The Missing

Craig Hunter Police Thriller #1

by Ed James

A new series from the bestselling author of the Detective Scott Cullen Scottish crime novels.

Meet PC Craig Hunter of Edinburgh's Local Policing Unit. Ex-Army. Ex-CID. Back in uniform.

A straightforward domestic call out twists out of control when 16-year-old schoolgirl Stephanie Ferguson alleges her stepfather, Doug Ferguson, has been abusing her. Hunter is soon working with DS Chantal Jain of Police Scotland’s Sexual Offences Unit to kick off the prosecution. But before a full statement can be taken, Stephanie disappears from hospital.

Now, Hunter must hunt the girl down before anyone else can. Where has Stephanie gone? Did she run? Or did someone take her? Will he get to the truth before it gets beaten into lies? Or before Stephanie is silenced for good…? And why does this case keep throwing up old enemies from Hunter’s past?

MISSING is a fast-paced police procedural, full of action and suspense that will grip you until its breathless conclusion.

Genres: Crime, Mystery, Procedural

340 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 29, 2016

Reviews

[Book Addict Shaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favourite people who I am yet to meet is Linda over at Crimeworm who is a huge supporter of my blog and I absolutely love reading her enthusiastic reviews. When she asked me to review Missing on behalf of Ed James, there was no way I could refuse. It was only when I was reading about the book on Amazon that I realised Ed was an author I had discovered on there a couple of months ago, and I remembered making a mental note at the time to one day check out his books.

Anyone who reads my blog will know that I enjoy what I call 'proper' police procedurals and that's exactly what Missing is. It focuses on the police inside and outside the squad room, and features a truly eclectic and brilliant mix of characters, all of whom are believable and very well-drawn characters that I can't wait to read about again. It's no secret that some of the best humour in crime fiction can be found in Scottish crime novels and here in Missing we are given a very dark storyline which is counterbalanced by some very clever, believable and timely humour. Our main character PC Craig Hunter certainly finds himself in some rather unlucky (but hilarious) situations and the banter between the team also lightens the mood throughout the book. In books like this I always enjoy those scenes that take place outside of the investigation, as it allows us to really get to know and understand the characters more.

As mentioned earlier, the storyline here isn't the easiest to read about but it's a truly compelling tale that I struggled to put down, and I do recommend picking this book up when you have a couple of hours spare to really dedicate to reading it. What was meant to be a routine call soon sees a teenage girl, Stephanie, making allegations that her stepfather has been abusing her. Statements are about to be taken when Stephanie disappears. It is soon up to Hunter to find the girl, and to work out whether she up and left of her own accord or whether more sinister forces are at play. One of the strongest parts of this book was in Ed's ability to keep me guessing as a reader, as I had no idea just what was to come as the book progressed.

The storyline here is handled very sensitively and is told in a believable way and it's a powerful and emotive storyline. That said, I was at times somewhat uncomfortable with how the mother spoke about what had happened to her daughter but then I thought about it and realised we don't know how we would react in a situation like Stephanie and her family have to face here and so how family members would react and speak I suppose is subjective and unique. I wondered where the story was going to go as I read, and any ideas I had about what had happened to Stephanie were just totally incorrect. Ed delivers some surprising and timely twists that were just brilliant and the story is at times more thought-provoking than a lot of crime novels. I found myself thinking about the characters even when I wasn't reading the book.

Missing moves along at a brilliant pace, and as said earlier it isn't a book you will want to put down. As I read I knew that Ed had been keeping the best till last and that was certainly the case with a thrilling finale. I didn't see half of it coming and I think that's why I enjoyed this book so much. I am incredibly excited at having finally discovered Ed's books and have no hesitation in recommending Missing to those who are also yet to discover his work. Ed is an extremely talented writer who has written the kind of procedural that I just love. It was also a refreshing change to read a book set in Edinburgh as almost all of the crime fiction I have read has taken place in Glasgow. I am already working out how to fit Ed's previous books into my TBR and I cannot wait to read more from Craig Hunter.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new series with a striking main character.
I did not expect the appearance of Scott Cullen who is the main character of the Scott Cullen series.
The Scott Cullen in this book acts a bit different to the one described in the series.

Proper police procedurals, a really dark story line, and an excellent bunch of characters.
Look forward to meet Craig Hunter again.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Police Constable Craig Hunter is a new protagonist from author Ed James in "Missing", a new series from the writer who brought us the Scott Cullen series. The new Hunter series looks to go in another slightly direction than the iconic Cullen Series. Craig Hunter back in uniform and knocked down to a P.C. for the past two years had been an acting D.C. before "Budget cuts" demoted him. Hunter with a huge chip on his shoulder partners with P.C. Finlay Sinclair. Although Sinclair and Hunter seem to work well together, Hunter has nothing but contempt for the lazy Finlay. The pair get called out to the home of Pauline Ferguson who informs the two cops that her husband Douglas has been sexually assaulting her 16 year old daughter Stephanie. However while the exam at the hospital is under way Stephanie manages to slip past Finlay. Stephanie is out the door unnoticed and jumps onto a bus for getaway. Maddingly Finlay has a knack for being distracted while playing video games on his cell phone. The results of the exam don't seem to show signs of sexual assault which causes mother Pauline to almost have a melt down. D.I. Sharon McNeill and D.S. Chantal Jain take the lead on the rape case. While stepfather Douglas sits in jail the police are all scattered looking for Stephanie. Hunter discovers Stephanie's biological father Robert Quarrie, who was serving eight years for sexual assault on Stephanie had been released after just a couple years and was loose. The police are stymied by their lack of ability to find the 16 year old. Neil Alexander who was Stephanie's 27 year old "Boyfriend" seemed clueless as did Stephanie's best friend Olivia Pearce. 27 year old bus driver Alexander is a weird duck to be sure. Although he tries his best to help the police. In a case where the police are continually thwarted by the characters within their patch author Ed James weaves a pretty good tale of suspense. Also arriving on the scene is Scott Cullen himself. Hunter absolutely detests Cullen and is aghast when he's not only forced to interact but help Cullen. Cullen of course is oblivious to the severely negative attitude Hunter has towards him. It makes Hunter even more upset when he sees Cullen hasn't a clue he's more than upset having to deal with Cullen. I'd have to say the interactions between Hunter and Cullen are some of the best parts of reading in the book. The supporting characters as with all of author Ed James' books are colorful and entertaining. There are some pretty unique characters walking around Scotland on either side of the law. Hunter as a protagonist does fall a bit short. With this first book of series we see very little of Hunter's personality beyond a huge crush on Chantal Jain , and hatred of Scott Cullen. Although the acrimony between Cullen and Hunter drive help drive the plot along. An extremely quick reading 350 pages took me three sittings to get through. (About 3 hours). A solid four stars out of a possible five stars for, "Missing", A Craig Hunter novel. Having read 9(?) Ed James books to date I'd highly recommend this suspense thriller. Any Ed James fans will easily enjoy this solid read. Reading the Scott Cullen series first would give a good perspective of the unique characters before checking out, "Missing". But regardless do not miss this one by any means.

[Mystereity Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thrilling, compelling and gritty, Missing delves into the difficult subject of of child sexual abuse and its impact; not only for the victim, but also the family and the police officers assigned to investigate the case.

This will definitely be high on my favorite books of the year list, the finely woven plot unwound bit by bit, with lots of plot twists and red herrings that kept me guessing as the book raced towards the shocking finale.

The main character, Craig Hunter is a likeable guy. I mean, who wouldn't love a copper that would jump out a window into a tree to rescue a cat? I really enjoyed that scene, it made for a great start to the book. I also liked how well the characters from the Scott Cullen series were integrated into the story, adding more dimension to the characters I already knew (and loved.)

Overall, Missing is a dark, riveting, and memorable book with a strong plot that will draw you into the middle of the action. I defiintely recommend to anyone who enjoys police procedurals or just a good, old-fashioned hard-boiled mystery.

[Adele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ed James does it again. Another fantastic character based in Scottish Police Procedures but was integrated with other characters from James's Cullen series (excellent if you have not read any of these). A very gritty subject that is not for the faint-hearted, but is dealt with compassion. James really does seem to have an insight into the inner workings of police stations and the tightness of the team, true Scottish black-humour comes through in his writing and I loved that many places he mentioned in the book I recognised from being the place that I was born. One of the police stations is where my cousin worked out of for may years. cannot wait for the next book in the series. Well done Ed.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read

I have had separation anxiety from Ed James other detective Cullen and was pleasantly surprised at him sneaking his way in to this book.

Craig Hunter and the rest of the team are once again, great charachters. Ed has a way of pulling you in and though the subject matter for this book is dark and disturbing , he portrays the ripple affect that sexual abuse can have on the many people victim, family, friends and the police, with empathy and feeling.

An emotive story line, woven with Ed James magic x

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put it down. Tight prose and fast moving action, a difficult subject yet dealt with in a manner that had me gripped from the first chapter. For fans, this is set to be a fantastic new series yet it also stands alone for those who have yet to discover Cullen....
Another sure fire winner Mr James, I'm positive this will be a big hit amongst old and new fans alike!

[Mary B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well. Ed James has done it again! The start of another series that looks to be a sure fire winner. Grittier than Scott Cullen, Craig Hunter is just as interesting and believable. Good twist to see a different perspective of Cullen too. And liked the way the story kind of ended how it began! Can't wait for Hunter 2!

[David Highton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Edinburgh police procedural - the first of the Craig Hunter series - including a lot of characters from the Scott Cullen books, including a bit of Cullen himself. A lot of banter and nicknaming makes for a realistic atmosphere. The plot is a bit one dimensional though

[Heather Love · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was OK. A bit like marmite, you will either love it or hate it. I sat on the fence. Hated the banter, tired of it being cold and I didn’t really connect with any of the characters. All very shallow. Domestic abuse, pediphilia and rape triggers, not in detail but throughout the content.

[Julie Stott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another 5* book from Ed James

[David Stimpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Book ..Enjoyed this A Lot

[Brian Mackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good read from Ed James brings some familiar characters into a more prominent role also interesting to see the different opinions people have of Scott Cullen

[Nick Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyable novel, good story with some nice twists. Gives a great back story to characters from the Cullen stories

[Brett T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ed James, who seems well on his way to becoming the Ed McBain of English and Scottish police procedurals, relies on color differently as he opens a new character series, following Police Constable Craig Hunter as he investigates crimes in Edinburgh. Hunter connects with one of James' other character series, featuring a higher-ranking officer named Scott Cullen, but Hunter's work is much more on the street level than Cullen's detective casework.

In 2016's Missing, we meet Hunter just before he begins the case hinted at by the title, as he engages in one of the many tasks people seem to expect of uniformed police officers -- rescuing an animal. But before he and his partner Finlay Sinclair can finish their shift, they are called to a domestic disturbance that will soon spiral out of control due to the secrets being kept by the family and some incompetence on the part of his fellow officers. Douglas Ferguson has been shut out of his house by his wife following an accusation of sexual abuse by her daughter Stephanie. Stephanie seems uncooperative and her mother is even less help, so when the girl goes missing Hunter and a superior officer, Detective Sergeant Chantal Jain, face enormous pressure to find her and avoid the hailstorm of condemnation the department has coming for losing Stephanie in the first place.

James paints most of his color in his dialogue, peppering it heavily with expressions and lingo common to Edinburgh and other idioms used by their law enforcement. The dogged police work is the same as might be found in any precinct anywhere, but the different words and the ubiquitous closed-circuit television surveillance available to the officers sets these flatfeet apart from their stateside counterparts.

The final resolution of the mystery is a little convoluted and some mighty big coincidences link our characters to the case and to each other, but Missing still manages to open up a case so that the readers who look in can follow along despite some of the strange Scottish sayings he or she may encounter, and the characters draw enough interest to prompt some return visits.

Original available here.

[Gary · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘The Missing’ by Ed James is a crime thriller that follows PC Craig Hunter, an ex-Army and ex-CID officer who finds himself back in uniform in Edinburgh’s Local Policing Unit. This is another spin off series by author Ed James and features many of the characters from other series.

The story begins with a seemingly straightforward domestic call that quickly escalates when a 16-year-old girl named Stephanie Ferguson accuses her stepfather, Doug, of abuse. Hunter teams up with DS Chantal Jain from the Sexual Offences Unit to build a case against Doug. However, before Stephanie can give her full statement, she goes missing from the hospital, prompting Hunter to embark on a race against time to find her. The story tackles the serious issue of sexual abuse and the impact it has on its victims, shedding light on the complexities of such cases and the challenges faced by law enforcement in pursuing justice.

The character of PC Craig Hunter is a competent protagonist, drawing on his past experiences in CID to navigate the investigation. Although I was not blown away by this latest book I did find it laid good foundations of what is to come in future books. Well paced with an interesting plot and yet another very strong character brought to life by author Ed James.

These books are easy, quick reads but should not be under estimated, they are very good, gritty entertaining reads bringing out the atmosphere of Edinburgh.

‘The Missing’ is the start of yet another gritty crime novel that I fully expect to read more of in the near future.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is pretty good but I just couldn’t warm to PC Craig Hunter. I thought Scott Cullen was bad enough but Craig . . .

They are a pair of overgrown whiny schoolboys who need to grow up and accept that there will always be someone telling them what to do - it is the nature of working life.

I also found the timeline disconnect from the previous book in the series disconcerting. We know that Hunter and Cullen had worked together on a case in that book but in this book it appears that they have had no contact for years. In Cowboys and Indians, Cullen thinks he and Hunter are friends but Hunter is cool and reserved with him and Cullen doesn’t know why. Hunter makes it clear that he is not happy to be working with Cullen. In this book, not only have they not seen each other for years, but we also find out why Hunter is so antipathetic to Cullen.
If authors are writing a series (and I love a series) they need to get the timeline straight and keep it straight.)

[Linda · Rating 1 out of 5]

For me this book was seriously blighted by one of the most irritating main characters I have ever come across. PC Craig Hunter, ex army and ex CID. Completely unable to follow an order, constantly chipping his unwanted advice to senior officers and an all round pain in the backside. I actually found myself reading with gritted teeth at times because the urge to slap him and tell him to shut up was almost overwhelming. The only reason I didn’t give up on this part way through was I kept hoping it would get better but I really never did. There was an odd unexpected plot twist but with the constant stream of new characters and some absolutely ridiculous nick names, sometimes 3 different ones for the one person and I found it hard to keep track of who was who. I doubt I have ever read such an annoying book before ever. Certainly not an author I will be returning to.

[johnmarkie1905 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was fantastic from beginning to the end

I absolutely loved this many twists the storyline was brilliant this had everything you want serious story but bits of hilarity when two workmates banter each other then there was a touch of romance and then the reaction of others when they find out their mate is seeing a gorgeous woman again in a funny boyish humour the seriousness of the story is never far away and no found myself getting deeper into the book that I wanted to thump the daughters stepfather and father brilliantly written so glad I read it and look forward to reading more in the future

[Shirley]

First of the Craig Hunter series. A bit more info on Hunter's beef with Scott Cullen
Hunter is back in uniform as part of the creation of Police Scotland after previously working for a few years as a detective constable.
He picks up a call which sounds like a straightforward domestic dispute but turns out to be a sexual abuse of a minor. So he's working with Chantal Jain (whose boss is Sharon McNeil) and also with Scott Cullen.
The case gets complicated and touches the issue of predators seeking out those who've already been victims of abuse.
Despite both Hunter and Jain suffering from PTSD (him from the army and her due to her own experience of abuse) their relationship develops.

[Bob Hurley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Missing a little be of dynamism

Whilst I enjoyed getting to know Craig Hunter just felt this needed a little more "punch." I will definitely go on to read more by Ex James and maybe this lead in to Craig Hunter and his background is enough? The police behaviour seemed to be in line with other crime novels I have read, some of the other Characters, Chantal Jain, Findlay, Lauren all seem to have potential to be developed. Overall enjoyed it but as earlier wanted a little more dynamism from Misding

[christina coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here's one for a promising collection

I enjoyed reading this book. It has the hint of big expectations with the characters Hunter and Jain. The child exploitation topic has sensitive issues and is a legal minefield. Plenty of action and twists with dark areas. I was surprised with the entrance of Cullen and he's shown different colours. Bought the second book first. So after finishing this one I'm off to read that now.

[Amy Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Realistic, down to earth and totally engaging.

I became an Ed James fan a couple of more years ago. I love his style and how he lets the story unfold. I love the second dialogue that runs after a character has spoken directly, we are then often given lines of thought. Loved it.

I would love to see the books in Audible format too. I would happily read. I enjoy the opportunity to engage in fully submerged reading.

Keep up with your great work Ed.

[Karl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally worked out what these books remind me of (in a VERY good way) - The Bill! What I appreciate is that these books are all focused on actual policing and not reinventing the strange crime/ serial killer dynamics. What these are, are well crafted and plotted novels that focus on straight forward crime and how they are policed. I enjoyed the change of view and look forward to reading the next Hunter book.

[Kathryn Baron · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately, despite my usual facility with British literature, the colloquialisms in this book defeted me. From what I could tell, it wasn't bad, though I also had trouble differentiating between some of the characters. I made it about half way through before deciding I was just missing too much. It's hard to enjoy a story if you can't comprehend what is going on. Pity.

[Paul Ness · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

I am a big fan of the Cullen series and wanted to give this new series by Ed James a go and I'm so glad I did. Really enjoyable book and brings the familiar characters from the Scott Cullen books. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Louise Pass · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darkly conflicted heros

Similar cast of characters but a different focus from the Scott Cullen books that I enjoyed. I think I need to check out the next in this series, maybe you do too.

[i.s. wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Equal to Scott Cullen!

Another great read from Ed James. Yet again well written with plenty of humour and introducing new PC Craig Hunter and showing another side to Scott Cullen this is definitely worth reading!

[Mary E SMYTH · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read over time all the Scott Cullen tales ,and kept a lookout for Cullen's next adventure., but It seems that is not going to happen . However this Craig Hunter story more than made up for this gap. Good character list ,excellent plot line and the added bonus of a peek into Cullen's progress. Although ,I am a bit disappointed how that lad is turning out.
Looking forward to what hopefully ,may turn out to be a longish series.

[Jason Heavyside · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Ed James novel

A great read, exploring Craig Hunter's character with welcome links to other characters in the Scott Cullen series. Looking forward to reading more in this series