Both of You

by Adele Parks

[Quirky Cat]

Woman Last Seen is the latest novel written by Adele Parks, a thriller author I generally really enjoy. Truth be told, I expected Woman Last Seen to come up in the latest BOTM round of choices. Guess I was wrong on that front!

Two women disappear without warning. Did they leave of their own volition, or were they taken? That is up to Detective Clements to uncover. The first woman, Leigh Fletcher, was supposedly happily married and a good stepmother. The second, Kai Janssen, married a man and then disappeared in the same week.

Neither woman appear to have left much evidence behind, though both husbands are grieving at the loss. They have no idea where the women went and can't understand what has happened. Are they connected? Or is it a horrible coincidence?

“I think that’s the hardest lesson I have had to learn as a parent; no matter how much I try, I am not able to guarantee my sons’ happiness and success.”

Woman Last Seen is another solid thriller/mystery novel by Adele Parks. I wouldn't go so far as to say it was my favorite – but it was enjoyable. It has a lot of classic thriller vibes and tropes, which can be fun.

Naturally, the most significant plot of Woman Last Seen revolves around the two women who disappeared without a trace. If you love sleuthing your way through a missing-person novel, then this is arguably going to be an enjoyable experience for you.

I'll admit that the first third of this book (give or take) is a bit on the slow side. Thankfully, when things do pick up, they do so quickly. The transition is borderline jarring, but it wasn't off-putting. And it came just in time to make readers become reinvested in the story.

Woman Last Seen was a dark, gripping, and easily binged book. Sometimes those are the best types of thrillers, at least as far as I am concerned.

Thanks to MIRA and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks