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David Raker #13
The Missing Family
One family...
On a beautiful summer's day, at a remote lake in the middle of Dartmoor, three members of the Fowler family take a dinghy out onto the water, leaving mother Sarah at the shore.
Less than sixty seconds later, she checks to see where they are.
The boat is drifting in the middle of the lake. It's empty.
Sarah's family have completely vanished.
One killer...
At the Skyline Casino in London, the security team have just made a headline-grabbing they've spotted and detained a man suspected of murdering a high roller.
After locking him in one of their holding cells, the team station themselves outside and wait for the police. But when the cops arrive, they find something impossible.
The killer is no longer inside the cell.
Two detectives...
David Raker is an expert at solving missing persons puzzles - but these mysteries are unlike anything he's ever seen.
As he digs into the Fowler's, his long-time ally - ex-detective, Colm Healy - tries to get to the bottom of what happened at the casino.
But the men are in danger. Because, buried in the shadows of both cases, is a deadly secret that was never meant to come out...
On a beautiful summer's day, at a remote lake in the middle of Dartmoor, three members of the Fowler family take a dinghy out onto the water, leaving mother Sarah at the shore.
Less than sixty seconds later, she checks to see where they are.
The boat is drifting in the middle of the lake. It's empty.
Sarah's family have completely vanished.
One killer...
At the Skyline Casino in London, the security team have just made a headline-grabbing they've spotted and detained a man suspected of murdering a high roller.
After locking him in one of their holding cells, the team station themselves outside and wait for the police. But when the cops arrive, they find something impossible.
The killer is no longer inside the cell.
Two detectives...
David Raker is an expert at solving missing persons puzzles - but these mysteries are unlike anything he's ever seen.
As he digs into the Fowler's, his long-time ally - ex-detective, Colm Healy - tries to get to the bottom of what happened at the casino.
But the men are in danger. Because, buried in the shadows of both cases, is a deadly secret that was never meant to come out...
496 pages, Hardcover
First published July 4, 2024
647 people are currently reading
1904 people want to read
About the author
Tim Weaver
56 books1,602 followersTim Weaver is the Sunday Times Top 3 bestselling author of the David Raker missing persons series, the standalone thriller, Missing Pieces, and the novella collection, The Shadow at the Door. His novels have been selected for the Richard and Judy Book Club four times, and his work has been nominated for a National Book Award and the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger. He is currently developing an original TV drama with the team behind Line of Duty. He lives near Bath in the UK. Find out more about Tim and his writing at www.timweaverbooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 309 reviews
May 31, 2024
*4.5 stars*
I doubt you’ll want to put this book down until you find out exactly what happened to ‘The Missing Family’.
Author Tim Weaver has such a talent for placing ordinary people in EXTRAordinary situations.
It’s a lovely September day at a secluded lake in Dartmoor, Devon, and the Fowler family are making the most of it. Husband Marc, stepson Kyle and Kyle’s girlfriend Clara decide to take a boat out on the lake, leaving Marc’s wife Sarah and toddler Mabel behind on the shore. Sixty seconds later the boat is empty - there’s no one on it. Three people can’t possibly disappear so quickly without Sarah seeing what happened to them, surely? But Sarah’s watch proves that they did indeed disappear in a ridiculously short amount of time! Months later the police investigation is going nowhere, so distraught Sarah employs missing persons investigator David Raker to discover what really happened on that lovely summer’s day.
Meanwhile, At the Skyline Casino in London, the security team have just made an arrest: they've spotted and detained a man suspected of murdering a high roller. After locking him in one of their super secure holding cells, the team station themselves outside and wait for the police to arrive. But when the cops arrive, they find something impossible. The killer is no longer inside the cell!
I won’t go into any more detail, but I will say that this is a complex, twisty, multi layered tale that will require your full attention. However, you will be richly rewarded with a compelling storyline that had this reader swiftly turning the pages, keen to find out what was going to happen next. Highly recommended.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for my ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
I doubt you’ll want to put this book down until you find out exactly what happened to ‘The Missing Family’.
Author Tim Weaver has such a talent for placing ordinary people in EXTRAordinary situations.
It’s a lovely September day at a secluded lake in Dartmoor, Devon, and the Fowler family are making the most of it. Husband Marc, stepson Kyle and Kyle’s girlfriend Clara decide to take a boat out on the lake, leaving Marc’s wife Sarah and toddler Mabel behind on the shore. Sixty seconds later the boat is empty - there’s no one on it. Three people can’t possibly disappear so quickly without Sarah seeing what happened to them, surely? But Sarah’s watch proves that they did indeed disappear in a ridiculously short amount of time! Months later the police investigation is going nowhere, so distraught Sarah employs missing persons investigator David Raker to discover what really happened on that lovely summer’s day.
Meanwhile, At the Skyline Casino in London, the security team have just made an arrest: they've spotted and detained a man suspected of murdering a high roller. After locking him in one of their super secure holding cells, the team station themselves outside and wait for the police to arrive. But when the cops arrive, they find something impossible. The killer is no longer inside the cell!
I won’t go into any more detail, but I will say that this is a complex, twisty, multi layered tale that will require your full attention. However, you will be richly rewarded with a compelling storyline that had this reader swiftly turning the pages, keen to find out what was going to happen next. Highly recommended.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for my ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
August 15, 2024
Call me a big of Tim Weaver books, I’ve read four previously, The Missing Family is my fifth novel, and I can tell you there’s no stopping me, reading more of Tim Weaver’s novels. Can you imagine locking a killer up in a holding cell, until police arrive, with unlocking the holding cell to find the killer has completely vanished? After Ramis serving twenty five years in the Met, he is now a well respected member of security at Skyline Casino. He knows the basement well. Ramis his colleague Linkers, had recognised a suspect that had returned to play blackjack at the Skyline casino. Ramis who wasn’t on the shift ordered Linkers to lock the suspect up in the basement. Thames Valley Police are at the casino to take away the suspect. When Ramis unlocks the holding cell, Ramis is dumbstruck, to find the cell empty. The killer has vanished. On a warm September day, in the peaks of Dartmoor, the five members of Fowler family, Marc, Kyle, Clara, Sarah and two year old Mable are going to have a nice row out in a dinghy, as it’s doesn’t have a motor. While Clara, Marc and Kyle take a sail out in lake, Sarah and two year Mable will sit and wait for them to come back. Unfortunately Sarah falls asleep, luckily Mabel didn’t come to any danger, but when she looks out into the lake the dinghy is empty. Her husband, her son, and his girlfriend were gone. Now the question wasn’t only how. It was why? Devon and Cornwall police were called at the scene. But are they convinced of what she saw? I must admit it does look and sound a bit strange, how they all just completely vanished. Tim Weaver Will keep his readers utterly glued to piece together these mysteries.
September 10, 2024
A family of three mysteriously disappear whilst taking a dinghy out on a small remote lake in the middle of Dartmoor. A year previously, a billionaire is murdered in a London casino and killer escapes, only to return a week later. After being arrested by hotel security he is locked in a holding cell awaiting the arrival of the police. However, by the time they do arrive, he has managed to escape. A feat both police and security consider impossible.
Is it possible these two totally different cases could be linked? Not only to each other but to a series of brutal murders which happened in California and Nevada over the previous thirty years. That’s the mystery missing persons investigator David Raker and his ally, former Met. Detective Colm Healy need to unravel.
Like previous novels in the series the plot here is quite complex, encompassing several time zones and timelines and with a whole host of unexpected twists and turns. However, it is remarkably easy to follow; probably because the characters and locations are so memorable. It turns out that several central characters are, in reality, nothing like they initially appear to be.
Many series run out of steam even before they reach double figures. This novel however is 15th in a series which, on current evidence, looks as if it still has a long future ahead of it. Nothing less than five stars will suffice.
Is it possible these two totally different cases could be linked? Not only to each other but to a series of brutal murders which happened in California and Nevada over the previous thirty years. That’s the mystery missing persons investigator David Raker and his ally, former Met. Detective Colm Healy need to unravel.
Like previous novels in the series the plot here is quite complex, encompassing several time zones and timelines and with a whole host of unexpected twists and turns. However, it is remarkably easy to follow; probably because the characters and locations are so memorable. It turns out that several central characters are, in reality, nothing like they initially appear to be.
Many series run out of steam even before they reach double figures. This novel however is 15th in a series which, on current evidence, looks as if it still has a long future ahead of it. Nothing less than five stars will suffice.
January 12, 2025
剧感好强啊！！确实5分的serious crime但还真是反转到最后一刻哈。虽然都不算无脑反转，但是感觉可以少一两个[Lol][Lol]
August 2, 2024
3.75 / 5.0
Still recovering from my surgery and thought why not start another book in the same day- I am shocked I finished this so easily but it’s a testament to how well this book was written. Each turn, each page each chapter truly gripped me to my seat enough for me to finish in one book. There’s this fluidity with the plot and it aligns so well, once I started this I didn’t want to stop till I finished this book.
Initially when I saw the blurb or plot I found it very confusing, too many things going on I thought it would reduce the quality of the plot. But surprisingly there’s a link to all of it - when the fowler family take out a dinghy leaving Sarah behind at shore after 60 seconds the dinghy is completely empty. This is followed the capturing of a man suspected of murdering their most prestigious client- they end up locking him in the cell the team are stationed waiting for the police only to return back and find the cell empty.
I’ve not followed the David raker series but I think you can read this as a standalone. I found to easy to follow the plot and have an understanding of the character of Raker. Overall this will definitely be a series I keep my eyes on- not a bad one!
Still recovering from my surgery and thought why not start another book in the same day- I am shocked I finished this so easily but it’s a testament to how well this book was written. Each turn, each page each chapter truly gripped me to my seat enough for me to finish in one book. There’s this fluidity with the plot and it aligns so well, once I started this I didn’t want to stop till I finished this book.
Initially when I saw the blurb or plot I found it very confusing, too many things going on I thought it would reduce the quality of the plot. But surprisingly there’s a link to all of it - when the fowler family take out a dinghy leaving Sarah behind at shore after 60 seconds the dinghy is completely empty. This is followed the capturing of a man suspected of murdering their most prestigious client- they end up locking him in the cell the team are stationed waiting for the police only to return back and find the cell empty.
I’ve not followed the David raker series but I think you can read this as a standalone. I found to easy to follow the plot and have an understanding of the character of Raker. Overall this will definitely be a series I keep my eyes on- not a bad one!
October 8, 2025
“But if those tethers did exist, if they bound us to people in our lives that would eventually matter, and through those relationships we could find endings and perhaps a measure of peace for those who were hurting, I wanted to believe in them.”
David Raker is an expert at solving missing people cases. He is summoned to have a look into the disappearance of three members of the Fowler family, in the middle of a lake in Dartmoor.
At the same time, at the Skyline Casino in London, the security team detained a man suspected of murdering a high roller. When the police come to the cell, the strangest thing happens, the killer is no longer inside the cell.
I absolutely devoured this book. It was written at a very fast pace and I couldn’t stop reading, whilst thinking about all possible theories. There are a lot of stories happening at the same time, and in the end, they will all tie together and wrap the story up.
Although I enjoyed all the stories and it really did come together well, it felt a bit unrealistic. There is no way so many of those events were a pure coincidence and happened like that. And even if the events somehow happened, there is no chance that David Raker is the one involved with all of them at once.
Apart from that, I really have no complaints. The book is part of the David Raker series, in fact, the 13th book in the series. I had no clue it was part of a series, so I can say with absolute certainty that it can be read as standalone and in any order. This is quite often with detective book series. They all feature the same main character, it’s only the story and case that differ. I would warmly recommend this book. It was mysterious, entertaining and had me guessing until the very end.
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March 25, 2024
I was delighted to be approved for this novel from Netgalley. For those not familiar, this is the 13th books in the David Raker series, a missing persons expert. Although I strongly believe that some series should be brought to an end more quickly than they are (e.g., Jack Reacher), I definitely wouldn't say that about the Raker series. There is definitely more in the tank for this series.
What I enjoy most about this series is the development of the characters, both Raker and Colm Healy. Unlike other series, Raker and Healy have both developed fully over the course of these books. Whilst it would be difficult to go back and read the previous 12 books, you will definitely lose out in the nuances of the story and characters without the background. Not to the extent that you couldn't enjoy this book but you will not have the fully immersive experience.
In this novel, a family are enjoying a day on the beach. Later on, when the family is alone, Marc, his son Kyle and Kyle's girlfriend take a row boat out to see leaving Marc's wife and daughter on the beach. Looking away for only a minute, Marc's wife looks back and the boot is empty and the three of them are nowhere to be seen.
Separately, Raker receives a call from Melanie Craw, an ex-police officer who is now working security in casinos. After taking a potential murderer into custody within the casino security system, the Police arrived to find his cell completely empty and the murderer vanished into the air. Can Raker find out what happened to him? And are the two cases actually connected?
This one, like most others, is complicated. There are a number of narratives from the past and present all coming together. Anyone familiar with the series will understand, anyone not will soon be scratching their head (but in an enjoyable way). Like most missing person stories, to say much more would be giving away some plot twists but suffice to say Weaver delivers again.
Thanks to Netgalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House | Michael Joseph for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
What I enjoy most about this series is the development of the characters, both Raker and Colm Healy. Unlike other series, Raker and Healy have both developed fully over the course of these books. Whilst it would be difficult to go back and read the previous 12 books, you will definitely lose out in the nuances of the story and characters without the background. Not to the extent that you couldn't enjoy this book but you will not have the fully immersive experience.
In this novel, a family are enjoying a day on the beach. Later on, when the family is alone, Marc, his son Kyle and Kyle's girlfriend take a row boat out to see leaving Marc's wife and daughter on the beach. Looking away for only a minute, Marc's wife looks back and the boot is empty and the three of them are nowhere to be seen.
Separately, Raker receives a call from Melanie Craw, an ex-police officer who is now working security in casinos. After taking a potential murderer into custody within the casino security system, the Police arrived to find his cell completely empty and the murderer vanished into the air. Can Raker find out what happened to him? And are the two cases actually connected?
This one, like most others, is complicated. There are a number of narratives from the past and present all coming together. Anyone familiar with the series will understand, anyone not will soon be scratching their head (but in an enjoyable way). Like most missing person stories, to say much more would be giving away some plot twists but suffice to say Weaver delivers again.
Thanks to Netgalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House | Michael Joseph for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
August 14, 2024
This is the 13th book in the David Raker series and I have only read one other. This one works so well as a standalone thriller and is intense and complex, but it flows so well that it is not confusing during the reading.
Raker has been asked to investigate a case that sees a father, son and son's girlfriend have gone missing. Sarah is wife and mother and only dropped off to sleep for a moment and when she suddenly woke she discovered her family missing from the kayak they were in on a lake in Dartmoor National Park. The police have not really learned anything and Sarah is now wanting to see if there is anything that has been missed. Hence the reason for hiring Raker.
While Raker is working on this case, he gets a call from a security advisor at a casino complex. A man they had detained has gone missing from secure cells and they don't know how. Raker has a reputation for looking into cases such as this but while he cannot investigate directly he has decided to call on ex-police officer Healy to help.
Having two cases is one thing but then there is another case, or series of cases that are also included in this story. The deaths of people over several years in the US, there is a tenuous link as one of the casinos where one of the people disappeared is also owned by the same people as the one in London. What, if and how these cases may be connected is unknown but my goodness the author does weave a wonderful plot throughout this story.
as I mentioned this is a complex case, but not while I was reading the story. The author managed to keep his storylines clear and not showing any links until much later on. The synopsis hints at there being secrets, and yes there are several and they are not at all obvious until the author allows you to start to see them emerging. This keeps the story tense and tight and leans towards the dramatic as things are revealed.
I adored this book and I did enjoy the flitting from one case to another and also across the Atlantic as well. The US section does have a little of going back and forth in time. See... I told you it was complex, but there was such a good flow between all the different aspects that it made for fabulous reading.
This is a story that has so many different things and themes that it makes for addictive reading. I did read this over a couple of days simply because I had work, if not fo that I think I could or would have read it happily in one sitting.
Even though this is part of a series there is enough information given about characters that have appeared in pervious books (at least I am assuming they have) that I didn't feel I was missing out on anything.
An intense crime, mystery thriller and one that involves several crimes. Brilliant book and one I would definitely recommend.
Raker has been asked to investigate a case that sees a father, son and son's girlfriend have gone missing. Sarah is wife and mother and only dropped off to sleep for a moment and when she suddenly woke she discovered her family missing from the kayak they were in on a lake in Dartmoor National Park. The police have not really learned anything and Sarah is now wanting to see if there is anything that has been missed. Hence the reason for hiring Raker.
While Raker is working on this case, he gets a call from a security advisor at a casino complex. A man they had detained has gone missing from secure cells and they don't know how. Raker has a reputation for looking into cases such as this but while he cannot investigate directly he has decided to call on ex-police officer Healy to help.
Having two cases is one thing but then there is another case, or series of cases that are also included in this story. The deaths of people over several years in the US, there is a tenuous link as one of the casinos where one of the people disappeared is also owned by the same people as the one in London. What, if and how these cases may be connected is unknown but my goodness the author does weave a wonderful plot throughout this story.
as I mentioned this is a complex case, but not while I was reading the story. The author managed to keep his storylines clear and not showing any links until much later on. The synopsis hints at there being secrets, and yes there are several and they are not at all obvious until the author allows you to start to see them emerging. This keeps the story tense and tight and leans towards the dramatic as things are revealed.
I adored this book and I did enjoy the flitting from one case to another and also across the Atlantic as well. The US section does have a little of going back and forth in time. See... I told you it was complex, but there was such a good flow between all the different aspects that it made for fabulous reading.
This is a story that has so many different things and themes that it makes for addictive reading. I did read this over a couple of days simply because I had work, if not fo that I think I could or would have read it happily in one sitting.
Even though this is part of a series there is enough information given about characters that have appeared in pervious books (at least I am assuming they have) that I didn't feel I was missing out on anything.
An intense crime, mystery thriller and one that involves several crimes. Brilliant book and one I would definitely recommend.
May 24, 2025
How is it that none of Tim Weaver books have received the Netflix treatment? They are so good and I would love to put a face to David Raker.
June 30, 2024
would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this excellent book
you know that whenever you open one of tim weavers books that you are in for the ride of your life and this book is no exception
a family day out turns into tragedy when 3 of those members disappear on the lake
the wheres the hows and the whys are unanswered after the police investigation goes nowhere... enter david raker who can find missing people or answers .... some answers you may not like
and so starts davids investigations ... and its the little things a small clue unearthed that lead david forward to all the answers
wow just wow this book kept me glued as i travelled home from london with detour after detour and extended travel time so it made my homeward bound journey at least enjoyable as i lost myself in this book
you know that whenever you open one of tim weavers books that you are in for the ride of your life and this book is no exception
a family day out turns into tragedy when 3 of those members disappear on the lake
the wheres the hows and the whys are unanswered after the police investigation goes nowhere... enter david raker who can find missing people or answers .... some answers you may not like
and so starts davids investigations ... and its the little things a small clue unearthed that lead david forward to all the answers
wow just wow this book kept me glued as i travelled home from london with detour after detour and extended travel time so it made my homeward bound journey at least enjoyable as i lost myself in this book
March 21, 2024
This took me a while longer to read than normal, because my tired little brain just couldn't keep up.😃
Weaver is the master of his art when it comes to twisty , clever books.
How he combines his plots and characters is perfect.
There were lots of wide eyed shocked expressions coming from me. Not least to mention THAT ending.
To be honest, I'm now at that stage where I'd happily read a book just about Raker and Healy having a cup of tea together, but luckily Weaver is not delivering that, he's putting out books that just incredibly seem to get better every time.
A series you definitely don't want to miss out on.
Weaver is the master of his art when it comes to twisty , clever books.
How he combines his plots and characters is perfect.
There were lots of wide eyed shocked expressions coming from me. Not least to mention THAT ending.
To be honest, I'm now at that stage where I'd happily read a book just about Raker and Healy having a cup of tea together, but luckily Weaver is not delivering that, he's putting out books that just incredibly seem to get better every time.
A series you definitely don't want to miss out on.
June 25, 2024
This felt a long 470 pages,at least a 100 could have been dropped and still made a decent story
Lot of respect for this author and his ‘Missing’ series starring David Raker, this is Book 13 and am always excited to see a new one…..
However whilst I love the series I only liked this, it was confusing in parts for me and a bit past the acceptable ‘its fiction’ ( which I keep saying ) threshold, there is a point when you switch off and kinda don’t believe it anymore, still excellent weiting though
Tim Weaver is a genius writer and I look forward as much as previously have to Book 14
Lot of respect for this author and his ‘Missing’ series starring David Raker, this is Book 13 and am always excited to see a new one…..
However whilst I love the series I only liked this, it was confusing in parts for me and a bit past the acceptable ‘its fiction’ ( which I keep saying ) threshold, there is a point when you switch off and kinda don’t believe it anymore, still excellent weiting though
Tim Weaver is a genius writer and I look forward as much as previously have to Book 14
October 26, 2024
A suspected killer appears to have magically disappeared from a locked cell at the Skyline casino.
Five people go for an outing to the beautiful Dartmoor lake, but soon three of them vanish into thin air.
Sarah Fowler's husband, son, and his girlfriend went out on their dinghy. She dozed off for two minutes, and when her two-year-old wakes her up, her life has changed forever. The dinghy is floating on the lake, empty.
How can three people vanish from a boat in the middle of a lake in a minute or two without a trace since no bodies have been found? Was Sarah perhaps mistaken about how long she was asleep, as the police suspect? How thorough was the police investigation? To Raker, it seems like they did not put a lot of effort into the case. Why would this be?
Then, Raker gets a call from an old friend, Melanie Craw, who left the police service and is now running security for the Skyline casino.
She needs his help finding "The Whaler," who robbed and killed one of their high rollers in the penthouse suite and then mysteriously disappeared. The guy is a ghost who left no trace behind, and Melanie needs his help to find out what happened.
David Raker has his work cut out for him this time.
Will he be able to find the answers to these mysteries?
"Sometimes answers didn't bring relief. Sometimes they were the thing that hurt most of all."
Five people go for an outing to the beautiful Dartmoor lake, but soon three of them vanish into thin air.
Sarah Fowler's husband, son, and his girlfriend went out on their dinghy. She dozed off for two minutes, and when her two-year-old wakes her up, her life has changed forever. The dinghy is floating on the lake, empty.
How can three people vanish from a boat in the middle of a lake in a minute or two without a trace since no bodies have been found? Was Sarah perhaps mistaken about how long she was asleep, as the police suspect? How thorough was the police investigation? To Raker, it seems like they did not put a lot of effort into the case. Why would this be?
Then, Raker gets a call from an old friend, Melanie Craw, who left the police service and is now running security for the Skyline casino.
She needs his help finding "The Whaler," who robbed and killed one of their high rollers in the penthouse suite and then mysteriously disappeared. The guy is a ghost who left no trace behind, and Melanie needs his help to find out what happened.
David Raker has his work cut out for him this time.
Will he be able to find the answers to these mysteries?
"Sometimes answers didn't bring relief. Sometimes they were the thing that hurt most of all."
July 2, 2024
This is a great crime thriller but it's a bit of a slow burner.
It can easily be read as a standalone book but the previous books are definitely worth reading too.
Raker is asked to help when three people disappear from their boat whilst in the middle of a lake. Sarah falls asleep whilst waiting for them and can't understand where they've gone.
Raker has his hands full with this case and then receives another call asking for help as a murderer has seemingly escaped a holding cell and needs to be found.
Raker asks his closest friend and ex colleague to work on this case but soon it's clear the two cases are linked.
There's quite a lot going on in this book and it did seem longer than previous books, but it's still a great read.
Thanks to Michael Joseph and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
It can easily be read as a standalone book but the previous books are definitely worth reading too.
Raker is asked to help when three people disappear from their boat whilst in the middle of a lake. Sarah falls asleep whilst waiting for them and can't understand where they've gone.
Raker has his hands full with this case and then receives another call asking for help as a murderer has seemingly escaped a holding cell and needs to be found.
Raker asks his closest friend and ex colleague to work on this case but soon it's clear the two cases are linked.
There's quite a lot going on in this book and it did seem longer than previous books, but it's still a great read.
Thanks to Michael Joseph and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
June 11, 2025
The Missing Family is non stop twists and turns that will have you guessing from beginning to end when two members of a family disappear from their boat.
There is no trace of Marcus, Kyle or his girlfriend Clara.
David Raker is hired by Sarah to find her family as the mystery deepens.
That is not the only case he has on the go as he has been hired to Melanie Crow to find out how on earth a killer escapes a locked cell and simply disappears.
Coincidence maybe but David does not believe in coincidence.
Tim Weaver cranks up the tension , throws in red herrings with a relentless mix of secrets, lies and jaw dropping twist.
I read this book as a stand alone but I am off to catch up on the series. I could not put this book down.
There is no trace of Marcus, Kyle or his girlfriend Clara.
David Raker is hired by Sarah to find her family as the mystery deepens.
That is not the only case he has on the go as he has been hired to Melanie Crow to find out how on earth a killer escapes a locked cell and simply disappears.
Coincidence maybe but David does not believe in coincidence.
Tim Weaver cranks up the tension , throws in red herrings with a relentless mix of secrets, lies and jaw dropping twist.
I read this book as a stand alone but I am off to catch up on the series. I could not put this book down.
November 10, 2025
I am very excited to have found a new author. I’ve started on book 13 and will now have to go back to the beginning! David Raker finds missing people and is hired by Sarah whose family disappeared in a split second from the middle of a lake. It seems impossible. He is also called by an ex colleague who wants him to look into a murder and missing money at a casino. The cases are inevitably linked although the author makes an attempt to explain this! What unfolds is a dark tale which spans decades and both the UK and America. I listened to this on Audible and it was very well read. I could t stop listening at the end. There are many twists and revelations and I did get a bit confused at one point but it does all become clear. Highly recommended.
February 22, 2025
A massive privilege to hear Tim Weaver at the Shoreham Wordfest (highly recommended by the way) I love that he said he isn’t sure what’s happening at the start of books otherwise it’s not going to seem like a surprise to his readers! Brilliant! This is an unputdownable book again with a twist at the end.
They get better each time!
They get better each time!
August 6, 2025
A page turner, keeps you engaged and reading. Loses a star because near the start, there's a massive obvious clue that spoiled part of it, that was somehow not picked up on by the narrator and never mentioned again. Bothered me as I kept waiting for it to be referenced again and it never was. Other than that, definitely worth the read and some twists in the story you don't see coming
November 3, 2025
Loved this book. Definitely need to pick up more of Tim Weaver's books.
August 28, 2025
One of my favourite authors and one of my favourites in the series so far.
August 8, 2025
Absolutely brilliant. So many twists and turns right up to the last bit. I now want to read more books in this series.
June 20, 2025
A real page turner, kept me hooked from the very first page!
June 4, 2025
If you love books where there are 372 characters with no obvious connection and completely random names that you’ll struggle to remember. Or four different stories going on at the same time with again, no connection, and you wonder for 75% of the book where the hell the book is going…then crack on, this is def the book for you 🤨🙄🥱
June 30, 2024
One of the best thrillers I have ever read! I’m usually reluctant to come in part way through a series, but this book absolutely works as a standalone. That said, I will be eagerly watching for the next instalment in the world of David Raker, a brilliant private detective.
When Sarah’s family rows out onto the lake, she dozed off for one minute. Just one minute. And in that time, they disappear, leaving just an empty boat. How is this possible? Throughout the story, there are flashbacks to various murders in the US and another storyline involving a man who disappears from the cells in a high-end casino.
I couldn’t see any way that these were going to link up, but when they did, it completely blew my mind! The plot is a work of genius and the characters are so well written, I was completely invested in this story and its outcome.
5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Tim Weaver and Michael Joseph, Penguin for an ARC in return for an honest review.
When Sarah’s family rows out onto the lake, she dozed off for one minute. Just one minute. And in that time, they disappear, leaving just an empty boat. How is this possible? Throughout the story, there are flashbacks to various murders in the US and another storyline involving a man who disappears from the cells in a high-end casino.
I couldn’t see any way that these were going to link up, but when they did, it completely blew my mind! The plot is a work of genius and the characters are so well written, I was completely invested in this story and its outcome.
5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Tim Weaver and Michael Joseph, Penguin for an ARC in return for an honest review.
November 7, 2024
Long, boring. Dragged on to 400 pages when could have stopped at 200. Unnecessary remarks about gender inequality in work place. You’re a male writer with a male protagonist solving cases with only female victims. And the so called *twists* are no one saying anything, mysteriously holding back important details, and then at the end, when the truth *had* to come out, everyone just gathered in a room having a big confession meeting. So much for twists.
September 17, 2024
The high rating and rave reviews baffle me, because my excitement for this died out completely at about 60% and I couldn’t give a flying duck what happened to anyone
July 12, 2024
I always preorder Tim Weaver's books from England, then wait anxiously for them to arrive. Then, I read them straight through and then have to wait all over again! I don't know how he does it. Each book has been amazing and impossible to put down! This book has two cases for David Raker. The first is a family that disappears from the middle of a lake in a minute while Sarah, the mother and wife, dozes for a minute. The second case is a murder suspect disappearing from a locked cell in the basement of a huge casino complex. David is an expert at solving missing persons cases, but these mysteries are unlike anything he's ever seen. He has to pull in Colm Healy, a long-time ally and former detective, for additional help. This is book 13, which works fine as a stand alone but, do yourself a favor and read them all! Highly recommended!
July 4, 2024
Well, where do I start with this review. Tim Weaver never fails to have you gripped in his stories with David Raker and this one was no exception. David is approached by Sarah Fowler, she had been out for the day with her husband Marc, her son Kyle, Kyle’s girlfriend,Clara, and Sarah and Marc’s young daughter Mable. The family have spent the day at this special secluded lake in Dartmoor. Kyle, Marc and Clara go for one last time out on the boat, leaving Sarah and Mable on the shore. But Sarah nods off for a minute and when she wakes up the boat is in the middle of the lake but empty. Months later the police have found nothing so Sarah hires David Raker to find out what happened to her family. How could they just vanish like that? Can Raker work it out?
Raker is also contacted by an old friend Melanie Craw, she had been a senior police officer for the Met at one stage but was now working at the Skyline resort and casino in London. She now runs there security, but they had had a Whaler in (someone who is a high roller in a casino) the whaler had befriended one of the casino’s biggest a high roller’s over a period of five months, gained that high rollers trust then ran off with £400,000 of the high rollers money, but that wasn’t the only thing the whaler had done, he had also left a dead body, that of the high roller. The whaler had gone back to the casino for some reason, and had been arrested and locked in a secure room, but when the police arrived he had escaped from the secure room. But why had he gone back? How did he escape a secure room? Craw wanted Raker to find the whaler and the money.
Because he was working on the Fowler case Raker asked his old friend Healy to look into the casino job, just one slight problem Healy hates Craw, he blames her for him losing his job in the police force. So this should go down well.
Be prepared for lots of red herrings and lots of twists and turns, because you get nothing less in Tim Weavers books. The story is complex and no matter how hard you try to work these puzzles out you never get it right.
This book will have you completely gripped from start to finish, I mean two cases both where the people seem to have just vanished into thin air. But could these two cases be linked in some way?
Most of the story is told through Raker but there are some chapters which are Healy’s also some chapters which go back in time in Las Vegas. Where bodies have been found each with the same MO hands tied behind their backs, a gun shot through the head. How is this linked with any of the cases Raker is working on?.
Gradually the plot unravels and you think you have it all but then there is a final big twist which will leave you wanting more. If you haven’t read any of this series you can read this as a stand alone novel. There are a couple of references to the past, which may make you want to go back and read previous books. But this series really will keep you on your toes.
With a great plot, some great characters, I love how Rakers personal storyline continues throughout the books, but doesn’t detract from the main plot, it just adds more depth to the character.
Another terrific chapter in the David Raker series, I highly recommend this. You will certainly be turning the pages fast. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Raker is also contacted by an old friend Melanie Craw, she had been a senior police officer for the Met at one stage but was now working at the Skyline resort and casino in London. She now runs there security, but they had had a Whaler in (someone who is a high roller in a casino) the whaler had befriended one of the casino’s biggest a high roller’s over a period of five months, gained that high rollers trust then ran off with £400,000 of the high rollers money, but that wasn’t the only thing the whaler had done, he had also left a dead body, that of the high roller. The whaler had gone back to the casino for some reason, and had been arrested and locked in a secure room, but when the police arrived he had escaped from the secure room. But why had he gone back? How did he escape a secure room? Craw wanted Raker to find the whaler and the money.
Because he was working on the Fowler case Raker asked his old friend Healy to look into the casino job, just one slight problem Healy hates Craw, he blames her for him losing his job in the police force. So this should go down well.
Be prepared for lots of red herrings and lots of twists and turns, because you get nothing less in Tim Weavers books. The story is complex and no matter how hard you try to work these puzzles out you never get it right.
This book will have you completely gripped from start to finish, I mean two cases both where the people seem to have just vanished into thin air. But could these two cases be linked in some way?
Most of the story is told through Raker but there are some chapters which are Healy’s also some chapters which go back in time in Las Vegas. Where bodies have been found each with the same MO hands tied behind their backs, a gun shot through the head. How is this linked with any of the cases Raker is working on?.
Gradually the plot unravels and you think you have it all but then there is a final big twist which will leave you wanting more. If you haven’t read any of this series you can read this as a stand alone novel. There are a couple of references to the past, which may make you want to go back and read previous books. But this series really will keep you on your toes.
With a great plot, some great characters, I love how Rakers personal storyline continues throughout the books, but doesn’t detract from the main plot, it just adds more depth to the character.
Another terrific chapter in the David Raker series, I highly recommend this. You will certainly be turning the pages fast. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
July 7, 2025
This is the 13th book in the Raker series, and even though it says you can read as a standalone, I do think I missed some of the nuance, not reading the previous books.
Raker is a missing person private investigator. He is called in by a wife whose family disappeared but also is called to another case simultaneously. Is it just a coincidence?
I would say that this would make a great TV show, there were loads of strands that were slightly confusing to begin with, but got more interesting once things started to come together a bit more.
I liked Raker as a character, how he interacted with other characters and how he went a bit rogue when investigating.
It did feel a bit long in places, but the twists and turns soon picked up the pace.
Raker is a missing person private investigator. He is called in by a wife whose family disappeared but also is called to another case simultaneously. Is it just a coincidence?
I would say that this would make a great TV show, there were loads of strands that were slightly confusing to begin with, but got more interesting once things started to come together a bit more.
I liked Raker as a character, how he interacted with other characters and how he went a bit rogue when investigating.
It did feel a bit long in places, but the twists and turns soon picked up the pace.
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