4 stars

Several months following the disappearance of six-year old Lola Jade Harper, DI Rachel Prince of the National Crime Agency in southeast London and her partner DS Mark Brickall are assigned the case. Lola Jade lived in Surrey and the police department there has asked for the NCA’s assistance. It seems that Gavin Harper, estranged father of Lola Jade has disappeared as well and his current family claim not to know where he is at. Some sightings have taken place abroad and thus the NCA with its international experience is called in.

Jade’s mother Michelle is a real winner. She is self-absorbed and can’t entertain anything beyond her own desires. When she doesn’t want to talk or answer questions, she gets a “migraine.” She cares little for others. In fact one has to wonder how good of a mother was she?

Rachel and Mark team up with DS Leila Rajavi from Surrey to further investigate the case and any possible. Rachel and Mark begin by re-interviewing witnesses and family members. They follow a possible lead to Spain where the father of the girl is said to have worked and wanted to live there.

The case progresses when some of the Harper family secrets are revealed. When a woman is found dead and another child goes missing, the case ratchets up as does the tension in our story.

The identity of the killer/kidnapper comes as no surprise. I suspected them as soon as I met them in the story.

This is a nicely written and plotted novel. I like DI Rachel Prince and the interplay between her and her sidekick, DS Mark Brickall. It injects a bit of humor into a very serious story. The suspense begins immediately and continues throughout the story until the denouement where it ratchets up with an exciting car chase. The ending was a little superfluous in places. There is a lot going on in this book and in places, I felt there was unnecessary information given. The main characters though were well fleshed out. This is my first Alison James novel, and I look anxiously forward to the next in this series.

I want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for forwarding to me a copy of this good book to read and enjoy.

I received an ARC from NetGalley to read and review. The below is my honest, unbiased opinion. Thank you, Alison James, the publisher, and NetGalley, for allowing me to review.

A MISSING CHILD. A DEAD WOMAN. A SHOCKING MYSTERY.

Six-year-old Lola Jade Harper is taken from her bedroom. Her mother is distraught. She is convinced her estranged husband, Gavin Harper, has abducted their daughter.

Detective Rachel Prince is leading the investigation but is soon out of her depth as she searches for the most high-profile missing child in the country. To uncover the truth about Lola’s disappearance, Rachel must untangle the Harper family’s complicated web of secrets and lies.

As the case progresses, the body of a local woman is found. The death at first seems unrelated, until a trail of social media posts lead Rachel to a chilling discovery.

And then another little girl is taken…

With growing pressure from the public and the appearance of someone from her past she’d rather forget, will Rachel be able to solve the connection between the two missing children and the murder - before it’s too late?

Truly addictive from start to finish, The Missing Child is a tense, enthralling crime thriller by one of the best new voices in crime fiction. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Peter James and Karin Slaughter.

THE MISSING CHILD is a well-written debut novel from Alison James. Its plot is fast=paced, twisty, and gripping. I couldn't put it down, and I was surprised by the ending. But most importantly, I really connected with the main character. This, of course, is key since Detective Prince is getting her own series. I found her to be interesting, realistic, and, at times, funny. I recommend to anyone who enjoys a solid mystery read.

I really enjoyed this book. It was well written and held my attention from the start. It had likeable characters. I particularly liked DI Rachel Prince and look forward to reading her future investigations.

I found this to be a solid mystery read. I was invested throughout the book. The characters were interesting and I enjoyed the humor.

The missing child by Alison James.
Omg what a read.
A six year old child lola jade goes missing one night. The mother Michelle says its the dad gavin.
Di prince and dc brackhill are on the case as surrey police case has gone cold. Someone online says Lola jade is closer to home.
Rachel enlists the help of rajavi and Cooper to help. They race against time to try and save a little girls life is at risk?
Omg I was baffled. I had a few ideas as to what happened to lola jade. But nothing prepared me for that. Wow. I was shocked. 5*. Highly recommended. Netgalley and little brown book group uk.