This is the second book in a series that follows Woman Last Seen. Like I say below, it’s pretty important to read these books in order if you are planning to read them, because the big twist in Woman Last Seen will be completely spoiled by this book. If you want to know in general what happens in that book or to refresh your memory, check out my Goodreads review of Woman Last Seen. There are spoilers at the bottom. Be forewarned, if you don’t want that book spoiled, don’t read my review for this book.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links, see disclosures for more detail.
About the Book:
Lost. Missing. Murdered? How do you find a woman who didn’t exist?
It’s a case that has gripped a nation: A woman with a shocking secret is missing, presumed dead. And her two husbands are suspects in her murder.
DCI Clements knows the dark side of human nature and that love can make people do treacherous things. You can’t presume anything when it comes to crimes of the heart. Until a body is found, this scandalous and sad case remains wide open.
Stacie Jones lives a quiet life in a small village, nursed by her father as she recovers from illness, and shielded from any news of the outside world. But their reclusive life is about to be shattered.
How are these families linked, and can any of them ever rebuild their lives in the wake of tragedy?
My Review:
I gave this book 3 stars
Not sure this book was completely necessary, but it does give closure from Woman Last Seen.
I think you should definitely read that book first. I actually did a quick re-read to refresh myself about the events from that book, but this one does give a decent reminder, but it’s also a complete spoiler for Woman Last Seen, so read it first. This review is going to assume you’ve read it.
This installment follows two storylines. One is of Stacie Jones, living with her father after brain surgery from cancer. She doesn’t have much memory of her past. The other is of the families involved with the disappearance of Kylie Gillingham. Mark and the boys have Fiona living with them, and Seb does not accept the fact that his mum is dead, he believes she is still alive. Fiona knows she’s dead because Fiona killed her. Daan Janssen, Kylie’s other husband, is awaiting his trial for her murder and is trying to prove his innocence. How do these storylines intersect?
I called how this was playing out from the beginning. The book was a bit longer than necessary with the setup, but once the cat-and-mouse game got going it was exciting, especially in the end. There were quite a few things that were majorly over the top, but overall, the story progressed and concluded well and had a satisfying ending this time. The author’s note did indicate that many people, even in the author’s own family, were unhappy with the open ending of the last book and wanted closure, so they will be content now with this book.
About the Author:
Adele Parks was born in North Yorkshire. She is the author of twenty-one bestselling novels. Over four million UK copies of her work have been sold, and her books have been translated into thirty-one different languages. Adele’s recent Sunday Times number one bestsellers Lies, Lies, Lies and Just My Luck were short-listed for the British Book Awards and have been optioned for development for TV. She is an ambassador of the National Literacy Trust and The Reading Agency, two charities that promote literacy in the UK. She is a judge for the Costa Book Awards. Adele has lived in Botswana, Italy and London and is now settled in Guildford, Surrey. In 2022 she was awarded an MBE for services to literature.
Social Links:
Author Website: https://www.adeleparks.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialAdeleParks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/adeleparks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adele_parks/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/45427.Adele_Parks
