I decided to read this book because I loved Wrong Place Wrong Time by McAllister that I read before this one. It was such an exciting thriller with great pacing and interesting twists and turns – not to mention the unique premise! I wanted to see if there were other books by her that might satiate my newly-developed Gillain McAllister craving, and this one felt like it would give me another hit. It did… but also it didn’t. Let me explain.
This story is that of a police detective who shows up to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a young woman but ends up a victim of a different kind herself. Before she even begins her investigation she is given an impossible choice – make sure the missing girl stays missing, or face her own demons and all the damage they will visit on her family. What choice does she have? What would you do?
But, in true McAllister form, the story isn’t what it seems on the surface, and even when she’s trying not to investigate, she keeps finding out new details that don’t fit and every time she covers up one clue, another pops up like a twisted game of whack-a-mole. There’s the expected intrigue, the story that ends up in a very different place than it starts off, and the evenly paced revelations. It’s a decent thriller… but it was no Wrong Place Wrong Time.
It dragged in places, the reveals weren’t as punchy, I didn’t feel much of a connection to the characters and some of the plot points were a little thin. It just wasn’t as good as I had expected and hoped – which didn’t entirely surprise me, but was a little disappointing. But it’s not bad, not at all. It’s a decent thriller, it’s a fast read and it will keep you guessing. It’s just not quite as surprising and exciting as Wrong Place Wrong Time – but then, how could it be? There was a particular magic to that book that it would be hard to replicate. If you’re looking for a good thriller with some interesting twists and turns, this definitely will fit the bill.
From the author of the Reese’s Book Club Pick and the New York Times bestseller Wrong Place Wrong Time comes a new heart-stopping thriller in which a missing-person case unravels deeper, darker secrets that lead a detective to an impossible moral choice.
22-year-old Olivia has been missing for one day…and counting. She was last seen on CCTV, entering a dead-end alley. And not coming back out again.
Julia, the detective heading up the search for Olivia, thinks she knows what to expect. A desperate family, a ticking clock, and long hours away from her husband and daughter. But she has no idea just how close to home this case is going to get.
Because the criminal at the heart of the disappearance has something she never expected. His weapon isn’t a gun, or a knife: it’s a secret. Her worst one. And her family’s safety depends on one thing: Julia must NOT find out what happened to Olivia – and must frame somebody else for her murder.
If you find her, you will lose everything. What would you do?
This clever and endlessly surprising thriller is laced with a smart look at family and motherhood, and cements Gillian McAllister as a major talent in the world of suspense and a master of creating ethical dilemmas that show just how murky the distinction between right and wrong can be. – Goodreads
Book Title:Â Just Another Missing Person
Author:Â Gillian McAllister
Series:Â No
Edition:Â Audiobook
Published By:Â William Morrow
Released:Â August 1, 2023
Genre: Fiction, Thriller, Police, Crime, Family, Questions of Morality
Pages:Â 377
Date Read:Â July 25-26, 2024
Rating: 6/10
Average Goodreads Rating:Â 3.66/5 (56,818 ratings)
