It’s been fifteen years since Gem’s eight-year-old daughter Sara-Jane went missing, snatched with her best friend Abby right outside their school. A frantic search united the community at first, but after Abby was found and brought home, single mother Gem’s dogged persistence only led to accusations that she was stirring up class tensions. Even that she was somehow involved.

When Gem hears that human remains have been unearthed in the school’s chapel, she casts aside the new life she’s carefully built around herself and returns to the community that closed ranks against her all those years ago. Someone there knows something, she’s sure of it. And when Sara-Jane’s belongings start appearing on her doorstep, Gem knows she’s getting close—dangerously close—to the truth.

One thing’s for certain: it’s not just the remains in the chapel that have lain hidden for years. Can Gem unravel the dark secrets that might lead to Sara-Jane? Or has blind hope lured her into a web she’ll never escape?

Oh my! I feel like my review will not do this amazing read justice. I am at a loss for words about Gem's story and her pursuit of finding out the truth. I highly recommend this to others. You will not be disappointed.

Set in London, this book is written by a pair of apparently quite popular British writers whose work ai haven’t read before now. Single mother Gem shines as she attempts to find answers to the kidnapping of her daughter, still missing, fifteen years later. With high emotion, tension, and twists, this may be a thriller worth checking out.

3.5* Enjoyed that this was believable and set in the UK. A teensy bit obvious because if the heavy-handedness of some name dropping, but a decent read, still.

I think UK-set books that that believability feel that glossier books in US settings lack. This felt real, down to earth and emotional. I didn't feel like I really got to know Gem all that well, as the tale flashed through too many events, people and time frames, but I got enough of a picture that it was clear she'd never given up on Sarah-Jane.

Unfortunately, the authors were a bit too heavy-handed with some of the names dropped, in their emphasis of certain side characters that I began to suspect that people who were being nice, being supportive to her face, were actually the perpetrators of her daughter's abduction. If I just mentioned 3 names here, it'd give the game away, so yeah, no. Still, it was a good read and a decent intro to the authors.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for my reading pleasure.

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This book was great. I loved the premise, the twists and the characters were believable. The story kept me on my toes and the ending was a surprise. 3.5 stars

When Gem hears remains are found at a chapel, she is sure they are those of her missing daughter. She decides to go back and investigate for herself but this stirs up hidden secrets.

I wanted to like this one here, but I just had trouble getting into it. Maybe those who can dive in quickly would enjoy it more!

Brilliant… I would give this more than 5 stars if I could. I could not put it down. My heart was pounding. I was sweating. It was everything a psychological thriller should be.

What I was expecting with the book title with a 'girl gets kidnapped story.'

Then the authors t'reated us' to a 15 year later timeline when Gem, the mother of the kidnapped girl returns to where the kidnapping took place to try to get answers on what happened to her daughter.

Lots of good twists, after a slow start, and some heartbreak. Still not totally convinced of the whole story, and there were some spelling and punctuation concerns.

Thanks to Net Galley and Thomas and Mercer for the chance to read and review.

Girl, Missing is a story of prejudice and divide in social classes and the abduction of a girl and a mother who will never recover. Sometimes I found the story slow going, with too much unnecessary angst and with characters which were difficult to relate to. However, it's entertaining and has an ending I could not think of. I thank the authors and their publisher for this ARC.

I am grateful to the publisher for my complimentary copy and all opinions expressed are mine

If you have ever lost a child or someone close to you please read the book with caution. The book follows Gem whose child Sara-Jane went missing after she was snatched with her best friend Abby outside of school. Two girls snatched and only one returned home until years later human remains have been found. A mother's worst nightmare and of course some believe that the mother is guilty. Fast paced ,heartbreaking at times and I look forward to reading more books by the author.

This one was a struggle for me. There was so much going on and too many possible suspects. I did get through the entire book, but I found myself constantly checking to see how much longer before I reached the end. It was a quick read, but I did not enjoy it. The ending was too farfetched for me to suspend reality, and the twists towards the end seemed to have been added for shock value. Unfortunately, this book didn't work for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a good thriller with so many twists, although some were a bit unbelievable, my head is still turning! Great characterisation and plotting, combined with plenty of suspense, although there were spelling and punctuation errors which needed editing. Suspend belief and just dive in and enjoy the read! Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

This started out a little slow as a typical girl gets kidnapped story. There is also an alternate timeline of 15 years later when Gem, the mother of Sara Jane (the kidnapped girl) comes back to where the kidnapping took place to try to get answers on what happened to her daughter. Then there was a little twist. THEN there was so much going on it was like watching a tennis match as I flipped through the pages so quickly to see what was happening next. So many surprises and twists! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader’s copy.

Another great read from Dreda and Ryan. Once I got into it I didn’t want to put it down. It’s in two times the present day and also 15 years ago. Two young girls Sara-Jane and Abby go missing from school and only one comes back. Gem Sara-Jane’s Mum can’t get over the grief of losing her little girl and not knowing what happened to her. Gem moves away to set up her business but always keeps the flat where she lived with her daughter in the hope that one day she might come back. 15 years after this happens human bones are found in the chapel at the school the girls went missing from. Has Sara-Jane been there all along. Gem returns to try and get to the bottom of what happened to her daughter all those years ago. Things start happening and Gem finds it hard to resolve what went on. There’s lots of twists to this read.

This book has such an interesting premise - Gem's daughter Sara-Jane disappeared with her friend from the chapel at her primary school fifteen years ago. Abby, the friend, returned home, but not Sara-Jane. When human remains are discovered in the chapel, Gem returns to the town she had turned her back on after the community had accused her of harming her daughter. 

I liked the character of Gem and her determination to learn the truth. The book does a good job of showing the conflicts between the working class and the well-to-do families whose children all went to the same private school. The book is suspenseful and keeps you guessing as to what really happened to Sara-Jane. Unfortunately, the book turns from simply having a tense, foreboding mood to having more over-the-top, dark events. There are several hateful characters doing horrific things, but you're not sure which ones, if any, have to do with Sara-Jane's disappearance. The disturbing elements of the book took away from the parts I enjoyed, so it evened out to be a 3-star read for me.

I received an advance copy of this ebook from NetGalley and Amazon Publishing at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

Sorry, but this one was not for me. My mind kept wandering while reading. After the first 20% I skipped to the 90% mark and decided I didn't want to read the pages in between.

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for this review copy.

I have read all of Dreda Say Mitchell’s books so far and this novel is again outstanding work.
This is a good, strong gritty London thriller, about what really happened to Sarah-Jane 15 years ago?
Well written, Pacino and keeps you on your toes.

This is the first time I have read a book from these authors. Interesting premise that delivered. Plenty of suspense to keep me guessing. Well written. I would definitely read the next offering. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

Tha k you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. This was such a different take on the usual kidnapping trope in so many other books right now. This story was creepy and twisty!! I loved every minute! If you're looking for something different and true spine tingly page turner pick this one up now.

Fifteen years ago, Gem’s daughter, eight-year-old Sara-Jane, and her friend, Abby, were kidnapped after bunking off school.

When Gem hears that human bones have been found in the school chapel, she rushes back to the place she fled from, needing to know if they are her daughter’s bones.

As the story progresses, we learn about what went on fifteen years ago, as well as what is happening now.

The story has many secrets and lies, and Gem has to get to the truth in a hope to find out what happened to her daughter.

An intriguing thriller, I liked how the story brings in the differences of people’s class and how they are perceived if they are of a lower class.

I didn’t like Gem’s ex (Sara-Jane’s dad) at all. He was a vile and vindictive character. I had a lot of time for Gem, she has been strong for fifteen years and will never let go of finding out the truth about her daughter.

My thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

This took me a little while to get into since I found I had to get into the writing style. But the mystery/suspense kept me hooked ‘til the end. I found the different POV’s between past and present chapters helpful in making the mind switch. But I did find Gem’s woe begone attitude in the beginning a bit repetitive. While I had my suspicions re the culprit, I could not guess their motivation. And the twist at the end …. Wow!