What an amazing thriller this had so many twists and turns I felt like I was on a rollercoaster and I love a good plot twist fantastic keeps you guessing roo the very end

Ailsa Calder has inherited a house. Or rather half of one. But the other half of it belongs to her father who has been MIA for almost three decades. And she can't shift her half until he turns up or is found to be dead, so naturally she moves in. There is plenty which is creepy about the premise of this one. The house is out in the remote highlands, there is suspense around Ailsa's budding memories of being there as a child, there is further question marks around her much younger half-sister Carrie ... but still. Something about this book fell flat for me and didn't manage to inspire. I think that the atmospheric background boiled over into it being just too slow a read. I have been realising though that this is just not really my genre however and I will be requesting fewer of these books moving forward. I will keep this review private since it was not more positive.

Creepy and full of atmosphere. Couldn't stop reading this one. I haven't read anything from the author before but would definitely look out for more.

I think that the students in our school library need to hear lots of diverse voices and read stories and lives of many different kinds of people and experiences. When I inherited the library it was an incredibly sanitised space with only 'school readers' and project books on 'the railways' etc. Buying in books that will appeal to the whole range of our readers with diverse voices, eclectic and fascinating subject matter, and topics that will intrigue and fascinate them was incredibly important to me.
This is a book that I think our senior readers will enjoy very much indeed - not just because it's well written with an arresting voice that will really keep them reading and about a fascinating topic - but it's also a book that doesn't feel worthy or improving, it doesn't scream 'school library and treats them like young reading adults who have the right to explore a range of modern diverse reads that will grip and intrigue them and ensure that reading isn't something that they are just forced to do for their English project - this was a solid ten out of ten for me and I'm hoping that our students are as gripped and caught up in it as I was. It was one that I stayed up far too late reading and one that I'll be recommending to the staff as well as our senior students - thank you so much for the chance to read and review; I really loved it and can't wait to discuss it with some of our seniors once they've read it too!

The Missing Years had my name written all over it. A mystery set in a small village in the scottish Highlands with some paranormal touches and a creepy and possibly haunted house? I'm so in. And it certainly didn't dissapoint.

Though it took me a while to get in the story once I was invested I couldn't stop reading until I found out what was going on at the Manse.

I think the slow pacing suits the story perfectly, the characters are all well-drawn and the writing does a very good job of being both creepy and atmospheric.

This is my first Lexie Elliot but I'll definitely have to check The French Girl now.

The French Girl, Lexie Elliott’s gripping debut, was one of my favourite novel last year so I was really excited to get my hands on her second novel, THE MISSING YEARS, and I wasn’t disappointed.

The author takes us in a small village in the Scottish Highlands where everyone knows the protagonist, Ailsa Calder, even though she hasn’t lived in there for almost thirty years. After Ailsa’s father suddenly disappeared when she was seven years old, her mother packed their things and left. Now her mother is dead and Ailsa’s is back for the first time to claim The Manse, the family’s manor she’s inherited. For Ailsa is time to figure out what really happened to her father, but it seems that a few people don’t want Ailsa there.

Once again Lexie Elliott managed to keep me glued to the pages. There are mysteries to solve, loyalties to prove, and an element of supernatural that fits perfectly with the story. The Manse, the manor belonging to the Calder family, has a life of its own. The house is surrounded by legends and a dark and haunted atmosphere that keeps the animals away. How much of the legend is true? Is the house really trying to say something to Ailsa or is someone entering the house uninvited?

For me, THE MISSING YEARS is a must-read. I liked the characters who are so well-crafted and intriguing that until the end I couldn’t figure out who to trust. The plot is engrossing and thrilling, the tension slowly rises, and the creepy and evocative atmosphere gave me the chills. Highly recommended!!!

After reading the synopsis of the book I was really looking forward to it, but unfortunately it didn't totally click for me.
The overall plot was a little too slow and the ending felt anti-climatic.

The premise has tons of appeal and consequently I think it will get picked up, but there wasn't much about it that made it especially memorable or outstanding in a crowded market. I struggled to warm to Ailsa and some of the supporting characters weren't distinct enough - I kept getting mixed up between Jamie and Ben! I also found the US spellings really irritating. Overall though, it was a solid enough, undemanding thriller - perfect for the beach.

Ailsa Calder has inherited half a house. The other half still belongs to her Father, Martin Calder, who disappeared when she was 7. She arrives in the Highlands with her half sister whom she hardly knows. Memories are long in the Highlands and not everyone welcomes her back.

I have read similar books – someone inherits an old house from a distant relative and there is a puzzle to be solved in connection to it with a bit of romance on the way. However this is definitely one of the better books of this style. There are a few twists at the end which I had generally seen come coming but the details were more unusual with some small surprises.

The book is generally well written. There is a slight hint of the supernatural which I wasn’t too sure about but it did provide an extra element. There are several supporting characters which are generally well written although I did occasionally get mixed up between Ben & Jamie.

This was an enjoyable read – it flowed well and was easy to read. It is written well and the plot mostly comes together at the end. There are a few small things that I would have liked to have tidied up but nothing major. I would certainly be happy to read another book by this author.

I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.

The premise of The Missing Years sounded absolutely great, but the execution fell a bit flat for me.
The book was very atmospheric, the setting was well done and the author gave a good mix of mystery and supernatural. I quite liked Ailsa as a main character, and I especially liked her complex relationship with her half-sister Carrie. Seeing them trying to reconnect after years apart and learning to know each other again was very believable and satisfying.
However, the plot overall was too slow moving for me. I was mostly entertained by the story, but some parts were a little boring and felt unnecessary. The strange things happening at the Manse weren’t as shocking or as frequent as I would have liked. And the ending felt a little anti-climatic. It was unexpected, but I think the motive was weak.
Not terribly memorable, but I liked Lexie Elliot’s style and I would try her again.

thank you for allowing me to read this book. it was very easy to read. i enjoyed the story line and the characters. look forward to reading more from this author.

An ok read, not outstanding sadly. I oilstone get into it or care Enough about the characters to finish it. I got half way at best.

I enjoyed this book as there was a good sense of mystery, plenty of twists and characters to suspect. I did find some of the Scottish dialect a challenge to read but this is purely because it is unfamiliar but this was fine as the book continued. Overall, a satisfying read.

I was, unfortunately, unable to download this title as it had been archived so my rating will be neutral at three stars.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. Not sure what I can write about this book as although it was readable it was not unstoppable.

I loved this. It's a creepy, atmospheric read, the house definitely spooked me! Ailsa inherits what was once the family home from her mother but there are strings attached. Her father disappeared from the house when she was seven and there are rumours as to where and why he went. When she returns to the house with her half sister Carrie she finds a mystery surrounding her father's disappearance and strange things start happening to her.

Recommended read.

The Missing Years is a slow burner but it's filled with tension and unease from the very beginning! I'd give it a solid 3.5, I felt it could be trimmed down a lot, I was slightly bored at times but if you have the patience it has a brilliant ending and I'm still creeped out a day after finishing it!