Missing: My life finding the lost and delivering justice for the living

by Charlie Hedges

350,000: the number of missing person reports opened in the UK every year. But how do we find the missing?Charlie Hedges is a pioneer in the field of missing persons over a career spanning nearly four decades. During his work in the police force, then at the Missing Persons Bureau and the Child Exploitation and Online Protection centre, Charlie has been involved in some of the most high-profile cases of recent years.From abductions and trafficking to accidents and the vulnerable, Charlie has seen into the dark shadows of life. Given that so many people are reported missing daily, and how easy it is to make mistakes in missing persons cases, Charlie has dedicated his life and career to developing guidelines to help not just the police, but the families and loved ones left behind. In his first book, Charlie tells us his unique story of finding those who desperately need to be found, and the people who will never leave him.

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime, Crime, Memoir, History

294 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 9, 2024

Reviews

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hedges has spent 40 years helping in missing persons cases, first as a police officer and then as a private consultant. This is his story; he discusses his life, career trajectory and some of the cases he's worked on. An interesting tale.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlie Hedges’ Missing is a gripping and heartfelt memoir that delivers a rare and honest glimpse into the psychological and emotional complexities of police work—particularly the often unseen world of missing persons investigations. Hedges, a seasoned UK police officer, brings readers along on a journey that is equal parts personal reflection and professional insight, revealing the toll this specialized work takes on both the investigator and the families left behind.

What sets Missing apart is its blend of raw storytelling and practical expertise. Hedges doesn’t just recount cases—he humanises them, giving voice to the vulnerable and often overlooked individuals who disappear. His compassion and dedication to finding answers, even in the darkest of circumstances, shine through each chapter. The writing is straightforward but emotionally resonant, reflecting a man who has seen both tragedy and resilience up close.

The memoir also offers a unique look at how the system works (and sometimes fails) when it comes to missing persons. Hedges is critical but constructive, pointing out flaws without losing faith in the importance of the work. His reflections on trauma, bureaucracy, and the long-term psychological impact on investigators add a valuable dimension to the narrative.

The reason this is not a five-star review is mainly due to some pacing issues and occasional repetition that slightly slow the momentum. At times, the book leans more toward professional case study than memoir, which may affect readers looking for a more cohesive personal narrative.

Still, Missing is a powerful, empathetic, and thought-provoking read that gives a voice to those who vanish—and to those who never stop searching for them. It’s a must-read for anyone interested in true crime, policing, or the human stories behind the headlines.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting account of a police offers quest to find the missing and bring closure to their loved ones. I enjoyed learning about the processes that take place when someone goes missing, and the author describes how such an event is often a symptom of something else, whether that be mental health or third party involvement. There are many books out there of this genre and very few that focus on this area of policing, so that was a welcome change.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by the author and found it quite dry at times, however I appreciate this is entirely subjective to the reader/listener. Additionally, some of the chapters were very long in comparison to others. Better editing would have resulted in a higher rating from me.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful account of a life well lived with purpose and belief. Accounts of personal life and career are main content however there are questions raised that the reader should answer themselves. What would you have done? Could you make a difference in your area of work and how? In an ever changing world how do we keep up with protecting ourselves and loved ones? Some very important subjects covered from a very personal perspective as well, which is good to see but must have been sad for the author to write. I really enjoyed this book, it felt like I was sitting with the author in my local and he was telling me his story.

[Catherine Bull · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read following the author’s lifelong experience in this field of work. I was hoping for a lot of true life examples of the missing and in some cases the found, but this is not the emphasis of the book so
I was disappointed. However for those working in this line of work his knowledge is invaluable and he proves how lessons can be learned and good practice can be shared around the world. It was well written though I did get lost with all the acronyms.

[Charlie B · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read it to the end and it was fine - a quick read.
It is not a book of detail, neither does it give the reader much insight into the missing. It is mostly about the author looking back at his career, how he felt at the time of the cases he was working on. It felt as a reader that after all the years of dedication to the author's profession, he felt compelled to write about it, thereby giving himself a sense of value, as so often happens in retirement, many feel forgotten.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating read documenting Charlie's career as a police officer and also later with his own company and his work surrounding missing people.

I really enjoyed this read, I love a biography and anything with real stories so this was perfect for me. Exactly how a book should read on this subject matter. Very well written, very sensitively done and respect for people's privacy also.

Such an interesting read, and very informative.

[Clair Davis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Missing: My life finding the lost and delivering justice for the living,

DNF 40%

A bit disappointing really, it started very well and I found myself gripped but it soon dropped off; wanted it to be more detailed with only one to two cases instead of the loads he mentioned, sometimes less is more!

[Sandra Leivesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book interesting but would have liked more case histories, and more details about the cases which were included. There is no doubt that Charlie Hedges is a remarkable man who has done so much to improve the way missing person cases are investigated.

The author did a reasonable job narrating his own book, but I would have preferred a professional narrator.

[June Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Earlier part of the book was interesting as much of it based locally. Obviously it's autobiographical, but I started to get bored with 'I did this, I achieved that, we were married by the same registrar as Charles and Camilla' and stopped at p 218.

[Maggie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Quite boring disappointed

[Clive Rutland · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit disappointing really. The book started off well enough but then became a bit too self congratulatory with not enough cases described. However full of admiration for the author.

[Jamad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting reading

[sams_littlebooknook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abit different for me. Following the career of Charlie Hedges and how you go about finding a missing person. What goes into looking for them. It was extremely insightful and moving in some places.

[Ruby Pepper · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn’t get into this book at all - didn’t care at all for the author or the way it’s written boring and dull.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love these type of books and found it so fascinating to see the career moves Charlie made. Also wild to hear aspects of my work kind of mentioned!

[Paige Merricks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good account of missing people's cases and how they're handled in the UK - would benefit from more case details

[Harriette · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s an interesting read if you know who Charlie Hedges is and for people who are interested in missing persons cases.

[rachel ann Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read from one of the main men who shaped and changed the way we deal with the missing .. really good read .

[Elliott Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting deep dive into a career looking for missing people. This book was honest and open about the faults in policing and the authors own mistakes, as well as being a very educational read.

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlie the finder of lost souls.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars ⭐️

I enjoyed it to begin with but then I found it quite repetitive and very policy heavy and I started to lose interest towards the end

[Roberta Enright · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing look at how the missing persons process in the UK works and was developed, with powerful anecdotes.

[Shannon Bavister · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thoughts: A break from fiction with this very informative and saddening non-fiction read. In ‘Missing’ we work through the recollection of Charlie’s career and the positive and negatives he experienced from a case to case basis and the way that policing responds to missing victims.

I currently work for Children’s Services and I found this book really relatable and relevant to some of the cases that I come across on a daily basis - for me I’m always interested to know why our young people have gone missing, what was the trigger? Could more have been done to prevent this? Will it happen again?

Charlie’s life is nothing short of action packed and his dedication to helping and being the voice of those were/are missing is incredibly inspiring.

So many stories, not all with happy endings unfortunately, but it really highlights how important this issue is and how much we need to improve the systems in place and continue achieving best outcomes for the men, women and children who go missing.