Last Seen: An absolutely gripping missing child crime thriller (Detective Bernadette Noel, #1)

by Joy Kluver

I can see her, shouting with laughter as she swings as high as she can, her beautiful blonde curls flying out behind her. I can feel her tiny hot hand in mine, and my heart aches. My little girl. If only I’d listened to my gut. Then maybe she’d be safe here with me…

When five-year-old Molly Reynolds is snatched from the park in the small village of Otterfield, Detective Bernadette ‘Bernie’ Noel throws herself into the search, sick with worry for the quiet, sensitive little girl and her distraught mother.

Wasting no time, Bernie finds a small green cardigan under a bush in the park. It still has the smiley face sticker Molly won that week at school. It’s the first in a chain of clues – and Bernie can’t shake the feeling that it was left deliberately, as a message.

But Bernie encounters a wall of silence. Otterfield is a close-knit community, yet no one in the village seems to care that Molly is missing at all. Why?

And then Bernie makes a chilling discovery: twenty-five years ago, another little girl went missing from the area. Her name was Sophie, and all they ever found of her was her teddy bear, hidden under a bush. Now Bernie knows she’s in a race against time to save Molly’s life.

Bernie’s team work round the clock to find a connection between the two girls, and just when they think they’re making progress a devastating tragedy strikes at the heart of the case. Molly’s family have been hiding a secret, and now their little girl is in greater danger than ever.

Can Bernie outwit the most warped criminal she has ever faced and bring Molly home safe, or will another innocent life be lost?

A completely addictive crime thriller with mind-blowing twists that will have you reading late into the night. If you like Val McDermid, D.S. Butler or Angela Marsons, you’ll love Joy Kluver.

• ASIN: B08T6DNKTF
• Publish Date: 26 March 2021
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Bookouture
• Format: eBook (Kindle)
• Pages: 344
• Language: English

Reviews

[Emma (SCR)]

This review was originally posted on Star Crossed Reviews I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Bookouture for my copy of this book via Netgalley and for letting me take part in this tour. I have been looking forward to reading this one for a little while.

This book is the first in a new series and is Joy's debut book! Bernadette Noel is a newly promoted DI and has caught quite the case! We got some good hints at Bernadette's past but I am very eager for more. I can't wait to see more of what happened to Bernadette in London. I also can't wait to see what happens to her in the future too. She is a strong character. She is very good at her job and is extremely determined.

I loved Kerry and Matt. I think they are such a good support to Bernie. There were also quite a few characters that I wasn't sure about and I look forward to seeing what happens with them in future books. Bernie moved to start over and keep a low profile I'm concerned for Bernie's welfare now that her location can be easily be found. She was on national TV which is not exactly low profile.

The case was quite a tricky one. A missing 5-year-old is always a high profile and high-pressure case. When you throw in a village that doesn't want to help it just became almost impossible for Bernie and the team. The book was well-paced and well written.

Joy had me hooked from the prologue and there's just enough of a tease to keep you reading chapter after chapter. I read this book mainly in 2 long stints. I just couldn't break away.

I am shocked that this was Joy's debut book and I can't wait for what I know will be an excellent series. Joy is a very promising writer who I think will go from strength to strength.