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Missing You: Australia's Most Mysterious Unsolved Missing Persons Cases
Every 15 minutes someone in Australia goes missing. Some of these people want to disappear; other times they meet with misadventure or murder.
Missing You features some of Australia’s most disturbing missing persons cases and invites you to play armchair detective. With rare, privileged access to police around the country, and in moving interviews with the families of missing people, Missing You tells the intimate stories of Australia’s Missing, revealing clues that police hope will ultimately bring them home.
In an insightful, mysterious, and often emotional journey, Missing You features more than 20 of this country’s most baffling cases, as well as stories of unidentified remains, abductions and suspected homicides.
Here you’ll find the true, in-depth stories behind this country’s most worrying disappearances, with fresh insights into recent and historic cases. Missing You promises to be an investigative tool and a page-turning bestseller.
Missing You features some of Australia’s most disturbing missing persons cases and invites you to play armchair detective. With rare, privileged access to police around the country, and in moving interviews with the families of missing people, Missing You tells the intimate stories of Australia’s Missing, revealing clues that police hope will ultimately bring them home.
In an insightful, mysterious, and often emotional journey, Missing You features more than 20 of this country’s most baffling cases, as well as stories of unidentified remains, abductions and suspected homicides.
Here you’ll find the true, in-depth stories behind this country’s most worrying disappearances, with fresh insights into recent and historic cases. Missing You promises to be an investigative tool and a page-turning bestseller.
257 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2012
11 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
About the author
Justine Ford
7 books15 followersJustine Ford is a TV producer and journalist with a background in news and current affairs. She was a presenter on the top-rating crime series, Australia’s Most Wanted, and her producing credits include the hit shows Missing Persons Unit, Border Security¸ RPA and Random Acts of Kindness. She has also worked as a radio producer / presenter and as a magazine features’ writer.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 1, 2013
I thought this book was a very interesting and fascinating read.
Some of the cases in this book I remember and followed them in the news such as the street abduction of teenager
Siriyakorn 'Bung' Siriboon and the disappearance of Daniel Morcombe.
It's extraordinary to think that every fifteen minutes someone in Australia goes missing. It is such a hard time for all the
people involved in these cases especially the friends and family. Some people of course are found but not always found alive and then there are the cases that are still unsolved. So many people still needing closure.
This is a very well written book which I found easy to read and also at times quite sad.
I highly recommend it.
Some of the cases in this book I remember and followed them in the news such as the street abduction of teenager
Siriyakorn 'Bung' Siriboon and the disappearance of Daniel Morcombe.
It's extraordinary to think that every fifteen minutes someone in Australia goes missing. It is such a hard time for all the
people involved in these cases especially the friends and family. Some people of course are found but not always found alive and then there are the cases that are still unsolved. So many people still needing closure.
This is a very well written book which I found easy to read and also at times quite sad.
I highly recommend it.
August 16, 2013
“Don’t wait to report people missing,’ David Butler says in an important aside. ‘Do not accept being told at the watch-house desk that you should wait for twenty-four hours. That is wrong. Ask for the supervisor.’” – Missing You
Harrowing snapshots of twenty-five of Australia’s missing person cases. Some well known, some not. Some solved, some still open cases.
If nothing else, I hope this books helps raise awareness, especially of the unsolved cases. Even if it triggers only one person to remember something, it will have done its job.
Harrowing snapshots of twenty-five of Australia’s missing person cases. Some well known, some not. Some solved, some still open cases.
If nothing else, I hope this books helps raise awareness, especially of the unsolved cases. Even if it triggers only one person to remember something, it will have done its job.
February 5, 2016
Although a very interesting and easy to read book, Missing You is also a very sad collection of stories focusing on missing people in Australia. I'm not sure of the exact statistic, but a lot more people go missing in this country than you hear about in the media. Fortunately most of them do turn up, but for the small percentage that don't, the result is unimaginable heartbreak for the family and friends left behind.
Justine Ford has selected a handful of particularly perplexing cases - both recent and some dating back several decades. While we may all have heard of the missing Beaumont children, few of us are probably aware of the three year old girl named Linda who was snatched from a beach in Wollongong in 1970 and was never seen again. It is obvious that her family are still grieving for their lost daughter/sibling despite the passage of time. And in telling stories like these you come to understand that the not knowing is the very worst agony. As horrific as a death is, at least you know and can grieve. When somebody goes missing without a trace all you can do is wonder and hope (however futile it may seem).
Another thing this book does is highlight several cases where a body has been found but no identification made. Some of these bodies stay in morgues for years, waiting for somebody to claim them and arrange burial. I was surprised to read of such a case in my area - an unidentified body found in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast several years ago. This man remains unidentified, despite a huge effort in trying to trace his identity. It is hard to fathom in this current age of information and technology that people can disappear without anybody reporting them missing. It is also very sad.
The author also explains the ongoing efforts made by police to solve cases that have faded into the background, applying new technology to try and find some answers. Often police officers go well above and beyond the call of duty to try and bring closure to devastated family and friends. Ultimately though true breakthroughs are few and far between.
In writing this book Justine Ford has shone a spotlight on just a few of the thousands of missing persons cases still outstanding and reminded us as readers that the heartbreak that surrounds such cases lives on long after the media spotlight has faded.
Justine Ford has selected a handful of particularly perplexing cases - both recent and some dating back several decades. While we may all have heard of the missing Beaumont children, few of us are probably aware of the three year old girl named Linda who was snatched from a beach in Wollongong in 1970 and was never seen again. It is obvious that her family are still grieving for their lost daughter/sibling despite the passage of time. And in telling stories like these you come to understand that the not knowing is the very worst agony. As horrific as a death is, at least you know and can grieve. When somebody goes missing without a trace all you can do is wonder and hope (however futile it may seem).
Another thing this book does is highlight several cases where a body has been found but no identification made. Some of these bodies stay in morgues for years, waiting for somebody to claim them and arrange burial. I was surprised to read of such a case in my area - an unidentified body found in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast several years ago. This man remains unidentified, despite a huge effort in trying to trace his identity. It is hard to fathom in this current age of information and technology that people can disappear without anybody reporting them missing. It is also very sad.
The author also explains the ongoing efforts made by police to solve cases that have faded into the background, applying new technology to try and find some answers. Often police officers go well above and beyond the call of duty to try and bring closure to devastated family and friends. Ultimately though true breakthroughs are few and far between.
In writing this book Justine Ford has shone a spotlight on just a few of the thousands of missing persons cases still outstanding and reminded us as readers that the heartbreak that surrounds such cases lives on long after the media spotlight has faded.
October 7, 2016
Interesting book on missing persons cases in Australia.
Almost all the cases were abductions, and I was familiar with a few of them, since they'd happened since I came to Australia.
Well written and interesting.
Highly recommended.
Almost all the cases were abductions, and I was familiar with a few of them, since they'd happened since I came to Australia.
Well written and interesting.
Highly recommended.
August 17, 2013
A brilliant idea for a book! The author is to be commended for handling with delicacy such a sensitive and emotional topic. I hope that some of these missing person cases are progressed and solved, and that the general public understand how important each little piece of information is.
September 14, 2013
Although high profile missing persons cases may capture public attention to begin with, inevitably over time we forget as we get on with our own lives. Yet for those who are left behind when a loved one simply disappears, life is never the same again. Although they may realistically accept that the missing person is probably dead, there is always a small morsel of hope that they may reappear again some day.
Justine Ford has profiled several missing persons cases in her book Missing You. Some are high profile and others are not - but what every case has in common is unanswered questions and a lot of pain and suffering. On the flip side, she also profiles a few cases where bodies have been found but no identification made. Although it seems implausible that a person can disappear and have nobody miss them, it does happen. Often these bodies remain in morgues for years, as they cannot be buried with identification. I had no idea that happened and it was a sobering and very sad thought.
Missing You also highlights the work done by detectives at several "Cold Case" squads in various states. Given the advances in technology, police can apply new tests to old evidence and sometimes make a breakthrough. Although this does not happen often, it is good to know that efforts are still made to solve the missing persons mysteries, no matter how old the case.
Justine Ford has profiled several missing persons cases in her book Missing You. Some are high profile and others are not - but what every case has in common is unanswered questions and a lot of pain and suffering. On the flip side, she also profiles a few cases where bodies have been found but no identification made. Although it seems implausible that a person can disappear and have nobody miss them, it does happen. Often these bodies remain in morgues for years, as they cannot be buried with identification. I had no idea that happened and it was a sobering and very sad thought.
Missing You also highlights the work done by detectives at several "Cold Case" squads in various states. Given the advances in technology, police can apply new tests to old evidence and sometimes make a breakthrough. Although this does not happen often, it is good to know that efforts are still made to solve the missing persons mysteries, no matter how old the case.
December 6, 2012
Real life is often stranger and scarier than fiction, and none more so than when a loved one goes missing. Justine's fine and spare prose lets these unsolved cases do the talking. The forensic and police detail in each case is tribute to Justine's background as a reporter on TV's "Australia's Most Wanted".
While some might find a book such as this too macabre for their sensibilities, it is an important piece of work for shedding light on a issue that devastates both family and community. "Missing You" gives a chance for the grieving families to speak, while highlighting the amount of police work involved in each case.
The cases are terribly sad but it would be too easy to shrug our shoulders: "What can I do to help?" We can only hope that a book like "Missing You" can go some way to raise awareness and help prevent such tragedies.
Congratulations must go to Justine in writing about a most difficult topic with clarity and sensitivity.
While some might find a book such as this too macabre for their sensibilities, it is an important piece of work for shedding light on a issue that devastates both family and community. "Missing You" gives a chance for the grieving families to speak, while highlighting the amount of police work involved in each case.
The cases are terribly sad but it would be too easy to shrug our shoulders: "What can I do to help?" We can only hope that a book like "Missing You" can go some way to raise awareness and help prevent such tragedies.
Congratulations must go to Justine in writing about a most difficult topic with clarity and sensitivity.
March 23, 2015
I don't usually read these true life stories but I really enjoyed this book. There was just enough written in each story to keep you engaged but without getting to heavy. It makes you realise how trivial our problems are in our lives when other are still suffering after all these years not knowing where their lived ones are. Recommend this book for a interesting easy to read set of short stories.
January 22, 2016
An easy, interesting read but, ultimately, deeply unsatisfying. I read a lot of crime (fiction as well as non-fiction) and I like my mysteries solved. These cases were sad and intriguing but I was left unsatisfied because they weren't solved. A bit like true life, I suppose.
August 18, 2012
This book was fantastic, it had stuff i had heard of , not heard of . true crime stories of missing people.
September 17, 2015
Interesting...but wouldnt the Beaumont children be one of Australis MOST mysterious cases yet its not in here?
July 9, 2018
Absolutely love, love, loved this book! Definitely have not read anything like it before! Every chapter has a different story and leaves you hanging wanting to know more!
June 16, 2024
Features some of Australia's most disturbing missing persons cases and invites you to play the armchair detective.
With rare, privileged access to police around the country, and in moving interviews with the families of missing people
With rare, privileged access to police around the country, and in moving interviews with the families of missing people
July 11, 2015
Missing You by author and journalist Justine Ford, closely examines the cases of over 20 missing people in Australia. The collection of cases, some solved, others unsolved, are taken from right across the country, from a variety of age ranges and contrasting class backgrounds. Ford provides a voice for the vanished in a manner that is extremely sensitive to the victims and the families involved. Missing You is also highly engaging, I felt like an active participant in these cases. I often found myself theorising about what might have happened to these unfortunate people using the in depth factual information Ford provides. Ford carefully balances the police factual information with the voices of the loved ones involved in these heartbreaking cases, which adds a personalised touch to these very sad stories. This book is definitely worth reading if you are a fan of true crime in Australia.
July 7, 2022
Excellent capture of missing people and discoveries of deceased who remain unknown - sad but true
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews