Local Gone Missing was a clever and twisty tale of a sleepy seaside town called Ebbing in Sussex. When 2 teenagers end up in hospital after a local music festival and then a well known member of the community goes missing, Detective Elise King can’t help but start investigating. She is on medical leave from the force after treatment for breast cancer but she has to find out what is happening in her usually quiet hometown.

There is a lot going on in this story and plenty of characters to keep straight. We jump around timelines and points of view but I didn’t have trouble keeping up. There are some surprising twists and the story is very well done.

Thanks to BantamPress and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read.

DI Elise Knight is on medical leave from her job as a detective following chemo and surgery for breast cancer and is still feeling the pain the pain of her ex leaving her for another woman after nine years together. After the breakup she’d bought a small house in the little seaside town of Ebbing, where she is now slowly recovering from her treatment. It’s a town that is losing its permanent residents as houses are bought up by the ‘weekenders’. To drum up interest in the town as a vacation spot wealthy recent arrival, Pete Diamond, has organised a music festival which provokes a lot of opposition from the long time residents who want their town to remain peaceful and safe. All their fears are realised when two teenagers collapse with a drug overdose and local man Charlie Perry goes missing at the festival.

Bored with sitting at home staring out the window at the people in the street, Elise starts to investigate the case of the missing man with her neighbour, the irrepressible Ronnie, until her DCI contacts her and asks her to come back to work and take over as SIO after the detective in charge of the case had to take personal leave. There are a lot of people with secrets in the town, some that go back a long way so it takes some pretty good investigative police work to flush them all out and solve what happened to Charlie.

The plot zips backwards and forwards in time and points of view, which makes the timeline a little difficult to keep track of, but fills in the actions and motives of all those involved. It was fun to see Elise enjoys her time sleuthing, not just because she’d been away from work for a while but because it was a while since she’d been out from behind a desk in her job at major crimes. Ronnie proved to be an excellent side kick while cleaner Dee was able to provide a lot of intelligence gathered in her job as cleaner. The plot moves along at a good pace, provided you can keep up with the shifting time lines, and is more complex than first appears with quite a few false turns before the truth eventually falls into place.

The seaside town of Ebbing seems idyllic to outsiders. Detective Elise King chose to move there when illness forced her to take time out from her successful career.
The locals are up in arms about a weekend festival convinced it will bring danger and drugs into their small community. When it turns out they are right it overshadows the fact that a local man has disappeared.
Realising the police aren't taking it seriously enough Elise decides to investigate herself, but she will uncover more secrets and lies than she expected in a small town.
I'm afraid I found this a little too slow and it jumped about too much from one narrator to another, from one date to another, it was hard to keep track of who was who and where they were. For me this took away from the actual story.

3.75⭐️
I have enjoyed other books by this author so I was keen to read this mystery thriller.
Detective Elise King Investigates a man’s disappearance in a seaside town where locals and weekenders are at odds with each other.

The time frame moves from the present to before the event. It is told from Charlie’s, Dee’s and Elise’s POV.

Dee who is a local cleaner knows everyone’s secrets and guards them. I liked Dee, She gossips to the reader but not other residents. Some of her thoughts had me chuckling.
Charlie’s daughter Birdie is in an exclusive residential home following a traumatic brain injury affecting her short term memory and sight.

At the start it has the feel of a gentle domestic drama. Then it turns into an amateur sleuth mystery, before finally turning into a parallel investigation with a police procedural running in tandem. Then moving on to a full on police procedural to wrap it all up. It sounds disjointed, but it’s a smooth transition.
I enjoyed the sleuthing of Elise and Ronnie and would have liked that to have been the theme of the entire book.

I like the writing style, it’s easy going, with mini cliffhangers at the end of chapters. It’s got good plot complexity.

It’s a cosy murder mystery. I found the end dragged on a bit. It feels like it’s a gentle start to a new series.

Elise King is on sick leave from her police detective job and is living in the sleepy town of Ebbing - a town of two halves - locals and weekenders - with friction between them which gets worse when a newcomer puts on a music festival where two teenagers O.D. Then a local man goes missing - suddenly it’s not to sleepy anymore.
Elise teams up with neighbour Ronnie investigate and uncover a lot of things about Charlie, the missing man.
Interesting story if a little slow at times and a bit difficult to follow with lots of subplots.
3.5 Stars ⭐️ for me.
Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for a fair review.
Police procedural fans will enjoy this book.

Local Gone Missing is a slow-paced mystery novel that follows Detective Elise King as she gets ready to return to work following illness. She lives in a small town and when two teenagers become ill at a festival she is curious to dig around into what is going on. She’s not yet back at work but she starts to investigate the people in this small town and she uncovers connections she hadn’t known existed between some of the residents and before she knows it she’s fully investigating again. This novel becomes darker as it goes along and whilst the pace is slower it’s none-the-less gripping and I found it hard to put down. I read it in just two sittings because I simply had to know what was going on and who was involved. I recommend this one.

I was a little disappointed with this latest book from Fiona Barton. Her books are usually innovative, exciting and gripping. However, I found it very hard to get into this story. It felt almost more like contemporary fiction rather than a thriller. I wasn’t picking up on any real intrigue from the characters, and there was not much to be that suspicious about.
We are introduced to characters of a village where it is rife with gossip and mistrust with one another, and when a local is found murdered, there is some finger-pointing. However, it all felt a bit lackadaisical and half-hearted.
The detective in charge was returning to work after having beaten cancer. She was struggling with getting back to normal, and the whole investigation had this sort of sluggish and lethargic feel to it.
On the other hand, the ending was quite exciting, and it did manage to tie up all of the loose ends and come together nicely. I just felt like it was a struggle to get to this point in the book.
Overall, this was a mediocre read for me, and I felt very unsatisfied. Having read some of the other reviews on NetGalley (as I received this as an advanced copy), I realise I am in the minority with my view on this. Maybe it’s because I’ve been reading some excellent books lately, and this one just didn’t meet the high standard I currently have.

I never repeat the blurb. Super mystery with likeable characters and full g twists and turns. A bit too "back and forth" perhaps, but really enjoyable.

This story takes place in Sussex in the small seaside town of Ebbing.
Di Elise King is currently on leave following treatment for breast cancer.
Time passes slowly alone all day with nothing much to occupy her mind.
That is until the night one of the towns residents, Charlie goes missing.
He had last been seen at the music festival held in the grounds of the old Vicarage, shortly before two teenagers were rushed to hospital after taking ecstasy..
The fact that Elise is still officially on sick leave doesn`t stop her and her neighbour Ronnie, a would-be amateur detective investigating themselves.
After all Charlie was well liked in Ebbing, well known for his fundraising for the local charities and helping people out.
They discover there is a lot more to Charlie than they knew!
A tale full of secrets, surprises and humour provided by a host of interesting characters.
I really enjoyed this Fiona Barton book, hopefully we will hear more from DI Elise King.
Well worth reading.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

We meet Elise in this story. She’s a copper who is currently off after recovering from cancer. She’s a bit down, and a bit fed up, and is close to returning to work, which she is really anxious about. She lives in a small place called Ebbing, and spends a lot of her time gazing out of the window or with her next door neighbour, Ronnie. Then, a local man disappears. Which sets Elise’s instincts on fire. And she starts chasing the story. Other things crop up and she realises everything is linked, somehow.

I really enjoy this authors work, and it feels like forever since I’ve read something from her. This book was no exception, and was excellent. There were lots of clues, and twists and turns throughout. The writing flowed really well, and ensured the story had a satisfactory ending, with everything tied up. I really liked the characters, especially Elise. She was down to earth, going through trauma, and was very relatable in her personality. An excellent read, and recommended for anyone who is after a who done it Murder mystery.

Thank you NetGalley for this incredible book. I love this author and she proved it again. This one took me a little bit to get into but once I got rolling I was hooked.
The story is told from several perspectives and also goes backwards so you need to pay attention. It has a great plot and lots of twists and turns. Would highly recommend.

Rating: 2.3/5

I have mixed feelings about this latest novel from Fiona Barton. There are aspects of it that really are very good, but the overriding sensation after completing it was one of disappointment.

"Local Gone Missing" introduces the character of DI Elise King, a much-respected detective who has been taking an enforced break from duty while she has been undergoing treatment for cancer. Although I haven't actually seen any confirmation from the author or publisher, I suspect that this will be just the first outing in a series featuring this lead character. Certainly, the way that Fiona Barton paints the backstory of Elise and other key protagonists suggests that the scene is being set for them to reappear in future stories.

This novel contains a rather unusual mixture of styles. It is almost as if the author was seeking an approach that was different and distinctive, but without being clear in her own mind precisely what form that should take. The first half of the book has elements that are akin to a cosy murder mystery, with some quirky, humorous characters being introduced and some witty, tongue-in-cheek observations by the author - not least when she remarks on a parallel with Midsomer Murders. There are certainly elements of this novel, particularly in the first half, that are reminiscent of that particular television series. The second half of the novel is far more of a conventional police procedural and there are aspects of the investigation that are certainly more gritty than you would associate with a cosy mystery.

This attempted genre "mash-up" had the potential to create something fresh and interesting, but I'm not convinced that it really pulled it off. There is something quite fragmented about the whole affair and, in spite of the impressive positive elements, I also found myself losing interest at times. I don't think this feeling of being disjointed was helped by the numerous character perspectives and frequent changes of time frame either. There is a decent plot here, with some solid characterisation and a very nicely constructed conclusion to the mystery - but the shortcomings detract from the overall impact.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

There was a lot going on in this story and I think I was on track with what exactly, well most of the time at least!
The lead detective, Elise, has been fighting her own personal battles, as is the case with most detective based stories. She has battled cancer and is now keen to get back into her day job to feel her worth and distract her. The backdrop to the story is a sleepy seaside town, with its own main characters, including the compulsory bored rich housewife type and a few family secrets behind the scenes. I loved the characterisation of a cleaner who cleans for various clients, silently slipping into their homes to work her magic and learning their secrets in the course of duty. There were twists and turns and some unexpected outcomes which kept me entertained and on my toes. Overall a good read.

What a fabulous book. Fiona Barton doesn’t write many novels. Perhaps that’s why they are so special.

Local Gone Missing is set in Ebbing, a fictional south coast town so beautifully created it feels like another character. We are introduced to Ebbing through the different viewpoints of some of its inhabitants, who take it in turns to tell the story. As the community emerges, the humour in the dialogue adds warmth to the story.

Charlie is missing. Charlie whose debts are out of control and who desperately needs money to pay his disabled daughter’s care home costs. The mystery surrounding his disappearance is complicated by events at a local music festival, two young people ending in hospital after taking drugs.

Plenty of the locals have something to hide. The investigation is spearheaded by a detective inspector, Elise, who begins the story on sick leave, preparing to return to work after treatment for cancer. Another local is Dee, a cleaner who has easy access to many houses and people. Their own personal stories are revealed slowly as the picture becomes clearer. It is a rich mix and concludes with a satisfying twist that brings together the strands of the story.

The pace is quick as each character’s situation and key relationships are sketched in - the locals and the incomers. The cast of characters is varied and interesting; the strands of the plot are worryingly credible; and the story touches on themes that feel familiar and relevant.

Fiona Barton has written a beautifully constructed novel with a compelling plot and a satisfying ending. I hope the wait for her next novel is shorter.

Having read all of Fiona Barton's previous titles, I was delighted to be approved for her latest book, especially as The Child is one of my favourite reads in recent years.
Rather than keeping journalist Kate Waters as the lead character, this time Fiona Barton introduces Elise King, a detective about to return to work after treatment for cancer. In typical Barton fashion, the story is told from several viewpoints with a slow reveal of who is who and what's at stake. I guessed the culprit straightaway although it was a good while before I knew motive. Ideal for fans of crime mysteries.
With thanks to the author, publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an independent review.

I have read two previous books by Fiona Barton so Local Gone Missing wasn't quite what i had expected?
There were an awful lot of characters so it took me a little while to understand who was who, i also felt it took a little while to get going.
Having said that on the whole i enjoyed it, i particularly liked the relationship between Elise and Ronnie the neighbour several times i found myself laughing.
This is a slow burner but well worth reading until the very end.

My sincere thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an early copy to which i have left my honest review.

I have read and enjoyed Fiona Barton before and this was no exception. The story drew me in and I would be happy to read another book with this detective as main character!

I've read two of Fiona Barton's previous books ('The Widow' and "The Child') and have enjoyed them both.

So, I naturally had high expectations from this book. The first half was about establishing the characters and the town of Ebbing but the writing felt disjointed as though I was reading about people from different worlds.

By the second half, the action picks up and we get the mystery in full flow and we have an engaging page turner. Told through the POV of different characters, the whole book felt average especially coming from someone as talented as Fiona Barton.

It also feels like we will be seeing more of Elise King and while I will read any upcoming books, I hope the story is more tightly wound the next time.

It was a decent read.

3/5

Wow what a page tuner hood lots of twist abd tuner you just want to carry on reading lived it your their with the characters your part of the story do easy to read loved it I was hooked read in a day

Was delighted to receive this ARC of Local Gone Missing by Fiona Barton, having previously read and enjoyed The Child and The Suspect so thanks to Netgalley, Random House UK Transworld Publishers, Bantam Press, and Fiona Barton for the e-ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This sorry centres around a local well liked man gone missing among this is there is sub plots of a music festival, a detective on sick leave, a drug bust and a lot of home improvements. It is told from three main characters POV ( Charlie in the 2nd person, Elise in the 2nd person and Dee in the 1st) with some smaller chapters giving voice to minor characters this split over timelines mainly going from the present to the few days previous leading up to the weekend Charlie goes missing. In the most the characters are well written and developed, I found it very clever how Barton introduced characters later in the story but still made the relevant and gave them depth with backstories.
I found the character of Elsie very relatable I liked how Barton managed to portray the loss people feel for the person they were after having an illness or a chronic condition and how this impacts how they see themselves and how others treat them, I felt she wrote this part very well. She also achieved this with Birdie, this way she wrote this character for me really put on a spotlight on how the “sick” are seen by others- weak, gentle, kind, saint like, brave etc- and how this isn’t always the case… KEEP READING TO THE END

The more domestic setting of this book in an English seaside town was a change from the inner cities and foreign countries in Barton’s previous work I found this surprising more interesting it allowed Barton to address some topical issues like class, second homes, small town gossip, and how we treat others in a subtle way, for example the way we can ignore the cleaners who work for us forgetting they are there always listening and have access to our most private things this gave the book a real midsummer feel which I loved. This midsummer cosy crime feel( don’t be put off by that comment it is gritty and dark as the other books by the author just in a different way) was further added by the relationship between the main character of Elise and her next door neighbour Ronnie I really liked this and it made me laugh it also further underpinned the points about small town gossip.

This a not a fast paced book to begin with it slowly burns spending a lot of time setting the scene, developing the characters and gradually building a tension that makes you want to read long into the night. Take your time reading this some of the littlest details give the biggest clues. Toward the end the pace picked right up but I had guessed some of the ending by then however there was the usual classic twist you can expect from Barton’s work. This a solid police procedural mystery with a hint of a cosy crime whodunit, would make a great holiday read. It’s twisty,well written and a enjoyable read

Footnote this a standalone novel, no Kate Walters, but I have to say I think Elsie will have her hands busy in the seaside town of Ebbing for a few more books to come and I for one can’t wait to read them.