Want to know what was missing? A story worth reading.
Not one adult in this book behaves like someone over 10.
Did this book have a point? For the life f me I don’t know.
I would detail the story but if you read the prologue and first 3 chapters and can’t figure out how this book will end it is back to The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew for you. Oh and those books are far better mysteries than this book was. ( )

The story begins with a text message: "It's me. I'm on Finisterre Island in Maine. Come find me"
This plea draws Hester Thursby into a dangerous search for her best friend Daphne Maguire, the twin sister of her boyfriend Morgan. The search takes her to a small island off the coast of Maine where she encounters a clannish community of islanders. On the surface it seems like a pleasant place (at least in the summer), but from the beginning there's an aura of danger: in the first chapter a young boy disappears for several hours although he is eventually found safe. As things progress, issues of drug addiction, homelessness and corruption are exposed. When Hester discovers a body on the shore, the tension rachets up as her hunt for Daphne expands into a hunt for a killer. There's an explosive conclusion involving a burning house as Hester and Daphne are finally reunited.

This is a gritty "chase" story, covering a basic whodunnit murder mystery. It's the sequel to the author's debut, "Little Comfort" and can be read as a standalone. The author does a good job of providing sufficient backstory for a reader new to the series to follow the story. However, reading the previous book will provide some colour and perspective on Hester, Daphne and Morgan.

The missing children angle is a red herring to me, it doesn't seem to relate to the story. There may be a subtle connection that am I missed. In the end, Daphne remains the only really missing person. Is Daphne an enigma to be continued in future books?

The cast of characters is a truly mixed bag of humanity. Hester, the protagonist, is a work in progress who luckily has Morgan as her backup.. The islanders provide local colour for the story, a set piece of small-town folks who have grown up together and now live as adults in the same place. The off-islanders are usually the bad people (Barb, the state police detective, and Hester et al excepted). The dog Waffles is welcome and the abused mutt George is a worthy addition.

Recommended as a well told multi-level story reflecting some of the problems of our time.

I requested and received a complementary advance reading copy from the publisher, Kensington Books, via Netgalley. The comments about it are my own. ( )

This story is dark, twisted and disturbing.....but completely mesmerizing. Hester has been caring for her best friend's child, 4-year old Kate, ever since her friend left unexpectedly. Daphne left a note saying she would be right back....but it's been a year, and she hasn't returned. Daphne is the twin sister of Hester's boyfriend, Morgan. Then out of the blue Hester receives a text from Daphne saying she's on an island off the coast of Maine and Hester needs to come get her. When Hester gets there she finds the situation is bleak -- the house is full of squatters and drug addicts. Not only that, but Hester discovers a dead body as well. There is a lot going on at Finisterre Island....and Hester wants to get to the bottom of it.

Wow....this was such an intense story. It was a bit hard for me to follow in spots. The Missing Ones is actually the second book in the Hester Thursby series, and I haven't read the first book, Little Comfort. I think I would have understood the situation and the characters a little better had I read the first book. But the plot in this story was strong enough to keep my interest, despite the fact I didn't quite understand the Daphne/Hester/Morgan issues. I'm going to backtrack and read the first book.....then re-read this one.

This book deals with some pretty intense adult situations -- drug addiction, kidnapping, violence, dirty cops. The story is not for the faint of heart. The suspense is wicked....and the story is twisted. Great read! I'm definitely looking forward to more by this author!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.** ( )

4.5 stars.

The Missing Ones by Edwin Hill is a suspenseful, character driven mystery. Although this latest release is the second installment in the Hester Thursby Mystery series, it can be read as a standalone. However, I highly recommend reading book one, Little Comfort, as well.

Librarian Hester Thursby is still struggling in the aftermath of the events from her previous missing persons case. She is in charge of caring for her four year old niece Kate but her irrational fears about Kate's safety make it impossible for her to leave her in anyone else's care. Hester is impulsive and in the past, her ill-advised decisions have endangered herself and Kate. She is unable to confide her fears to her partner Morgan Maguire, whose twin sister Daphne is Kate's mother. Daphne has a long history of flighty behavior and no one has heard from her since she abruptly abandoned her daughter to Hester's and Morgan's care a year earlier. Hester also has a supportive circle of friends, but she cannot bring herself to ask for help. Will her relationship with Morgan survive her inability to trust him with the issues she is dealing with?

Meanwhile off the coast of Maine, residents of Finisterre Island are dealing with inexplicable disappearances of young children, squatters in a ramshackle Victorian home and an increase in drug traffic. Islander Rory Dunbar is a local cop whose hopes for becoming a state police officer have yet to be realized. He is also in love with his childhood friend, Lydia Pelletier, whose husband Trey despises Rory. With a storm approaching, Frankie Sullivan, one of the squatters, reports her young son Ethan is missing. Annie, who has been living for several months in the same home as Frankie, becomes involved in the search for the missing boy. In the aftermath of the storm, Annie vanishes and the local police are very interested in asking her questions about the goings on in the Victorian house she has been squatting in.

These two very divergent story arcs eventually intersect in a very intriguing manner. Hester again makes a knee-jerk decision that could have long term implications for her relationship with Morgan. She also finds herself smack dab in the middle of a murder investigation. Will the information she uncovers help the authorities solve the strange occurrences on Finisterre Island? Will Hester's unexpected, dangerous adventure help heal her emotional wounds?

The Missing Ones is a riveting mystery which features a topical storyline and deeply flawed characters. Hester is a sympathetic and likable, albeit sometimes frustrating, lead protagonist. The situation on Finisterre Island is quite intriguing and the identity of the murder victim is quite shocking. With several stunning revelations, Edwin Hill brings this twist-filled mystery to a shocking, yet mostly satisfying, conclusion. Old and new fans are sure to love this clever addition to the Hester Thursby Mystery series.
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Many thanks to NetGalley, Kensington Books and Edwin Hill for an ARC in exchange for an honest book review of The Missing Ones. My thoughts and opinions are 100% my own and independent of receiving an advance copy.

I was so fortunate to have been sent not one but two books from Kensington. I was sent Edwin Hill’s first book in the series “Little Comfort” and the latest one “The Missing Ones” which I was very interested in reading. Sent hard copies at that - actual books I can hold in my hands - yippee!!! I was very excited to read both of them but decided to read “The Missing Ones” first since that was the one I was originally interested in.

I can tell you that this works as a standalone. There is history but nothing that detracts from the story being told. We find the main character, Hester Thursby, has been taking care of her best friend’s four year old daughter Kate for the past year. Daphne, the mother, left a note saying she would be gone for an hour and never came back. Hester is also in a relationship with Kate’s twin brother, Morgan. Meanwhile, on Finisterre Island, island life is a challenge. The tourists come and go but the islanders never escape. There are real problems now. Drugs have invaded the island and are turning the locals into junkies. Children also seem to go missing and then mysteriously turn up days later none the worse for wear. Hester gets a note saying that Kate is on the island and in trouble. Please come and get her right away.

When I first started reading, I found that there were a lot of characters in this story. You have the story with Hester, Morgan, the girl and the missing Kate. On the island you have Lydia who is married to Trey a cop, Rory her childhood friend who is secretly in love with her and also a cop. There are the drug addicts including Rory’s brother, Annie, Frankie and Seth. There is Vaughn the fisherman who is another islander that grew up with Lydia and Rory. I had enough faith that all the stories would meet up and reveal how they were interconnected. Each group had its own interesting storyline, so I wasn’t in any rush. I was able to keep track of who’s who as sometimes there can be so many people I am constantly referring back to try and remember who they are.

The story was interesting and I had a vested interest in finding out if Daphne would come back for her child. The part I didn’t understand was the mystery with the children. Since it is the title of the book I was expecting that it would have held more interest. It was a little confusing. I was interested enough to want to go back and find out what happened to Hester in the first book. There was some trauma there and I liked the characters enough I will read “Little Comfort” next. ( )