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The Missing
A landscape to die for ...
The next compelling mystery set in the wild outback town of Kalgoorlie, from the bestselling author of The Prospect
'This land is millions of years old and has held secrets that we are able to uncover to this very day, yet the same land seems to have swallowed Max without a trace.'
In the middle of Missing Persons Week, teenager Max Galbraith disappears after a party at the two-up ring on the outskirts of Kalgoorlie. With hundred-year-old mine shafts hidden in the area, no one can sure whether he become lost while he was under the influence of drugs or if something more sinister has happened.
Lily Carter, a talkshow radio host, receives information about Brendan Cook, another Kalgoorlie teenager who disappeared in similar circumstances the year before. But the police didn't launch a full-scale search for Brendan. Why not?
Enter Detective Angie Sullivan, new to Kalgoorlie and yet to understand how the town works. With no clear links between the two cases, and Lily accusing the police of incompetence, the town is tipped into uproar. What secrets are hiding out there in the bush? And can Angie discover them before any more kids go missing?
'This land is millions of years old and has held secrets that we are able to uncover to this very day, yet the same land seems to have swallowed Max without a trace.'
In the middle of Missing Persons Week, teenager Max Galbraith disappears after a party at the two-up ring on the outskirts of Kalgoorlie. With hundred-year-old mine shafts hidden in the area, no one can sure whether he become lost while he was under the influence of drugs or if something more sinister has happened.
Lily Carter, a talkshow radio host, receives information about Brendan Cook, another Kalgoorlie teenager who disappeared in similar circumstances the year before. But the police didn't launch a full-scale search for Brendan. Why not?
Enter Detective Angie Sullivan, new to Kalgoorlie and yet to understand how the town works. With no clear links between the two cases, and Lily accusing the police of incompetence, the town is tipped into uproar. What secrets are hiding out there in the bush? And can Angie discover them before any more kids go missing?
352 pages, Paperback
Published October 28, 2025
50 people are currently reading
219 people want to read
About the author
Fleur McDonald
44 books527 followersAfter growing up on a farm near Orroroo in South Australia, Fleur McDonald’s first job was jillarooing in the outback. She has been involved in agriculture all her life, including helping manage a 8000-acre station for twenty years. Today Fleur and her energetic kelpie, Jack, live in Esperance, Western Australia,
Fleur is the author of 23 bestselling novels and two children's books.
Fleur chats about her daily writing life on her blog http://fleurmcdonald.com,
Facebook - Fleur McDonald Author
Instagram @fleurmcdonald
Tiktok @fleurmcdonaldauthor
Fleur is the author of 23 bestselling novels and two children's books.
Fleur chats about her daily writing life on her blog http://fleurmcdonald.com,
Facebook - Fleur McDonald Author
Instagram @fleurmcdonald
Tiktok @fleurmcdonaldauthor
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
November 22, 2025
The second of Fleur McDonald’s books to be set in Kalgoorlie and surroundings and featuring some of the characters from “The Prospect”. This is just as an enthralling rural police procedural centring around missing teenagers, their family dynamics and painstaking policing. The dramatic landscape plays an important role as does the community who lives in these harsh conditions. Contemporary issues including child fostering, online scams and the trauma of war play a pivotal role. A highly trained dog is crucial to the story. A compelling read, albeit with coarse language.
November 9, 2025
Brilliant!
Book Two in the series and what a writer. Despite the blurb sounding fairly familiar- missing teen, family drama, but in an outback Australian town…there really is nothing generic about this read.
Excellent flow, loved the characters and really great curve balls.
Book Two in the series and what a writer. Despite the blurb sounding fairly familiar- missing teen, family drama, but in an outback Australian town…there really is nothing generic about this read.
Excellent flow, loved the characters and really great curve balls.
October 29, 2025
Though The Prospect launched Fiona McDonald’s new rural crime fiction series set in Kalgoorlie, it is The Missing that completes the author’s transition away from her popular Dave Burrows series.
The Missing introduces Detective Angie Sullivan, new to the outback town and eager for the opportunity to bolster her goal of promotion. She’s already having a rough morning though when a local radio host, Lily Carter, accuses the Kalgoorlie police department of failing to properly investigate the disappearance of a 16 year old foster kid almost a year ago. Angie is furious with the public ambush and intends to follow up, but she’s distracted when another child is reported missing. Max Galbraith, also 16, hasn’t been home for twenty four hours. Last seen on the outskirts of town before wandering away from a drug fuelled party, Angie expects he’ll be found quickly, even if he’s taken a tumble into one of the many abandoned mineshafts that litter the area. But when no trace of Max is found, a closer look will uncover a shocking secret that links the two boys.
The third person narrative in The Missing shifts between the perspectives of Angie, Lily, Detective Jack Higgins (whom readers might recognise from the Dave Burrows series or The Prospect) Max, the missing boy, and Smurf, a grizzled Vietnam War vet. This allows McDonald to provide insight both the personal lives of her characters and their connection to the case. I quickly grew to like Angie who is a self-assured, focused detective, and I think it’s possible that she will become the lead in this new (as yet unnamed) series, even if Jack, who is present but not front and centre in The Missing, remains in Kalgoorlie. Lily is not too dissimilar to Angie, though she has a somewhat haughty manner, and both women are in the midst of a relationship breakdown. Smurf, who lives with his dog in a hut in the middle of nowhere, meanwhile gives the story a burst of strong outback Australia colour.
I appreciated the insight into the characters but I was gripped by the turns in the case and its climactic ending. The story unfolds at a fast pace and McDonald makes good use of red herrings to both move the investigation forward and sustain the tension in the plot. She does provide enough clues for the reader to guess at Max’s fate, even if only in hindsight.
I’m a little familiar with the town of Kalgoorlie having grown up in Western Australia and I think McDonald describes the region with authenticity. It’s hot, remote and a bit wild thanks to its roots in an itinerant population of miners and tourists. A six hour drive inland from the nearest city, it’s surrounded by vast areas of nothing but scrubland and red sand.
With The Missing I think McDonald’s desire to rebrand herself as a crime writer has been eminently successful. This is a dynamic and compelling read that should satisfy old fans and new readers alike, and I’m looking forward to The Witness in early 2026.
The Missing introduces Detective Angie Sullivan, new to the outback town and eager for the opportunity to bolster her goal of promotion. She’s already having a rough morning though when a local radio host, Lily Carter, accuses the Kalgoorlie police department of failing to properly investigate the disappearance of a 16 year old foster kid almost a year ago. Angie is furious with the public ambush and intends to follow up, but she’s distracted when another child is reported missing. Max Galbraith, also 16, hasn’t been home for twenty four hours. Last seen on the outskirts of town before wandering away from a drug fuelled party, Angie expects he’ll be found quickly, even if he’s taken a tumble into one of the many abandoned mineshafts that litter the area. But when no trace of Max is found, a closer look will uncover a shocking secret that links the two boys.
The third person narrative in The Missing shifts between the perspectives of Angie, Lily, Detective Jack Higgins (whom readers might recognise from the Dave Burrows series or The Prospect) Max, the missing boy, and Smurf, a grizzled Vietnam War vet. This allows McDonald to provide insight both the personal lives of her characters and their connection to the case. I quickly grew to like Angie who is a self-assured, focused detective, and I think it’s possible that she will become the lead in this new (as yet unnamed) series, even if Jack, who is present but not front and centre in The Missing, remains in Kalgoorlie. Lily is not too dissimilar to Angie, though she has a somewhat haughty manner, and both women are in the midst of a relationship breakdown. Smurf, who lives with his dog in a hut in the middle of nowhere, meanwhile gives the story a burst of strong outback Australia colour.
I appreciated the insight into the characters but I was gripped by the turns in the case and its climactic ending. The story unfolds at a fast pace and McDonald makes good use of red herrings to both move the investigation forward and sustain the tension in the plot. She does provide enough clues for the reader to guess at Max’s fate, even if only in hindsight.
I’m a little familiar with the town of Kalgoorlie having grown up in Western Australia and I think McDonald describes the region with authenticity. It’s hot, remote and a bit wild thanks to its roots in an itinerant population of miners and tourists. A six hour drive inland from the nearest city, it’s surrounded by vast areas of nothing but scrubland and red sand.
With The Missing I think McDonald’s desire to rebrand herself as a crime writer has been eminently successful. This is a dynamic and compelling read that should satisfy old fans and new readers alike, and I’m looking forward to The Witness in early 2026.
November 11, 2025
Was a great read very fast passing to the end . I have always enjoyed Fleur McDonalds books ,the missing did not disappoint . Love Jack in this book . Smurf and Assassin were a bonus .
November 21, 2025
I came across Fleur McDonald when I read Out In Nowhere last year, a tight, outback crime novel that explored the politics of rural living and the urban-rural divide in a more personal way. As a result, The Missing, was of interest to me given that I enjoyed that.
This novel introduces us to a different set of characters and is the second book of a series, though there is enough information here for you not to really miss anything as a result of not reading that.
Detective Angie Sullivan and radio host Lily Carter are both new to Kalgoorlie and about to clash in a rather public way. Meanwhile, a teenager has disappeared under suspicious circumstances while the spotlight is shone on historic missing person cases, particularly those in the foster care system and, out in the bush, a man named Smurf wrestles with his demons and the desire to simply be left alone.
There are a number of other secondary characters as well, most notably Jack who was first introduced in the previous novel.
There is plenty of colour in the novel and we are guided through Angie’s investigation, as well as seemingly unconnected ones that link up well in the end.
The Missing makes for compelling reading but I felt like the story played out too predictably. We didn’t see the kind of red herring plot twists that are expected of a crime novel. Where the novel works better is as a kind of character study, particularly of Angie and Lily, who are facing massive upheavals in their lives.
Their struggles are explored, although Lily’s is a more rounded story. Perhaps the most interesting character is Smurf, the off-grid war veteran with a well-trained dog and a swag in the bush, who gets pulled into the overall mystery – itself revealed through the eyes of the missing boy.
All in all, I thought this was a more disjointed read than Out In Nowhere with not an awful lot to theorise over. Nonetheless, it is an easy read and does a good job on depicting small, rural town life.
Thanks to HarperCollins, via NetGalley, for an eARC of this novel, in exchange for an honest review.
This novel introduces us to a different set of characters and is the second book of a series, though there is enough information here for you not to really miss anything as a result of not reading that.
Detective Angie Sullivan and radio host Lily Carter are both new to Kalgoorlie and about to clash in a rather public way. Meanwhile, a teenager has disappeared under suspicious circumstances while the spotlight is shone on historic missing person cases, particularly those in the foster care system and, out in the bush, a man named Smurf wrestles with his demons and the desire to simply be left alone.
There are a number of other secondary characters as well, most notably Jack who was first introduced in the previous novel.
There is plenty of colour in the novel and we are guided through Angie’s investigation, as well as seemingly unconnected ones that link up well in the end.
The Missing makes for compelling reading but I felt like the story played out too predictably. We didn’t see the kind of red herring plot twists that are expected of a crime novel. Where the novel works better is as a kind of character study, particularly of Angie and Lily, who are facing massive upheavals in their lives.
Their struggles are explored, although Lily’s is a more rounded story. Perhaps the most interesting character is Smurf, the off-grid war veteran with a well-trained dog and a swag in the bush, who gets pulled into the overall mystery – itself revealed through the eyes of the missing boy.
All in all, I thought this was a more disjointed read than Out In Nowhere with not an awful lot to theorise over. Nonetheless, it is an easy read and does a good job on depicting small, rural town life.
Thanks to HarperCollins, via NetGalley, for an eARC of this novel, in exchange for an honest review.
November 18, 2025
Teenager Max Galbraith disappears after a party at the well known two-up ring on the outskirts of Kalgoorlie. It is Missing Persons Week and when Lily Carter the local talkshow radio host receives information that a further teenager, Brendan Cook, disappeared in the previous year, she questions why the Police didn't launch a full-scale for him at the time.
Hundred-year-old mine shafts are littered and hidden around Kalgoorlie so the search for both Max and Brendan is difficult and dangerous.
Detective Angie Sullivan is new to the area and is yet to understand how a town like Kalgoorlie works. Though there are no clear links between the two missing teenagers, the possibility of drug use comes into question. The bush has secrets it is not always willing to reveal. The bush is also the home of some who are not comfortable with living in a town but prefer to live a life of solitude.
With Police competence in question, Detectives Angie Sullivan and Jack Higgins work against time to locate the missing teens before any more go missing.
Fleur McDonald is a favourite Author for me and I look forward to every new book. Though Dave Burrows featured in many of her past books, he is now enjoying retirement. I am delighted to see Jack Higgins in both these Kalgoorlie stories and very much hope that Jack will stay with us for future adventures. Kalgoorlie is a place that I visited some years ago and, like most mining towns, the history of the place is interesting and compelling. As is this story...scary in a number of ways but not really surprising when we consider the challenges life presents to most people, particularly the young.
Thank you Fleur, I did love this story and look forward to the next book that I have just discovered will be released early in 2026.
Hundred-year-old mine shafts are littered and hidden around Kalgoorlie so the search for both Max and Brendan is difficult and dangerous.
Detective Angie Sullivan is new to the area and is yet to understand how a town like Kalgoorlie works. Though there are no clear links between the two missing teenagers, the possibility of drug use comes into question. The bush has secrets it is not always willing to reveal. The bush is also the home of some who are not comfortable with living in a town but prefer to live a life of solitude.
With Police competence in question, Detectives Angie Sullivan and Jack Higgins work against time to locate the missing teens before any more go missing.
Fleur McDonald is a favourite Author for me and I look forward to every new book. Though Dave Burrows featured in many of her past books, he is now enjoying retirement. I am delighted to see Jack Higgins in both these Kalgoorlie stories and very much hope that Jack will stay with us for future adventures. Kalgoorlie is a place that I visited some years ago and, like most mining towns, the history of the place is interesting and compelling. As is this story...scary in a number of ways but not really surprising when we consider the challenges life presents to most people, particularly the young.
Thank you Fleur, I did love this story and look forward to the next book that I have just discovered will be released early in 2026.
November 21, 2025
The Missing
Another great mystery in the outback town of
Kalgoorlie. The writer has you following leads and keeps you wondering 🤔 how is this going to end a great read. A snapshot of life in the town, along with an insight into the foster and policing system. A mystery thriller well worth reading
Another great mystery in the outback town of
Kalgoorlie. The writer has you following leads and keeps you wondering 🤔 how is this going to end a great read. A snapshot of life in the town, along with an insight into the foster and policing system. A mystery thriller well worth reading
November 11, 2025
Once again this book crabs you from first page.
This author doesn’t disappoint with her books and they leave in hanging for next one, plus little of something from one before, and so Australian you can relate. Look forward to next one.
This author doesn’t disappoint with her books and they leave in hanging for next one, plus little of something from one before, and so Australian you can relate. Look forward to next one.
November 13, 2025
Good solid and entertaining crime novel set in Australia. Loved the female lead and the character building in addition to the direct plot line. Thank you to the author. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.
November 25, 2025
I loved this book, my kind of genre and writing style. Detective Australian rural thriller/mystery/drama. I think if you enjoy Chris Hammer you’d enjoy Fleur McDonald. Looking forward to meeting the author tomorrow night!
November 30, 2025
Thoroughly enjoyed this book, read it virtually in one sitting. Liked the female characters and the way the story unfolded, and of course, a great setting. I particularly liked the backstory behind the characters, which gave motivation as to why they did what they did.
December 3, 2025
This book would have to be one of the best if not the best. Its easy to read and the story keeps you wanting to keep reading. The story got a bit tense in the end so couldn't put the book down until I'd finished it.
November 12, 2025
The Missing is Fleur McDonald’s second book after leaving behind her Detective Dave Burrows series. I might have still been suffering under the shock of loosing Dave when the first one came out, but now I was ready to make a new friend. And I am not saying that I didn’t like The Prospect but I only had “found” Dave a year ago and binge read the entire series (23 books) within a year, so you can maybe understand that I was totally engrossed and not entirely ready to say goodbye to him.
But now I am and I really liked Detective Angie Sullivan. She is new in the Aussie Mining Town of Kalgoorlie where a teenager has gone missing. Actually it’s not the first missing teen and there might be a link to their disappearances. Has the boy fallen in one of the countless abandoned mineshafts or is something more sinister going on? I really liked investigating with Detective Angie Sullivan and also that there is still a link to the old series but hope that she will be the new lead of this series. In terms of the mystery, I figured out a key part of the story early on but not how the complete picture would fit together which always is a bonus as it makes me feel smart ☺️ but I also still having the element of surprise at the end. I am definitely looking forward to the third one!
But now I am and I really liked Detective Angie Sullivan. She is new in the Aussie Mining Town of Kalgoorlie where a teenager has gone missing. Actually it’s not the first missing teen and there might be a link to their disappearances. Has the boy fallen in one of the countless abandoned mineshafts or is something more sinister going on? I really liked investigating with Detective Angie Sullivan and also that there is still a link to the old series but hope that she will be the new lead of this series. In terms of the mystery, I figured out a key part of the story early on but not how the complete picture would fit together which always is a bonus as it makes me feel smart ☺️ but I also still having the element of surprise at the end. I am definitely looking forward to the third one!
November 7, 2025
Amazing
November 7, 2025
Easy read, fast paced. - totally unbelievable- A great read.
November 10, 2025
I lived the Kalgoorlie setting, the varying perspectives and the unsettling mystery.
This one had me hooked from the prologue right through to the climactic ending.
4.5 stars (rounded up)
This one had me hooked from the prologue right through to the climactic ending.
4.5 stars (rounded up)
November 21, 2025
Love love love!! 4.5 ⭐️
So well written, love the background stories of the characters. The book is fast paced and never boring.
Only -0.5 stars because I found the ending a little rushed.
So well written, love the background stories of the characters. The book is fast paced and never boring.
Only -0.5 stars because I found the ending a little rushed.
November 22, 2025
Excellent story line Fleur! You have become a crime author. Look forward to more tales from Kalgoorlie with Angie in charge.
November 23, 2025
Straightforward detective novel
November 29, 2025
I loved the book it was interesting missing child and police procedure loved the interview on radio and give us facts about missing people
good story in out back perth
thank you net gallery
good story in out back perth
thank you net gallery
November 29, 2025
Fantastic read. Follows on from The Prospect as a series, but can be read as a stand alone read. Great characters, excellent plot.
Looking forward to more!
Looking forward to more!
December 2, 2025
Another fantastic mystery from Fleur. Looking forward to the next one.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews