'll enjoy them in the future).
A crime thriller novel, The Missing tells the story of the mysterious disappearance of teenage Billy Wilkinson from his mum's point of view. The police chalk it up to Billy being a teen, and a troublesome one at that, and despite putting some effort into the search they get nowhere. Billy's mum however is desperate to find out anything she can. Soon her attention turns to home: she suspects her husband, her other son. She delves deeper and deeper into Billy's life, finding out things she never expected along the way.
I really REALLY wanted to enjoy this, but in my opinion the person behind Billy's disappearance is so blatantly obvious from early on in the book that I'd actually discounted them as a suspect in my mind because I didn't think the author would make their behaviour so over the top and in your face. I'd heard such great things about C. L. Taylor's writing, but having now read a second book of hers where the exact same thing happened I just feel like I don't get on with her books very well.
I've given this three stars because I really liked the mother's character, and I did really want to find out *exactly* what happened, I just wish I hadn't guessed who it was so early on.
A crime thriller novel, The Missing tells the story of the mysterious disappearance of teenage Billy Wilkinson from his mum's point of view. The police chalk it up to Billy being a teen, and a troublesome one at that, and despite putting some effort into the search they get nowhere. Billy's mum however is desperate to find out anything she can. Soon her attention turns to home: she suspects her husband, her other son. She delves deeper and deeper into Billy's life, finding out things she never expected along the way.
I really REALLY wanted to enjoy this, but in my opinion the person behind Billy's disappearance is so blatantly obvious from early on in the book that I'd actually discounted them as a suspect in my mind because I didn't think the author would make their behaviour so over the top and in your face. I'd heard such great things about C. L. Taylor's writing, but having now read a second book of hers where the exact same thing happened I just feel like I don't get on with her books very well.
I've given this three stars because I really liked the mother's character, and I did really want to find out *exactly* what happened, I just wish I hadn't guessed who it was so early on.
salreads's review against another edition
3.0
I am very conflicted as to how many stars to give this and what my thoughts are. This was my second Taylor audiobook. I loved the narrator who read both books and gives such a sense of the characters. Strangers was a favourite of last year, fast paced and original. I didn’t feel quite the same about Missing. It is the tale of a missing child and how a family lives with his being missing. The family is falling to pieces, the marriage is imploding and there are so many secrets. It is only when secrets are shared that the truth can emerge. It is deeply deeply uncomfortable as you watch them fall to pieces and as you feel their searing pain for their missing child. Gradually the secrets unravel, but the unravel was a bit stop start and felt to me a bit like it was being drawn out. There’s such a degree of tension and so many twists and ultimately very thought provoking.
tasha5492's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
jamesbrooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
julie7's review against another edition
1.0
I am definitely in the minority here...didn't enjoy at all. I found it disjointed and really didn't like C L Slater's written word. I really didn't like any of the characters either 🤦♀️😂
Certainly easy enough to read though.
Certainly easy enough to read though.