Local Gone Missing
The new, completely gripping must-read crime thriller for 2023
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3.9 • 40 Ratings
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- £2.99
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- £2.99
Publisher Description
'I absolutely loved this smart, twisty novel' Sunday Times bestseller SHARI LAPENA
'A dark and twisty read' Sunday Times bestseller NITA PROSE
Everyone watches their neighbours.
Everyone lies about their friends.
Everyone's a suspect when a local goes missing.
Elise King moves into the sleepy seaside town of Ebbing. Illness has thrown her career as a successful detective into doubt, but no matter how hard she tries to relax and recuperate, she knows that something isn't right.
Tensions are running high beneath the surface of this idyllic community: the weekenders in their fancy clothes, renovating old bungalows into luxury homes, and the locals resentful of the changes. A town divided, with the threat of violence only a heartbeat away.
This peaceful world is shattered when two teenagers end up in hospital and a local man vanishes without trace. Elise starts digging for answers, but the community closes ranks, and the truth begins to slip through her fingers. Because in a small town like this, the locals are good at keeping secrets...
Perfect for fans of Broadchurch, L.J. Ross and Ann Cleeves' Vera Stanhope novels.
Readers can't put down Local Gone Missing!
'Like all Fiona Barton's books, this one is simply a must read.' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'A fab, twisty-turny mystery' Sun
'I absolutely loved this book and raced through. Brilliant story and brilliant writing - I highly recommend!' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'I was completely swept up in this story of a seaside town full of dark secrets - the ending was masterful. I loved it!' KATHERINE FAULKNER, author of Greenwich Park
'This was an absolute page turner. Loved it from start to finish!' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'Tense and full of reveals and twists. A compulsively dark mystery. Fiona Barton never disappoints!' LESLEY KARA
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
A move to the English coast inspired journalist-turned-crime writer Fiona Barton’s fourth crime novel. Welcome to the fictional seaside town of Ebbing, where the locals aren’t exactly friendly—or completely truthful. Barton’s previous work (including the bestseller The Widow) featured a sleuthing reporter, here, however, the investigative work is carried out by Detective Elise King. She is supposed to be on sick leave but can’t help getting drawn into the murderous drama. The character, who is recovering from both breast cancer and a messy divorce, is well drawn—and it feels like we might be seeing more of her in Barton’s future work. With the action pinging back and forth through time and different chapters narrated by different characters, you certainly need to concentrate but crime fiction fans will hare through the pages to discover whodunnit.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In the prologue of this suspenseful crime novel from bestseller Barton (The Widow), set in the small British seaside community of Ebbing, an unidentified man strains to spit out the gag in his mouth just as someone enters the room where he's being held. In the main narrative, cleaning woman Dee Eastwood, whose clientele includes 73-year-old Charlie Perry and his "some years" younger wife, Pauline, arrives one morning at the Perrys' caravan and discovers Charlie is missing. Pauline later admits she hadn't noticed his absence until Dee woke her. Flash back 17 days to Charlie's visit to his brain-damaged daughter, Birdie, in a residential care facility. Birdie's injuries were ostensibly caused by a drug addict who tortured her 20 years earlier during a burglary to get her to reveal where her valuables were. Another flashback introduces Det. Insp. Elise King, who also employs Dee. When Elise returns to active duty after being treated for breast cancer, she's assigned to the search for Charlie, an inquiry that reveals multiple secrets about him, including why he lied about the real cause of Birdie's injuries. Barton's facility at creating plausible characters makes emotional involvement with them easy. Minette Walters fans will be pleased.
Customer Reviews
Great stuff!
Really enjoyed this
Couldn’t put it down- a bit Midsommer murders like- but that’s a good thing!
Easy reading and undemanding
However a real page turner !