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Missing or Dead
What if finding your family means losing yourself in the process?
Haunted by the disappearance of her father and sister, Talia Turner is left grasping for answers in a world that’s quick to forget. Consumed by grief and desperate for closure, Talia turns to a mysterious psychic whose visions promise to unlock the secrets of her family’s fate—but what she uncovers is far more sinister than she ever imagined.
With her sanity already hanging by a thread, Talia is drawn into a shadowy organization filled with deceit and buried truths. Danger is lurking in every shadow, betrayal is around every corner, and the lines between reality and manipulation blur, pushing her deeper into paranoia.
Driven by love and an unbreakable will, Talia refuses to give up hope, even if it means risking everything. Is she closer to the truth, or falling into a carefully laid trap? Most importantly, will she survive long enough to find out?
Dive into a riveting psychological suspense novel that will keep you hooked with a page-turning mystery and chilling themes of control, manipulation, and kidnapping. Missing or Dead is a suspenseful read that will delight fans of dark thrillers with a twist. Scroll up and grab your copy now…
Haunted by the disappearance of her father and sister, Talia Turner is left grasping for answers in a world that’s quick to forget. Consumed by grief and desperate for closure, Talia turns to a mysterious psychic whose visions promise to unlock the secrets of her family’s fate—but what she uncovers is far more sinister than she ever imagined.
With her sanity already hanging by a thread, Talia is drawn into a shadowy organization filled with deceit and buried truths. Danger is lurking in every shadow, betrayal is around every corner, and the lines between reality and manipulation blur, pushing her deeper into paranoia.
Driven by love and an unbreakable will, Talia refuses to give up hope, even if it means risking everything. Is she closer to the truth, or falling into a carefully laid trap? Most importantly, will she survive long enough to find out?
Dive into a riveting psychological suspense novel that will keep you hooked with a page-turning mystery and chilling themes of control, manipulation, and kidnapping. Missing or Dead is a suspenseful read that will delight fans of dark thrillers with a twist. Scroll up and grab your copy now…
- GenresMysteryMystery Thriller
291 pages, Paperback
Published February 5, 2025
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 12, 2026
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. This book kept me wondering what was going to happen next. I wish a few more things were explained but I still enjoyed it.
February 7, 2025
SO PROUD!! I might be a little biased here, but honestly while reading it, didn’t feel like a debut novel. I loved the mystery elements, and the plot felt very fresh to the mystery genre!
Love the depth of the characters and the overall structure. This one’s absolutely worth reading🥳🥳🥳🥳
Love the depth of the characters and the overall structure. This one’s absolutely worth reading🥳🥳🥳🥳
July 1, 2026
This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: Missing or Dead
Author: Polina Quinn
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 15
Stats
Editing: 10/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Content: 9/10
Cover: 5/5
Of the 15 readers:
15 would read another book by this author.
13 thought the cover was good or excellent.
15 felt it was easy to follow.
15 would recommend this book to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 6 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 5 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
Of all the readers, 4 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘writing style’.
14 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
15 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
Female, 34
I absolutely flew through this book! I thought I had it figured out at least three different times, and every single time the story pulled the rug out from under me. Talia is such an easy character to root for because her determination to find out what happened to her family feels so genuine.
The psychological side of the story really got under my skin too. I loved how I was constantly questioning who could be trusted. If you're into dark, twisty thrillers that keep you guessing until the end, this is definitely worth picking up.
Male, 58
This was one of those books where I kept telling myself "just one more chapter" and suddenly it was well past midnight.
The mystery is cleverly put together, the pacing is excellent, and the twists genuinely surprised me. A very entertaining psychological thriller that kept me hooked from beginning to end.
Female, 46
I wasn't expecting to become so invested in Talia's journey, but I really felt for her. Losing family members without answers is such a terrifying idea, and the author captures that uncertainty brilliantly. As the story unfolded, I found myself constantly changing my mind about what was really happening.
What I enjoyed most was the atmosphere. There's this creeping sense that something isn't quite right, and it builds so naturally throughout the book. The psychic angle could have gone in all sorts of directions, but it was handled in a way that made the mystery even more compelling.
If you enjoy suspense that's more about mind games than nonstop action, I think you'll have a great time with this one.
Male, 29
I love thrillers that make me second-guess everything, and Missing or Dead definitely delivered. Every time I thought I'd cracked the mystery, another twist came along and completely changed the picture.
Fast-paced, tense, and seriously addictive. I'd happily recommend it to anyone who enjoys psychological suspense.
Female, 63
This book kept me completely engrossed from the very first chapter. I appreciated that it wasn't simply about solving a disappearance—it was also about grief, hope, trust, and how easily people can be manipulated when they're desperate for answers. Those emotional elements gave the story real depth.
The suspense is wonderfully sustained throughout, and I particularly liked that nothing felt predictable. The author reveals information at just the right pace, keeping you curious without becoming confusing. There were several moments where I genuinely gasped because I hadn't seen the twists coming.
By the time I reached the ending, I couldn't believe how neatly everything came together. It's an intelligent, well-crafted thriller that I'd happily recommend to friends who enjoy psychological mysteries.
Female, 41
What a brilliant read! Dark, gripping, and packed with twists that I honestly didn't see coming. Talia's search for the truth had me completely invested, and I couldn't stop turning the pages. Definitely one of the more memorable psychological thrillers I've read this year.
To Sum It Up:
“A gripping psychological thriller packed with shocking twists, relentless suspense, and a heroine you'll be rooting for until the very last page. A FINALIST and highly recommended!” Wishing Shelf Book Awards
Title: Missing or Dead
Author: Polina Quinn
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 15
Stats
Editing: 10/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Content: 9/10
Cover: 5/5
Of the 15 readers:
15 would read another book by this author.
13 thought the cover was good or excellent.
15 felt it was easy to follow.
15 would recommend this book to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 6 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 5 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
Of all the readers, 4 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘writing style’.
14 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
15 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
Female, 34
I absolutely flew through this book! I thought I had it figured out at least three different times, and every single time the story pulled the rug out from under me. Talia is such an easy character to root for because her determination to find out what happened to her family feels so genuine.
The psychological side of the story really got under my skin too. I loved how I was constantly questioning who could be trusted. If you're into dark, twisty thrillers that keep you guessing until the end, this is definitely worth picking up.
Male, 58
This was one of those books where I kept telling myself "just one more chapter" and suddenly it was well past midnight.
The mystery is cleverly put together, the pacing is excellent, and the twists genuinely surprised me. A very entertaining psychological thriller that kept me hooked from beginning to end.
Female, 46
I wasn't expecting to become so invested in Talia's journey, but I really felt for her. Losing family members without answers is such a terrifying idea, and the author captures that uncertainty brilliantly. As the story unfolded, I found myself constantly changing my mind about what was really happening.
What I enjoyed most was the atmosphere. There's this creeping sense that something isn't quite right, and it builds so naturally throughout the book. The psychic angle could have gone in all sorts of directions, but it was handled in a way that made the mystery even more compelling.
If you enjoy suspense that's more about mind games than nonstop action, I think you'll have a great time with this one.
Male, 29
I love thrillers that make me second-guess everything, and Missing or Dead definitely delivered. Every time I thought I'd cracked the mystery, another twist came along and completely changed the picture.
Fast-paced, tense, and seriously addictive. I'd happily recommend it to anyone who enjoys psychological suspense.
Female, 63
This book kept me completely engrossed from the very first chapter. I appreciated that it wasn't simply about solving a disappearance—it was also about grief, hope, trust, and how easily people can be manipulated when they're desperate for answers. Those emotional elements gave the story real depth.
The suspense is wonderfully sustained throughout, and I particularly liked that nothing felt predictable. The author reveals information at just the right pace, keeping you curious without becoming confusing. There were several moments where I genuinely gasped because I hadn't seen the twists coming.
By the time I reached the ending, I couldn't believe how neatly everything came together. It's an intelligent, well-crafted thriller that I'd happily recommend to friends who enjoy psychological mysteries.
Female, 41
What a brilliant read! Dark, gripping, and packed with twists that I honestly didn't see coming. Talia's search for the truth had me completely invested, and I couldn't stop turning the pages. Definitely one of the more memorable psychological thrillers I've read this year.
To Sum It Up:
“A gripping psychological thriller packed with shocking twists, relentless suspense, and a heroine you'll be rooting for until the very last page. A FINALIST and highly recommended!” Wishing Shelf Book Awards
March 12, 2026
Missing or Dead is a really good book that has shocking twists that will have you guessing what is really going on. This book was written well and caught my attention on page one and made it almost impossible to put down! If you enjoy a good mystery that is unpredictable then I would recommend adding this book to your TBR!
April 15, 2026
Missing or Dead is an engaging psychological thriller by Polina Quinn. It offers an exciting story line, good pacing, and engaging characters. I found the mystery and psychological tension kept me interested and drew me quickly through the surprising end.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews