I do love a good mystery and Weaver is the master at them. I have read Raker books before so o knew what to expect and was not disappointed.
Expertly plotted with mystery, intrigue and some murder thrown in too.
A great mix of characters that you like, dislike and never quite know who to trust.
A long book that doesn’t feel it as you cannot stop turning the pages. Loved it!
Cannot wait for Weavers next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for my copy of The Missing Family by Tim Weaver.

Raker finds missing people, that's what he does and he is very good at it. But this time a whole family has gone missing from the middle of the lake with a witness present who saw NOTHING. Fiendishly clever plot. I got quite confused at times with the threads leading here and there but then it all pulled together BRILLIANT!!!

A thrilling read. I was hooked from start to finish as I needed to know what had become of the missing persons David Raker was searching for. I've missed some books in this series but this was still an engrossing gripping plot which , for me , was fine as a standalone read.

This is a great crime thriller but it's a bit of a slow burner.
It can easily be read as a standalone book but the previous books are definitely worth reading too.
Raker is asked to help when three people disappear from their boat whilst in the middle of a lake. Sarah falls asleep whilst waiting for them and can't understand where they've gone.
Raker has his hands full with this case and then receives another call asking for help as a murderer has seemingly escaped a holding cell and needs to be found.
Raker asks his closest friend and ex colleague to work on this case but soon it's clear the two cases are linked.
There's quite a lot going on in this book and it did seem longer than previous books, but it's still a great read.
Thanks to Michael Joseph and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I am extremely late to the David Raker party. The Missing Family is the thirteenth book in the series, but the first I have read. Despite being part of a long running series, the book read very well as a standalone.

The book sees David Raker taking on a seemingly impossible case. How do three people disappear into thin air, from the middle of a remote lake, in under a minute? Eight months later, there are no bodies and no leads, police interest and activity has dwindled. Sarah employs David in a last ditch attempt to find out what happened to her much loved, once happy family. Soon it becomes apparent that the incident at the lake, is part of a much bigger, and dangerous picture.

The characters felt well developed, lots of deep running emotions, clearly with a lot of baggage on board. This is definitely not a slow burning book. It is a complicated case, with a lot of detail, plenty to think about and keep the reader engrossed. I found the book to be extremely gripping, I was eager to know what had happened on the lake, and how it had been orchestrated. As the story continued, I desperately wanted to know how the other events were linked, and it didn’t disappoint.

We have also been left with an intriguing detail, as The Missing Family closes, which I hope to learn more of in book 14. I can’t believe it has taken me so long to discover this series, but it now seems that my tbr has increased, with the addition of the first 12 David Raker books.

It’s 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me, highly recommended.

One of the best thrillers I have ever read! I’m usually reluctant to come in part way through a series, but this book absolutely works as a standalone. That said, I will be eagerly watching for the next instalment in the world of David Raker, a brilliant private detective.

When Sarah’s family rows out onto the lake, she dozed off for one minute. Just one minute. And in that time, they disappear, leaving just an empty boat. How is this possible? Throughout the story, there are flashbacks to various murders in the US and another storyline involving a man who disappears from the cells in a high-end casino.

I couldn’t see any way that these were going to link up, but when they did, it completely blew my mind! The plot is a work of genius and the characters are so well written, I was completely invested in this story and its outcome.

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Tim Weaver and Michael Joseph, Penguin for an ARC in return for an honest review.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this excellent book

you know that whenever you open one of tim weavers books that you are in for the ride of your life and this book is no exception

a family day out turns into tragedy when 3 of those members disappear on the lake

the wheres the hows and the whys are unanswered after the police investigation goes nowhere... enter david raker who can find missing people or answers .... some answers you may not like

and so starts davids investigations ... and its the little things a small clue unearthed that lead david forward to all the answers

wow just wow this book kept me glued as i travelled home from london with detour after detour and extended travel time so it made my homeward bound journey at least enjoyable as i lost myself in this book

Raker is a private detective specialising in missing person cases. This time he has been brought in by a grieving wife and mother to find three members of her family who mysteriously disappeared from a boat in the middle of a lake in Devon, eight months before.

Also, he’s approached by an ex-girlfriend, a former Police detective, now head of security for a very large casino complex outside London, to search for a man known as the Whaler who has committed a grisly murder. This act appears to be connected to a string of historic crimes, committed in different states in the USA years apart.

Can Raker and his longtime associate Healy successfully solve these disparate cases: find the missing family and piece together the identity of the Whaler and the reasons for his actions?

This is a compelling and very twisty page turner. It kept me reading late into the night as the tension ramped up before the final denouement.

When I requested a copy I didn’t realise it was the third in a series, but it really did not matter. It can be easily read as a standalone book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this engaging story.

A very unusual read full of twists and unexpected turns.
At times confusing, there is a lot going on and quite a few threads to keep track of.
That said it is very very clever and when everything is pulled together it turns into a cracking good read.
It wasn’t until I’d finished that I realised this is number 13 in the series and the ending leaves us open to what I am sure will be a brilliant development in the next instalment.

On a beautiful summer's day, at a remote lake in the middle of Dartmoor, three members of the Fowler family take a dinghy out onto the water, leaving mother Sarah at the shore.
Less than sixty seconds later, she checks to see where they are.
The boat is drifting in the middle of the lake. It's empty.

This is a well written book. It’s quite complex but after a time several cases begin to blend together. This is expertly done and makes for a fast paced read. It’s got loads of twists and turns and is, for me, a definite five star.

I absolutely loved diving into "The Missing Family" by Tim Weaver. This latest instalment is a superb addition to the series, and I couldn't put it down. It was fantastic to see Healey return in a more prominent role, and having Craw in the mix was a real treat too.
Tim Weaver has a brilliant knack for weaving intricate plots together, and this book is no exception. The storyline is compelling and keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. I did notice a slight resemblance to another book of his I've read, mainly because of the Las Vegas setting, but fortunately, the story was unique enough to stand on its own.
The pace of the book is exhilarating, making it a real page-turner. The twists and turns are executed flawlessly, keeping the suspense alive from start to finish. I'm absolutely gutted that I'll have to wait ages for the next book in the series, but if it's anything like this one, it will be well worth the wait.
Overall, "The Missing Family" is a fab read that fans of Tim Weaver will thoroughly enjoy. If you love fast-paced thrillers with complex characters and a gripping plot, this is definitely one to add to your reading list.

Three members of the Fowler family disappear from their dinghy in the middle of a lake. The mother, who fell asleep ashore for just a minute, calls in missing persons expert David Raker to find out what happened that day. Meanwhile, at the Skyline Casino in London, a murder suspect is detained. But after securely locking him in a holding cell until the police arrive, he vanishes into thin air. While Raker investigates the Fowler case, his long-time friend and ex-cop Colm Healy delves into the casino mystery. What they discover opens up a can of worms, putting both their lives in grave danger.

This series is one of my favourites and if you haven't yet read any you're in for a treat. Each time I pick one up I find it incredibly hard to put down. The Missing Family is no exception. Full of twists and turns and with just the right amount of mystery, Raker turns the seemingly impossible into plausible. He covers all angles leaving no stone unturned. Although the plot is quite intricate, it isn't difficult to follow and I loved how the two cases slotted together. It's an exciting, fast-paced, thrilling read from beginning to end. I loved it.

Once again in his latest offering, Tim Weaver confounds with his missing person specialist, David Raker, series. managing to keeping me biting my nails at the growing levels of suspense and tension in this tale that goes back and forth in time. On a beautifully fine day, Sarah Fowler, on the shore of a quarry lake in Dartmoor, Devon, with her baby daughter, Mabel, is a witness to the seemingly impossible. Her family, husband Marc, stepson Kyle and his girlfriend, Clara, out in a dinghy, disappear in the period of less than a minute, there are no bodies, and with no answers, a distraught Sarah gets in touch with David Raker, hoping he can find out what happened.

This is not the sole unbelievable mystery, Raker finds himself contacted by Melanie Craw, now the head of security at the London Skyline Casino. The ex-cop relates a locked room mystery case in which a recognised killer is apprehended by them, and put into a secure cell, the police called. When they arrive, the cell is empty. What on earth happened? Occupied by the disappearing family, Raker brings in old friend, Colm Healy to look into this. There are twists and turns galore in this complex and intricately plotted addition, meandering into areas and territories that surprise and shock. Surely there could not possibly be any connections between the two cases?

Weaver is an expert at weaving gripping, off the wall, missing person mysteries that have won him a large fan base, including myself. For those who have not come across Raker previously, this can reasonably be read as a standalone, I would urge new readers to try, experience and immerse themselves in the joy and intrigue of this fabulous series. There are character developments, the facing of grave dangers and challenges, and a fascinating focus amd theme on the family. Recommended. Looking forward with great anticipation to the next in the series. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

it felt a long 470 pages at least a 100 could have been dropped and still made a decent story

Lot of respect for this author and his ‘Missing’ series starring David Raker, this is Book 13 and am always excited to see a new one…..

However whilst I love the series I only liked this, it was confusing in parts for me and a bit past the acceptable ‘its fiction’ ( which I keep saying ) threshold, there is a point when you switch off and kinda don’t believe it anymore, still excellent weiting though

Tim Weaver is a genius writer and I look forward as much as previously have to Book 14

Number 13 in the Raker Series and it’s great to be back with missing person investigator David Raker and former detective, Colm Healy. Husband and father Marc, son Kyle and his girlfriend go missing from the middle of a lake in Dartmoor and 8 months later no trace of them has been found and Raker has been called in by Marc’s wife Sarah to find them. As always this is a fast paced and exciting read with a brilliantly complex plot.

Briefly, as if Raker doesn’t have enough on his plate Melanie Craw, a blast from the past, asks him to investigate a dreadful stabbing that took place 12 months ago at the Skyline Resort and Casino in London where the suspect ( aka The Whaler) walks back into the Resort and is held in their cells pending the arrival of the police. However before they arrive he disappears without trace from the locked cell. To add to the mystery there seems be some connection between both cases and a number of murders in Los Angeles and the Mojave desert!

So cleverly plotted. I couldn’t see where this was going but as the book progressed all the different threads begin to converge and by the end everything is neatly tied up. Both the main protagonists are great characters and I loved the glimpses into their private lives but it’s their investigative talent that are centre stage. This is a fabulous high octane thriller full of secrets and with a shocking climax. Loved it.

Things I loved about this one:

✅ return of my favourite character
✅ ACTION packed 😱
✅ tense, twist and turns
✅ intricate storyline
✅ bombshell ending

I am a huge fan of the David Raker series. I really enjoyed this installment, although it wasn't my favourite in the series. It has a really complex plot, and whilst I enjoyed that, it didn't feel as easy to follow as previous installments!

David and Healy are such great characters and I really liked seeing them do more together. I hope that continues in the rest of the series!

The ending of this one 😱 I feel like that will have some fall out in books to come, and I can't wait to see it play out. It's certainly got my anticipation going for the next one.

I'd recommend this to anyone who loves the David raker series. This could be read as a standalone but I think you get more of the back story if you have read the others.

RATING

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Took me a little bit of time to get my head around all the timelines but when I did what a rollercoaster ride it was. Many twists and turns to keep me guessing all the way through. Good characterisation. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it

This has got to be one of the best books i have ever read.
There aren't enough superlatives to describe how good it is or do it justice.
The story was fantastic, it was emotional, it was weaved together so well I don't know how the
author does it book after book. I will be thinking about this book for a long while to come.
Oh and the end, wow....

A fast paced thriller with twists and turns. Thoroughly enjoyed this book , I didn’t know it was part of a series so I’ll definitely seek out the other books.

I loved this, the latest in the David Raker and Colm Healy series. The action was fast paced, the plot, mysterious and twisted with two separate investigations to solve, with unexpected shock reveals along the way.

The settings moving across continents and around the country, from Dartmoor to London and across to Las Vegas.

Getting a glimpse into how the lives of Raker and Healy have moved on is always a pleasure, the relationship between them reflects the deep friendship and the sorrows they have both faced and supported each other through. Characterisation is always done so brilliantly that I never think about it as I sink into each new reality.

Tim Weaver is an excellent author, writing skillfully about new and complicated plots, keeping the reader on tenterhooks as they try to solve the crimes alongside the duo.

If you love action thrillers then this is the book for you. Even if you are new to the series, Weaver includes enough background that you can pick up the threads of previous books. How long until the next one?