What do you think?
Rate this book
The Missing Ones
10 hours
In an exclusive and close-knit community, the secrets of the past threaten to destroy three women in a shocking novel of suspense by New York Times bestselling author A. R. Torre.
Behind the manicured lawns and guarded gates of Crestmore Estates lies a neighborhood built on secrets.
Five years ago, three residents vanished without a trace. No bodies. No answers. Just rumors, whispered around the country club. Now, when human remains surface on the golf course, old suspicions rematerialize—and the spotlight falls on the women left behind.
Andrea Kendal knows what people think—that her brilliant surgeon husband had something to do with his first wife’s bloody disappearance. Sara Batcher has spent years defending herself against accusations that she killed her husband. And Katie Morrow, the community’s youngest trophy wife, can’t escape the suspicious shadows cast by her husband’s ex-wife.
As the investigation circles closer, the wives find themselves bound together by fear, betrayal, and the ghosts of the missing. In a neighborhood where appearances are everything, each must decide what she’ll sacrifice to protect her carefully constructed life—before someone else decides to shatter them all.
In an exclusive and close-knit community, the secrets of the past threaten to destroy three women in a shocking novel of suspense by New York Times bestselling author A. R. Torre.
Behind the manicured lawns and guarded gates of Crestmore Estates lies a neighborhood built on secrets.
Five years ago, three residents vanished without a trace. No bodies. No answers. Just rumors, whispered around the country club. Now, when human remains surface on the golf course, old suspicions rematerialize—and the spotlight falls on the women left behind.
Andrea Kendal knows what people think—that her brilliant surgeon husband had something to do with his first wife’s bloody disappearance. Sara Batcher has spent years defending herself against accusations that she killed her husband. And Katie Morrow, the community’s youngest trophy wife, can’t escape the suspicious shadows cast by her husband’s ex-wife.
As the investigation circles closer, the wives find themselves bound together by fear, betrayal, and the ghosts of the missing. In a neighborhood where appearances are everything, each must decide what she’ll sacrifice to protect her carefully constructed life—before someone else decides to shatter them all.
Audible Audio
First published April 15, 2026
About the author
A.R. Torre
12 books11.5k followersHi there—welcome to my little corner of Goodreads! I'm AR Torre, and I write dark, twisty fiction that digs into the messiest parts of human nature. Whether it's psychological thrillers, domestic suspense, or stories about love gone dangerously wrong, my books tend to explore the line between good and evil—and what happens when people cross it.
You might know me from The Girl in 6E series, which follows a reclusive cam girl with violent urges, or my standalone domestic suspense novels that blend complex female leads with secrets, drama, and a few dead bodies. I’m drawn to morally gray characters, layered relationships, and plots that keep you flipping pages late into the night.
Outside of writing, I live in Key West, Florida, where I spend my days plotting murders (on paper), drinking (and roasting) coffee, and soaking up the sunshine. I’m also Alessandra Torre in my other author life, where I write romance.
Thanks for visiting—please follow me here on Goodreads where I read every single review. Thank you in advance for sharing your thoughts (good or bad!) on my books. I sincerely appreciate the feedback and support.
You might know me from The Girl in 6E series, which follows a reclusive cam girl with violent urges, or my standalone domestic suspense novels that blend complex female leads with secrets, drama, and a few dead bodies. I’m drawn to morally gray characters, layered relationships, and plots that keep you flipping pages late into the night.
Outside of writing, I live in Key West, Florida, where I spend my days plotting murders (on paper), drinking (and roasting) coffee, and soaking up the sunshine. I’m also Alessandra Torre in my other author life, where I write romance.
Thanks for visiting—please follow me here on Goodreads where I read every single review. Thank you in advance for sharing your thoughts (good or bad!) on my books. I sincerely appreciate the feedback and support.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 251 reviews
Currently Reading
November 26, 2025Coming April 2025!
Out of all of my books, this one might end up being my favorite. To say that I had fun while writing this story is an understatement. This story took over my mind and held it hostage as I unraveled the worlds of three women who were all affected by a summer, five years earlier.
This is a neighborhood where everyone's got secrets and where the perfect image is just that: an image. And then I dropped a dead body into it and watched as three women—Katie, Andrea, and Sara—navigate the fallout.
This is the kind of book where you think you know who's guilty, then you don't, and then you realize you've been missing the real story all along. It's got mystery and scandal and moral complexity, but it's also genuinely fun. When I was writing these women, they all felt (and still feel) real to me. They are flawed and complicated and sometimes terrible and sometimes noble.
If you loved the dark humor and plots of my previous books (The Last Party and A Happy Marriage), you already know what you're getting. But if you're new to my books, think of this as Big Little Lies meets a darker Desperate Housewives. This is a neighborhood mystery where everyone's involved and no one's innocent.
This book is perfect if you love:
- Unreliable narrators
- Stories told from multiple perspectives
- A mystery that actually surprises you
- Dark humor woven through serious moments
- Complex female characters
- Plot twists and more plot twists
Please add it to your TBR now. I genuinely can't wait for you to meet the ladies of Crestmore Estates.
Trust me. You'll want to know what they did.
😉 Alessandra
Out of all of my books, this one might end up being my favorite. To say that I had fun while writing this story is an understatement. This story took over my mind and held it hostage as I unraveled the worlds of three women who were all affected by a summer, five years earlier.
This is a neighborhood where everyone's got secrets and where the perfect image is just that: an image. And then I dropped a dead body into it and watched as three women—Katie, Andrea, and Sara—navigate the fallout.
This is the kind of book where you think you know who's guilty, then you don't, and then you realize you've been missing the real story all along. It's got mystery and scandal and moral complexity, but it's also genuinely fun. When I was writing these women, they all felt (and still feel) real to me. They are flawed and complicated and sometimes terrible and sometimes noble.
If you loved the dark humor and plots of my previous books (The Last Party and A Happy Marriage), you already know what you're getting. But if you're new to my books, think of this as Big Little Lies meets a darker Desperate Housewives. This is a neighborhood mystery where everyone's involved and no one's innocent.
This book is perfect if you love:
- Unreliable narrators
- Stories told from multiple perspectives
- A mystery that actually surprises you
- Dark humor woven through serious moments
- Complex female characters
- Plot twists and more plot twists
Please add it to your TBR now. I genuinely can't wait for you to meet the ladies of Crestmore Estates.
Trust me. You'll want to know what they did.
😉 Alessandra
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Crestmore Estates - a gated community for the wealthy elite. A place where the privileged play golf, sip the best wine and scotch, all while lounging in mansions with their luxury vehicles tucked safely behind closed garage doors. A place of safety.
Until three residents go missing.
Five years previous to the start of the novel David, Willow, and Roxanne all disappear.
The spouses left behind are all under scrutiny.
Present Day:
Sarah, David's wife and successful business woman, is shunned by her neighbors but she doesn't care. She knows she had nothing to do with his disappearance.
Mark, Willow's husband and successful sports manager, has remarried to Katie. Neighbors can't understand what he see's in her as she is the polar opposite of the life-of-the party Willow.
Eric, Roxanne's husband and successful surgeon, has remarried to trophy wife Andrea and has taken in her son from a previous relationship. They also have a one child together.
Then remains of a body are found in a lake on the golf course.
Whose body is it and who's secrets are about to spill? You'll have to read this to find out!
I love AR Torre but this one missed the mark for me.
To be fair, this is a page-turner compromised of the shorty zippy chapters I've come to love with Torre. She easily lures you into her web of secrets and lies making you savor just one more chapter.
Then another, and another.
But....
I had a very difficult time distinguishing between our ladies. I found Katie and Andrea almost interchangeable and had to remind myself throughout the entirety of the book who was who. Sarah was the only one that stood out from the rich trophy wife cliché.
This is most definitely a "me" thing but I am sick of reading about insanely rich people and their so-called problems. If fascist America has taught me anything it's that the top 1% is compromised of mostly depraved and deranged individuals. I can't fault Torre for this as I chose this book knowing what it was about. Still, I was irked.
Lastly, the denouement. Talk about gross. I can't really discuss it due to spoilers but I'll remind you again: Depraved and deranged and I'll leave it at that.
Other readers and Torre fans are loving this so please read their reviews for a more positive perspective. 3 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my complimentary copy.
Until three residents go missing.
Five years previous to the start of the novel David, Willow, and Roxanne all disappear.
The spouses left behind are all under scrutiny.
Present Day:
Sarah, David's wife and successful business woman, is shunned by her neighbors but she doesn't care. She knows she had nothing to do with his disappearance.
Mark, Willow's husband and successful sports manager, has remarried to Katie. Neighbors can't understand what he see's in her as she is the polar opposite of the life-of-the party Willow.
Eric, Roxanne's husband and successful surgeon, has remarried to trophy wife Andrea and has taken in her son from a previous relationship. They also have a one child together.
Then remains of a body are found in a lake on the golf course.
Whose body is it and who's secrets are about to spill? You'll have to read this to find out!
I love AR Torre but this one missed the mark for me.
To be fair, this is a page-turner compromised of the shorty zippy chapters I've come to love with Torre. She easily lures you into her web of secrets and lies making you savor just one more chapter.
Then another, and another.
But....
I had a very difficult time distinguishing between our ladies. I found Katie and Andrea almost interchangeable and had to remind myself throughout the entirety of the book who was who. Sarah was the only one that stood out from the rich trophy wife cliché.
This is most definitely a "me" thing but I am sick of reading about insanely rich people and their so-called problems. If fascist America has taught me anything it's that the top 1% is compromised of mostly depraved and deranged individuals. I can't fault Torre for this as I chose this book knowing what it was about. Still, I was irked.
Lastly, the denouement. Talk about gross. I can't really discuss it due to spoilers but I'll remind you again: Depraved and deranged and I'll leave it at that.
Other readers and Torre fans are loving this so please read their reviews for a more positive perspective. 3 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my complimentary copy.
Currently Reading
April 17, 2026Yup I am ready to be grabbed up into twistedness of it all!
Love this authors work!
Excited to read this one!
💜🤍💜
Love this authors work!
Excited to read this one!
💜🤍💜
October 20, 2025
This one started off so good and never let up! I love this author and this might be my fav book yet by her! One of the best books I have read this year. 🖤
3 people disappeared years ago and now, a body part is found raising everyone’s suspicions again about what happened.
I loved the gossipy format of the beginning of each chapter with quotes from people around the neighborhood. This is multi POV, but not confusing and very well done. I ateeee this up! I want to see more of these crazy people, can we get another one?!
The twists and turns were awesome. I had no idea what was going to happen next. I loved every character and how they all tied in together. I honestly could have read this all in one sitting if I wasn’t so busy, because it was that good. Also can we praise this author for short chapters!
Read this if you like thrillers with twists and turns! 🖤
Thank you to netgalley for this free advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
3 people disappeared years ago and now, a body part is found raising everyone’s suspicions again about what happened.
I loved the gossipy format of the beginning of each chapter with quotes from people around the neighborhood. This is multi POV, but not confusing and very well done. I ateeee this up! I want to see more of these crazy people, can we get another one?!
The twists and turns were awesome. I had no idea what was going to happen next. I loved every character and how they all tied in together. I honestly could have read this all in one sitting if I wasn’t so busy, because it was that good. Also can we praise this author for short chapters!
Read this if you like thrillers with twists and turns! 🖤
Thank you to netgalley for this free advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 16, 2026
I’m really disappointed with this. I’ve loved the authors previous work; but this was not at all as enticing and exciting. There was no real suspense, no feeling of wanting to know more. There were some surprises for sure, and a pretty dysfunctional relationship dynamic, but it just lacked excitement or wonder. I had hoped for so much more!
January 13, 2026
How many authors can you name capable of writing messy stories with a crazy amount of subplots and characters to remember, and doing it so gracefully that you get addicted to them?
A.R. Torre's books are just perfection for me: an easy, fast-paced story about something mundane with one or more plot twists that I don't always catch.
A beach read, a good book to snuggle with under a blanket, something to get you out of a slump or to change the mood in your readings… you name it, I bet she fits the situation.
↠ 3.5 stars
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
A.R. Torre's books are just perfection for me: an easy, fast-paced story about something mundane with one or more plot twists that I don't always catch.
A beach read, a good book to snuggle with under a blanket, something to get you out of a slump or to change the mood in your readings… you name it, I bet she fits the situation.
↠ 3.5 stars
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
November 8, 2025
I’m elated that Thriller Book Lovers scored early copies of A.R. Torre’s latest, “The Missing Ones!” Every book of hers sweeps me up from page one and refuses to let go. There was no chance I could have waited until April to dive in, so huge thanks to Thriller Book Lovers for making my month!
“The Missing Ones” by A.R. Torre is like Desperate Housewives crashing into Big Little Lies with a few extra skeletons rattling around the closet. I tore through this book the way I used to inhale gossip at the high school lunch tables.
Crestmore Estates is your classic picture‑perfect neighborhood (total DH vibe) where the hedges are perfectly manicured, the smiles are chilling, and every cul‑de‑sac hides something scandalous or dangerous. When bones surface on the golf course, three women tangled in suspicions, shaky marriages, and whispered scandals suddenly find themselves in the spotlight. And no one here is as innocent (or guilty) as they look.
Torre is one of those authors I’ll pick up without even glancing at the blurb. Just hand me the book and get out of my way. Her writing has this addictive mix of emotional punch and juicy intrigue that makes you forget to blink and sometimes breathe! The pacing starts like a slow pour of fine wine, then suddenly, bam! it hits you like a shot of tequila on an empty stomach.
If you like your thrillers twisty and your characters unpredictably messy, “The Missing Ones” belongs on your nightstand. No questions, this is a five-star read for me. Just a heads‑up: once you crack it open, Crestmore’s secrets won’t let you go.
Thanks to A.R. Torre, Thomas & Mercer, and The Pulse for this ARC via NetGalley. As always, my opinions are all my own.
#TheMissingOnes #ARTorre #CapCut #ThrillerBookLoversThePulse #ThomasandMercer #NetGalley
“The Missing Ones” by A.R. Torre is like Desperate Housewives crashing into Big Little Lies with a few extra skeletons rattling around the closet. I tore through this book the way I used to inhale gossip at the high school lunch tables.
Crestmore Estates is your classic picture‑perfect neighborhood (total DH vibe) where the hedges are perfectly manicured, the smiles are chilling, and every cul‑de‑sac hides something scandalous or dangerous. When bones surface on the golf course, three women tangled in suspicions, shaky marriages, and whispered scandals suddenly find themselves in the spotlight. And no one here is as innocent (or guilty) as they look.
Torre is one of those authors I’ll pick up without even glancing at the blurb. Just hand me the book and get out of my way. Her writing has this addictive mix of emotional punch and juicy intrigue that makes you forget to blink and sometimes breathe! The pacing starts like a slow pour of fine wine, then suddenly, bam! it hits you like a shot of tequila on an empty stomach.
If you like your thrillers twisty and your characters unpredictably messy, “The Missing Ones” belongs on your nightstand. No questions, this is a five-star read for me. Just a heads‑up: once you crack it open, Crestmore’s secrets won’t let you go.
Thanks to A.R. Torre, Thomas & Mercer, and The Pulse for this ARC via NetGalley. As always, my opinions are all my own.
#TheMissingOnes #ARTorre #CapCut #ThrillerBookLoversThePulse #ThomasandMercer #NetGalley
December 14, 2025
I love AR Torre books she’s a go to author for me but this one was a little bit of a miss for me. I feel it could be a me problem though and not a book problem. I wasn’t very invested in the characters because I had a difficult time keep tracking of who was who. I found a lot of the characters to be annoying. The plot was great and I really wanted to connect more because the premise was there I just didn’t connect with the execution as much as I usually do.
Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for my advanced readers copy all opinions are my own.
Blurb:
Behind the manicured lawns and guarded gates of Crestmore Estates lies a neighborhood built on secrets.
Five years ago, three residents vanished without a trace. No bodies. No answers. Just rumors, whispered around the country club. Now, when human remains surface on the golf course, old suspicions rematerialize—and the spotlight falls on the women left behind.
Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for my advanced readers copy all opinions are my own.
Blurb:
Behind the manicured lawns and guarded gates of Crestmore Estates lies a neighborhood built on secrets.
Five years ago, three residents vanished without a trace. No bodies. No answers. Just rumors, whispered around the country club. Now, when human remains surface on the golf course, old suspicions rematerialize—and the spotlight falls on the women left behind.
October 19, 2025
Loved this book ... So many twists going on. Lots of characters but how it's written very easy to keep them straight. Twist after twist after twist. I loved how it was done in stages and the way the beginning of each chapter began was just brilliant.
Thanks to the author the publisher and Netgalley for a early release of this book
Thanks to the author the publisher and Netgalley for a early release of this book
November 4, 2025
THE MISSING ONES BY A. R. TORRE.
Release day set for the 14th of April 2026.
5 ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨s.
Goodness me did I eat this book up.
I loved the storyline and plot.
I loved the setting for the story and how it was told.
Some books are just a bit of me and this is one of them.
One of the best books I've read this year so far.
Absolutely brilliant I loved it so much.
This is my first book by this author and I'll be going back and reading all her others for sure.
Highly recommend this book
Release day set for the 14th of April 2026.
5 ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨s.
Goodness me did I eat this book up.
I loved the storyline and plot.
I loved the setting for the story and how it was told.
Some books are just a bit of me and this is one of them.
One of the best books I've read this year so far.
Absolutely brilliant I loved it so much.
This is my first book by this author and I'll be going back and reading all her others for sure.
Highly recommend this book
April 12, 2026
Going to be honest, this was not my favorite by this author, but I did enjoy it. RTC!
December 16, 2025
Five years ago, three residents vanished without a trace. What unfolds is a tense, twisty story told through three unreliable POVs:
✨Andrea - married to Eric, a respected surgeon whose wife, Roxanne, was brutally attacked and disappeared
✨Sara - married to David, a man with a secret pill addiction who is now missing—and neighborhood gossip is quick to point fingers
✨Katie - married to Mark, whose wife Willow vanished shortly after Mark disappeared
This is a classic suburban noir thriller set in an ultra-wealthy San Francisco neighborhood: country clubs, house managers, perfect lawns… and very ugly secrets behind closed doors.
One of my favorite touches? The juicy gossip-style tidbits that open each chapter. Immediate intrigue. 👀
I’ll be honest: I struggled a bit at first keeping the three women straight (yes, notes were taken 🫣👵🏻), but once everything clicked, and the twists started stacking, I absolutely flew through it. Every theory I had? Wrong. Everyone has secrets. Everyone is a suspect. Torre keeps you guessing until the very end.
Final Verdict: 👍 A fast-paced, twisty suburban popcorn thriller packed with deception, lies, and the extreme lengths people will go to keep their secrets buried.
✨Andrea - married to Eric, a respected surgeon whose wife, Roxanne, was brutally attacked and disappeared
✨Sara - married to David, a man with a secret pill addiction who is now missing—and neighborhood gossip is quick to point fingers
✨Katie - married to Mark, whose wife Willow vanished shortly after Mark disappeared
This is a classic suburban noir thriller set in an ultra-wealthy San Francisco neighborhood: country clubs, house managers, perfect lawns… and very ugly secrets behind closed doors.
One of my favorite touches? The juicy gossip-style tidbits that open each chapter. Immediate intrigue. 👀
I’ll be honest: I struggled a bit at first keeping the three women straight (yes, notes were taken 🫣👵🏻), but once everything clicked, and the twists started stacking, I absolutely flew through it. Every theory I had? Wrong. Everyone has secrets. Everyone is a suspect. Torre keeps you guessing until the very end.
Final Verdict: 👍 A fast-paced, twisty suburban popcorn thriller packed with deception, lies, and the extreme lengths people will go to keep their secrets buried.
April 14, 2026
The Missing Ones 4⭐️
AR Torre’s writing style is great! The dialogue is realistic. The chapters are short. The story and characters are complex and full of depth.
This gated community had quite the rough patch 5 years earlier when 3 of the residents go missing, but now the past is catching up to everyone when remains are found. The beginning started slowly. It was not so much about the mysterious remains, but more about the characters, community, and relationships. It took some time for me to wrap my head around 3 missing people, all around the same timeframe, in a quiet community. Soon I was completely enthralled in the short chapters quickly jumping from one POV to the next, bringing all the pieces together.
I absolutely loved the anon community quote transitions at the beginning of every chapter. It pulled together the reality of gossipy community.
Pub Date Apr 14 2026
AR Torre’s writing style is great! The dialogue is realistic. The chapters are short. The story and characters are complex and full of depth.
This gated community had quite the rough patch 5 years earlier when 3 of the residents go missing, but now the past is catching up to everyone when remains are found. The beginning started slowly. It was not so much about the mysterious remains, but more about the characters, community, and relationships. It took some time for me to wrap my head around 3 missing people, all around the same timeframe, in a quiet community. Soon I was completely enthralled in the short chapters quickly jumping from one POV to the next, bringing all the pieces together.
I absolutely loved the anon community quote transitions at the beginning of every chapter. It pulled together the reality of gossipy community.
Pub Date Apr 14 2026
October 17, 2025
As always, a superb read from one of my favourite must read authors!
I loved the suburb feel to the location of the events, I also loved how all the chapters changed POV and began with a quoted opinion from somebody of said character, it gave almost a “mean girls” gossip vibe to it. I knew pretty soon in that I would be a fan of these characters even if they had done something questionable / illegal 😂😂
As always the book was fast paced with short chapters, lots of tension and suspicious behaviour with lots of surprise twist.
This is definitely one of my favourites by this author! I had a great time reading, expect to be up all night with a bowl of popcorn while you devour this book 😂
Thank you for the gifted copy!
Publishes - April 14th 2026
I loved the suburb feel to the location of the events, I also loved how all the chapters changed POV and began with a quoted opinion from somebody of said character, it gave almost a “mean girls” gossip vibe to it. I knew pretty soon in that I would be a fan of these characters even if they had done something questionable / illegal 😂😂
As always the book was fast paced with short chapters, lots of tension and suspicious behaviour with lots of surprise twist.
This is definitely one of my favourites by this author! I had a great time reading, expect to be up all night with a bowl of popcorn while you devour this book 😂
Thank you for the gifted copy!
Publishes - April 14th 2026
December 11, 2025
Five years ago, three residents of a posh gated community disappeared at different times, seemingly unrelated, and haven’t been seen since. But when human bones are found on the golf course surrounding the neighborhood, the spouses of the missing are once again in the spotlight. The Missing Ones is a clever thriller where the author strings the reader along (frustratingly so at times) with tons of questions and no answers (yet!). The thrill of the book is in the way the story unfolds leaving the reader eagerly anticipating the final puzzle pieces. Lots to like in this one, but have a little patience, let the plot evolve, and enjoy the delicious ending. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 26, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book.
This book is a such a quick witted, fast paced book that will suck you in from the jump. The rabbit hole the book takes you down in this wealthy neighborhood is dark and unforgiving, and you'll be shocked to find out who is responsible for the missing. 10/10 would recommend this one.
This book is a such a quick witted, fast paced book that will suck you in from the jump. The rabbit hole the book takes you down in this wealthy neighborhood is dark and unforgiving, and you'll be shocked to find out who is responsible for the missing. 10/10 would recommend this one.
October 17, 2025
This was so good!! The pacing, the reveals, everything was so intense. I did have a very hard time keeping the characters and their stories straight. I felt like my brain was working in overdrive. But I still thought the book was great.
Thank you to NetGalley for this arc!
Thank you to NetGalley for this arc!
November 24, 2025
This book may be my favorite from A.R. Torre yet! I absolutely love domestic suspense thrillers, especially the ones that give us a peek behind the polished lives of the ultra-wealthy. As a teenager, I was obsessed with Desperate Housewives, and this book delivers all that delicious nostalgia, the secrets, the drama, the dark corners hiding behind those impressive houses.
The story centers on three people who vanished without a trace five years ago. No one knows whether their disappearances are connected, whether they’re alive or dead, or what really happened. Most residents of Crestmore have moved on, or at least pretend they have, until a body turns up in the neighborhood and the past refuses to stay buried.
It’s tense, addictive, and wonderfully messy in the best suburban-thriller way. Highly recommend!!!
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC - all opinions are my own.
The story centers on three people who vanished without a trace five years ago. No one knows whether their disappearances are connected, whether they’re alive or dead, or what really happened. Most residents of Crestmore have moved on, or at least pretend they have, until a body turns up in the neighborhood and the past refuses to stay buried.
It’s tense, addictive, and wonderfully messy in the best suburban-thriller way. Highly recommend!!!
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC - all opinions are my own.
November 14, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC of The Missing Ones by A. R. Torre. I absolutely loved this book. I was immediately engaged and the storyline kept my attention till the end, with some twists and turns I didn’t expect. 5 years ago three people went missing from an exclusive golf course community. The story flips back and forth from the past and the present. Sara, Eric and Mark all miss their loved ones very much and have gotten on with their lives. Until, a human bone is found on the golf course, and that has everyone very nervous! I have read several of A. R. Torre’s books and this is the best one yet.
November 9, 2025
Alessandra Torre really knows how to tell a story and whenever I see she has a new book out I get incredibly excited.
Half a decade ago, three lives vanished from an upscale enclave without warning. No clues. No closure. Just quiet murmurs behind champagne flutes and polite smiles at the country club. Now, skeletal remains discovered beneath the pristine fairways reignite long-dormant suspicions—and the focus shifts to the women who stayed behind.
As the investigation reopens old wounds, these women find themselves entangled in a web of secrets, judgment, and fear—where every glance hides a question, and every answer could unravel the life they have fought to protect.
A brilliantly crafted crime thriller brimming with secrecy, deception, and chaos, where every twist unravels a deeper lie and nothing is ever quite what it seems.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy, all opinions are my own.
Half a decade ago, three lives vanished from an upscale enclave without warning. No clues. No closure. Just quiet murmurs behind champagne flutes and polite smiles at the country club. Now, skeletal remains discovered beneath the pristine fairways reignite long-dormant suspicions—and the focus shifts to the women who stayed behind.
As the investigation reopens old wounds, these women find themselves entangled in a web of secrets, judgment, and fear—where every glance hides a question, and every answer could unravel the life they have fought to protect.
A brilliantly crafted crime thriller brimming with secrecy, deception, and chaos, where every twist unravels a deeper lie and nothing is ever quite what it seems.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy, all opinions are my own.
October 25, 2025
The beginning of each chapter had a statement from an unnamed person. A little bit of gossip about the couple/woman of that chapter. This was the best part of the book. The chapters were short, which should have made the book feel fast-paced, but sometimes nothing interesting happened in the chapter. The characters were just okay, with some leaning towards unlikeable. The ending ruined the book for me, might've been 3 stars if it had all come together better. My least favorite character getting the "best" ending made it feel unsatisfying.
Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC.
Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC.
October 18, 2025
You can always count on A.R. Torre to deliver an unputdownable twisty thriller! So many missing people, so many rumors. Whose remains did they find and how does it all tie together? This one has it all - lies, drama, and short chapters with alternating POV.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
November 19, 2025
A.R. Torre gets me again! Just when I think I know what's going on, Torre rips the rug out from under me and surprises me with a twist I didn't even think to look for! And it's for this reason I will always pick up her books!
With the synopsis, The Missing Ones almost presents as a potential sci-fi novel. Three people mysteriously disappear around the same time. Aliens? Sub-plot line of The Leftovers or Manifest? Don't worry thriller lovers, Torre isn't pulling that kind of fast one on you! However, you may still end up speechless like me.
The Missing Ones follows three individuals whose spouses disappeared under mysterious circumstances about five years ago. At some point, they were each under scrutiny to be involved in their disappearances and now half a decade out, each is presumed dead. The two husbands have moved on (shocking? maybe not) and already gotten remarried. The sole wife is still acclimating to her life as a single woman with too much time on her hands. When a dog finds a bone that ends up being human remains, each again comes under the spotlight as the police attempt to find the rest of the body and identify the remains.
Secrets abound. Twists galore. Surprises around every corner. This definitely went in directions I never would have guessed and I loved the entire flip in formatting about 75% into the novel. Torre does an impeccable job answering questions I didn't know I had and giving me a nicely tied knot without doing an information dump/confessional as a final chapter.
All in all, Torre has done it again. I will forever be a fan because she just keeps surprising me and keeps coming up with unique novels and unexpected twists. She's a favorite of The Pulse and keeps proving to us over and over why she's a thriller queen!
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer for the copy. The Missing Ones is available 4/14/2026.
With the synopsis, The Missing Ones almost presents as a potential sci-fi novel. Three people mysteriously disappear around the same time. Aliens? Sub-plot line of The Leftovers or Manifest? Don't worry thriller lovers, Torre isn't pulling that kind of fast one on you! However, you may still end up speechless like me.
The Missing Ones follows three individuals whose spouses disappeared under mysterious circumstances about five years ago. At some point, they were each under scrutiny to be involved in their disappearances and now half a decade out, each is presumed dead. The two husbands have moved on (shocking? maybe not) and already gotten remarried. The sole wife is still acclimating to her life as a single woman with too much time on her hands. When a dog finds a bone that ends up being human remains, each again comes under the spotlight as the police attempt to find the rest of the body and identify the remains.
Secrets abound. Twists galore. Surprises around every corner. This definitely went in directions I never would have guessed and I loved the entire flip in formatting about 75% into the novel. Torre does an impeccable job answering questions I didn't know I had and giving me a nicely tied knot without doing an information dump/confessional as a final chapter.
All in all, Torre has done it again. I will forever be a fan because she just keeps surprising me and keeps coming up with unique novels and unexpected twists. She's a favorite of The Pulse and keeps proving to us over and over why she's a thriller queen!
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer for the copy. The Missing Ones is available 4/14/2026.
October 29, 2025
The Missing Ones
By: A. R. Torre
Pub date: April 14, 2026
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Tour: Thriller Book Lovers THE PULSE
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In an upscale neighborhood people are coming up missing. Of course speculation runs rampant and people are accused of making them disappear.
A newly married couple whose husband’s previous wife Roxanne has disappeared and the neighbors have warned the new wife.
Willow and David have also come up missing leaving behind loved ones with questions.
Motives, secrets and lies will keep create havoc for the police. Are these all related? I really enjoy this authors and have read several of her books. THE PULSE loves her work.
By: A. R. Torre
Pub date: April 14, 2026
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Tour: Thriller Book Lovers THE PULSE
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In an upscale neighborhood people are coming up missing. Of course speculation runs rampant and people are accused of making them disappear.
A newly married couple whose husband’s previous wife Roxanne has disappeared and the neighbors have warned the new wife.
Willow and David have also come up missing leaving behind loved ones with questions.
Motives, secrets and lies will keep create havoc for the police. Are these all related? I really enjoy this authors and have read several of her books. THE PULSE loves her work.
April 6, 2026
If you’re looking for a domestic thriller full of rich people secrets this is for you 👀
I had a lot of fun with this one and it’s a perfect weekend read but for sure not an easy read popcorn thriller. There are a LOT of characters and overlapping storylines across three households all with missing spouses so it’s easy to get a little lost.
• Sara, whose husband David disappeared five years ago. Rumor has it she killed him to be with her yoga instructor.
• Andrea, the second wife of heart surgeon Eric. His first wife Roxanne vanished, leaving behind a bloody scene in her abandoned car while he was out of town. Now he’s the doting stepfather and new father with Andrea.
• And Katie also a second wife, married to Mark. His first wife Willow disappeared around five years ago as well. Though rumors say she simply left and never came back.
When a neighbor’s dog finds a human bone 🦴 all the secrets start unraveling and the drama delivers.
I rated this 4⭐️ but I’ll be honest around 40% in, I was still struggling to keep track of who was who. Because of that some of the twists didn’t hit as hard. One twist I loved but the rest were a bit predictable (but absolutely still fun). The real standout was the interview style gossip at the start of most of the chapters. This community is messy and I ate it up. Plus I’m a sucker for multiple POV’s!
I had a lot of fun with this one and it’s a perfect weekend read but for sure not an easy read popcorn thriller. There are a LOT of characters and overlapping storylines across three households all with missing spouses so it’s easy to get a little lost.
• Sara, whose husband David disappeared five years ago. Rumor has it she killed him to be with her yoga instructor.
• Andrea, the second wife of heart surgeon Eric. His first wife Roxanne vanished, leaving behind a bloody scene in her abandoned car while he was out of town. Now he’s the doting stepfather and new father with Andrea.
• And Katie also a second wife, married to Mark. His first wife Willow disappeared around five years ago as well. Though rumors say she simply left and never came back.
When a neighbor’s dog finds a human bone 🦴 all the secrets start unraveling and the drama delivers.
I rated this 4⭐️ but I’ll be honest around 40% in, I was still struggling to keep track of who was who. Because of that some of the twists didn’t hit as hard. One twist I loved but the rest were a bit predictable (but absolutely still fun). The real standout was the interview style gossip at the start of most of the chapters. This community is messy and I ate it up. Plus I’m a sucker for multiple POV’s!
April 8, 2026
• 4.5 rounded to 5 •
if you loved desperate housewives, than this one might just be fore you! it’s dark, twisty, & totally binge worthy. i honestly couldn’t stop listening, & finished it in one sitting.
i loved how each chapter started with a little gossip about the character we’d be following in that chapter. i enjoyed the multiple POVs, although to be honest, it did get a bit confusing at times to distinguish who it was. however, it didn’t take away from how entertaining the story was.
moniqua plante did an amazing job narrating. the story is packed with secrets, lies, & twists that kept me hooked from the start.
overall, this was a really enjoyable thriller that i definitely recommend checking out.
ps. i may have give it an extra half star just for the green bay packers shoutout near the end 😂
𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞:
desperate housewives
dark & twisty
secrets & lies
tension & suspense
thank you to netgalley, a.r. torre, and brilliance publishing for the advanced copy in exchanged for an honest review.
if you loved desperate housewives, than this one might just be fore you! it’s dark, twisty, & totally binge worthy. i honestly couldn’t stop listening, & finished it in one sitting.
i loved how each chapter started with a little gossip about the character we’d be following in that chapter. i enjoyed the multiple POVs, although to be honest, it did get a bit confusing at times to distinguish who it was. however, it didn’t take away from how entertaining the story was.
moniqua plante did an amazing job narrating. the story is packed with secrets, lies, & twists that kept me hooked from the start.
overall, this was a really enjoyable thriller that i definitely recommend checking out.
ps. i may have give it an extra half star just for the green bay packers shoutout near the end 😂
𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞:
desperate housewives
dark & twisty
secrets & lies
tension & suspense
thank you to netgalley, a.r. torre, and brilliance publishing for the advanced copy in exchanged for an honest review.
April 15, 2026
This book follows 3 women each with their own POV detailing their connection to 3 missing people from 5 years prior.
This is rich people doing bad things. They are purposefully annoying people, full of gossip and toxicity. I wouldn’t normally gravitate towards a book like this based on the blurb but I trusted AR Torre and she delivered.
The chapters are short and each start with a blurb from an unnamed person with a gossipy quote related to that character’s POV which I thought was quite unique.
The flashbacks at the end were definitely the standout as you get confirmation on what really happened in each disappearance. I just could have done with some real shocks sprinkled throughout as well.
This is rich people doing bad things. They are purposefully annoying people, full of gossip and toxicity. I wouldn’t normally gravitate towards a book like this based on the blurb but I trusted AR Torre and she delivered.
The chapters are short and each start with a blurb from an unnamed person with a gossipy quote related to that character’s POV which I thought was quite unique.
The flashbacks at the end were definitely the standout as you get confirmation on what really happened in each disappearance. I just could have done with some real shocks sprinkled throughout as well.
October 18, 2025
I will always read anything A.R Torre writes and when I read the description of this book I was immediately hooked. I was drawn in from the very first chapter and absolutely flew through this. The ending was a bit of a let down for me, but overall and I really liked this one!
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC.
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC.
April 10, 2026
THE MISSING ONES was very entertaining. It was fast paced and kept me guessing. The twist was pretty wild. If you’ve read any of A.R. Torre’s previous novels, you will really enjoy it. This is a great choice for someone traveling and wanting a fun mystery/thriller.
April 14, 2026
We're in as super rich community close to San Francisco.
Five years ago three people disappeared. We don't know if they were killed or if they just left their lives...or whatever happened to them.
Now the police found a corpse. And the spouses connected to the three missing people are worried that it will all start again. The interrogations. The looks. The suspicion.
What happened back then? Are the three guilty of ...things?
READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT!
I really enjoyed reading this. It's a tiny bit confusing at first. We get each chapter from one of the spouses and before the chapter starts there's a gossipy bit from a reporter or cop interviewing somebody. But you get used to who is who pretty quickly. And we kind of like them all. We don't want them to be killers.
It's interesting to see all those little details and secrets and plot-twists.
I would so watch this as a movie!
THE MISSING ONES was a great Stepfordy Millionaire Mystery Novel. Read it!
If you can't click the buy-links
from your phone - click ► HERE!
💜
💜
Displaying 1 - 30 of 251 reviews