Nowhere to be Found

DS Kate Munro #2

by Louisa de Lange

SHE FOUND THE BODY. NOW LUCY BARKER IS MISSING . . .

Lucy Barker has disappeared, and her distraught husband Scott says he has no idea where she is.

But rumours abound about this seemingly perfect couple. Why is Scott behaving so strangely? And why was Lucy lying to him about where she went every Tuesday night?

Then, while investigating the recent murder of man found floating in a lake, DS Kate Munro learns that it was Lucy Barker who discovered the body and called the police.

Now she must find out if the two crimes are connected. Before Lucy’s time runs out . . .

320 pages, Paperback

First published July 23, 2020

About the author

Louisa de Lange studied Psychology at the University of Southampton and has lived in and around the city ever since. She works as a freelance copywriter and editor, and when she’s not writing, she can be found pounding the streets in running shoes or swimming in muddy lakes.

Reviews

[Ceecee · Rating 4 out of 5]

What connects a body in a lake, a missing woman and a survivalist group The Borderland Family? DS Kate Munro is determined to find out.

First of all, I like the characters of the police team especially Kate. She is very driven, hardworking and determined which puts her marriage to Sam in jeopardy, Sam’s feelings are well described and you do feel empathy but equally you understand that mid-investigation it’s hard for officers and a normal life. I think the inclusion of relationships makes the book feel authentic and I like the frisson of ‘something’ between Kate and PC Max Cooper. The plot is good, it’s well paced though it does dip a bit in the middle perhaps it’s a bit overlong??? However, the pace does pick up and the second half is really good. It’s a twisty read, the case is weird at times but it makes for interesting reading. The end is good and edge of your seat exciting.

Overall, a good, gripping police procedural that feels realistic. The survivalist group adds an intriguing dimension too. I definitely want to read more Kate Munro books!

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

DS Kate Munro #2

Lucy is missing. Her husband, Scott does not know where she could be. But things are not adding up. It seems Lucy might have had a good reason to disappear. DS Kate Munro is called in to investigate. Scott becomes the prime suspect in Lucy's disappearance. Kate is also investigating the recent murder of a man found floating in a lake. Kate learns that it was Lucy who found the body.

The story is multilayered. The pace is fast with plenty of twists. There were some parts that were predictable and other parts I didn't see coming. The plotline is believable. The characters are likeable and unlikable. It's told from multiple points if view. This is a well written and gripping page turner. This is the second book in this series.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Orion Publishing Group and the author Louisa de Lange for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Elaine Tomasso · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for an advance copy of Nowhere to be Found, the second novel to feature DS Kate Munro, of the Hampshire Police.

Lucy Barker is swimming in a local lake when she finds a dead body. Two days later Lucy goes missing. Her husband, Scott, is hiding secrets and doesn’t seem overly concerned. DS Kate Munro is put in charge of both investigations in case there is a link.

I found Nowhere to be Found a bit of a mixed bag. It has all the ingredients to be a thumping good read, yet it didn’t hold my attention. This may be due to my mood, but I think it’s more to do with fact that I couldn’t connect with the characters and that meant that I couldn’t care about their fate.

The novel is told from various points of view so the reader gets a more rounded picture of events. It has some neat twists and some pulse pounding, tense moments, culminating in an action packed showdown. The plot is unusual and has some interesting observations about alternative lifestyles which I didn’t find overly convincing.

I can’t say that I liked any of the characters. Kate Munro is all about Kate, what she wants and needs. It doesn’t make her a very good police officer or wife, basically because she’s impulsive in meeting these needs. The Barkers are odd, I can’t say more than that without spoilers.

Nowhere to be Found is a solid read.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really well written crime thriller!

I've read a lot of crime thrillers in my time and this was another very well written and engaging British detective thriller.

I really liked the writing style. It was very easy to read and engaging from the start

The plot was also really interesting. I've read some similar thrillers before but it was still enjoyable to read.

I also liked the main detective. I do like a strong female detective.

One thing I didn't like about this book was the tropes. I didn't like the fact it played on the female detective having an unsuccessful marriage and feelings to another member of her team. It's been done so many times before.

I did see some things coming in this book. I could see where the general idea of the book was going.

There was some twists however, that I didn't see coming and I did want to read on to the end to find out what happened.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable thriller which I really recommend if you like British crime detective thrillers

TW: violence, murder and suicide

[Nila (digitalcreativepages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucy Barker had found a body, and now she was missing. It was up to DS Kate Munro to investigate.

My first foray into this author's works, I was quite taken by the premise of the story. KAte was highly determined and was well supported by her colleagues. A fast read with many subplots, the book kept me engrossed with its short, snappy chapters. I was not too fond of attraction hinted at. But the rest of the book was a solid crime thriller.
Overall, a good read

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a very easy read for me, I like the idea of short chapters.
Loads is happening, but the way how the things are linked, it's very easy to follow.
The end was little bit rush, but overall very nice read, and I will definitely check other books from this author.

[Karly · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Rating: 3⭐️⭐️⭐️ reliable and decent but nothing mind blowing!!!

This is the second book in this series and I am told its a re-release of Louisa Scarr’s earlier writing which to me makes sense. Her newer books are much better. There was nothing wrong with this… but it just wasn’t as good as her other stuff.

Weirdly I like Kate, she is a bit of a mess and I don’t mind that… I was ready to drop kick her husband Sam though… he broke up with her only to get back with her, a Detective and basically hold it against her when she was home late… like someone died bro but no worries Kate will just back up at 4:30pm and come cook your dinner… pfft up yours!!!

The case was interesting but it laboured a bit, I didn’t love Max but also didn't hate him… he just had a bit too much to prove but he was alright by the end.

This is told from Multi-POV which I like and there was a cult-ish element to this book… but it wasn’t as well played out as I would like. I think that this could be much better if she wrote it now.

Overall, I think it was worth reading but if this series continues I think it will only get better. I think its a solid police procedural but certainly not her best work. I do strongly recommend reading her first book in this series before you dive in… it does follow along from the last book.

[bookster · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

[Joanne Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am thoroughly enjoying this crime series featuring DS Kate Monroe by Louisa de Lange and was really looking forward to this second book. Kate is a wonderfully complex character and we see her both at work and at “play” and I always find her personal life just as intriguing as the cases she is in charge of. If you’ve read the first book then you will know about her relationship dilemma and book two continues that thread.

The opening scenes in Nowhere to be Found were truly shocking as a woman swimming outdoors finds herself entangled quite literally in a murder case when she finds a body. When it comes to Kate’s attention that the woman has now been reported missing by her husband, she comes to the conclusion that there is no such thing as coincidences when it comes to murder and ties the two cases together. It’s a complex case but the author unravels it slowly and steadily, raising the tension as the clues all come together. There were a few little twists that I hadn’t been expecting, especially those surrounding Kate and when one of the characters puts themself in serous danger I could hardly breathe as I awaited their fate.

Nowhere to be Found is a gripping thriller with lots of tense, action packed moments towards the end. Kate does tend to barge ahead thinking she knows best and it often gets her into trouble but ultimately she does it to get the job done. She could come across as quite unlikeable because of this and other little foibles in her personality but I like her and can’t wait to see what she does next!

[Karen Huxtable]

Thank you to Alianna at Orion books for my invitation to the tour and my copy of the book in return for a fair and honest review.

The story starts with a gruesome discovery, in a lake. The body of a man.

This is the second novel in the series featuring D S Kate Munro.

Scott goes home to see his wife Lucy and although her bag, keys and car are at home she is not. After several hours he calls the police as the behaviour is very out of character for Lucy.

The police are convinced that Scott knows more than he is letting on. Lucy lead a quiet life so her disappearance is a big surprise.

Kate is called in to investigate the body that is found in the lake and she then realises that the woman who discovered the body was Lucy. Lucy had a strict religious upbringing and her parents disowned her for getting together with Scott. Her brother had a secret and Lucy was helping him.

Do they know anything about her disappearance?

Then there is her best friend Jen, is she hiding something ? As the story progresses the plot thickens and Lucy also appears to have her own secrets.

Does the body in the lake have any connection?

This is a great read and I will definitely be reading more by this author. I liked the twists in the story and it was peeling back an onion and uncovering more and more about Lucy and her life. There is a cracking twist in the middle of the book that completely changes everything but no spoilers!

Gripping, and clever, this book will keep you reading as you need to discover more and more.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for the arc Nowhere to be Found written by Louisa de Lange.

Thank you to Louisa de Lange for writing this second instalment in the DS Kate Munro series.

The body has been found... but Lucy is now missing but her husband has no idea where she could be..
Rumours start to circlate around them, but the question is why is her husband being so strange and behaving in a strange way. Lucy goes out every night on a tuesday night but she lies to her husband on where she is? but the reason is why...

DS Kate Munro gets called to a body being found in the lake, the body is of a man.. floating in the lake after being drown.. facts get revealed that Lucy was the one who found the body.. and she actually called the police to say she found a body.. now the biggest question of all are the two crimes connected and interlinked in anyway...? they need to find out before Lucys time runs out...

The book had me gripped from the start i loved how it was written and all the twists of what happen right the way through the book, thank you Louisa de Lange for this

Definitely recommend- 4 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐

[JoanieM · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a gripping read. There were a lot of of story lines, which were linked together very well. And although there was a lot going on, it was easy to follow – I never lost the plot! I read it in a couple of sittings, as I didn’t want to put it down.

The characters were mostly interesting, but I thought the main character Kate Munro was not too likeable. She was very self centred – it was all about her, her wants, her job. Everything else took second place – or third in the case of her husband! Not surprising she came home one day to find him gone! But she wasn’t too upset about that – she had already moved on to her next guy, who is also a work colleague.

I hope there are more books to follow featuring these characters, though. I am willing to give Kate a second chance!

The only fault I had was probably an editing problem – the author’s name and the title of the book kept appearing randomly in the middle of the text.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book of three parts, initially it seemed to be a quite straightforward murder case, even although the body had not yet been found. The twists in the story make for an interesting and suspenseful read and the suprises kept coming until the end. Some parts of the story could be expected, others were less predictable. All in all this made for a fast paced and believable crime story which leaves you with something to think about after finishing the book .Parts two and three are distinctive in their own ways and the divisions are necessary for the way the story is told.
I liked most of the characters. The description of "the family" was interesting and you are shown see how members became involved, their doubts, and those of the reader only gradually becoming apparent later in the story. It is written from the viewpoints of different characters, which can sometimes be distracting, but here added to the understanding of the story
Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Definitely a good read if you like a good crime novel

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always say the sign of a great book for me is the speed at which I read it. I devoured this clever crime thriller in just one day. I could not put it down until I knew the ending.
The characters are strong and even without huge detailed character description pieces it is easy to feel a real connection to each character. I loved the inclusion of “The Family” (a cult like group of doomsdayers), it gave a really interesting and unpredictable element to the story.
Nowhere To Be Found combines interlocking storylines, each one adding more and more to the overall plot that come together in a heart wrenching ending which left my heart racing and taking a very deep breath.
This is an easy to read but intelligent book that I would highly recommend to lovers of crime fiction.

[Áine Toner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a DS Kate Munro crime/thriller and I found it captivating, I wanted to do nothing else other than race to the end to see how the plot finished out. A young woman called Lucy is missing and her husband, Scott, hasn’t a clue as to her whereabouts. But things aren’t adding up and soon it becomes apparent that Lucy may have had good reason to disappear. Plus, Lucy is tied to a case that Kate is overseeing – the missing woman is the same who reported a body floating in a late. But how are the investigations linked? It’s up to Kate and her team to find out. I loved the plot of the book plus the interactions between the police officers – it makes it seem more real and I’d absolutely watch this as a TV series.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

DS Munro is trying to piece her marriage back together as well as investigating a big case. When Lucy discovers a body in the lake she goes swimming in, what has happened to her when her husband reports her missing shortly after.
Lucy is missing presumed dead, but then turns up in a commune near the lake where she discovered the body. Is the commune as innocent as they say it is or are there hidden secrets? And who did kill the body in the lake?
I enjoy the way Louise De Lange writes in a clear and organised way. There are a lot of characters in this book each with intertwining relationships, but they are all easy to follow and understand.

[T Rowley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic book which I recommend you add to your wish list today! This is the second book by Louisa I have read and I have not been disappointed by this, her latest release. This is NOT what you think it’s going to be at all, it goes off in a completely unexpected direction! An excellent story, loveable and detestable characters, a clever plot with twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat edge, a hold your breath ending then just another twist in case you thought it was over! Brilliant!
I rate this a strong 5⭐️ and highly recommend it.

[Nicola Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me up till the early hours of the morning!! Such suspense through out. Kate a detective has a new murder case that's is linked with a missing woman Lucy. Whilst in the woods is a cult group run by a Father and Son Graham and Oliver, something just isnt right about that Oliver....... A fast paced novel who will keep you gripped from.start to finish. A real must read for thriller seekers.

[Tyr · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book did take me by surprise.

After being disappointed by highly lauded thriller books, I expected less from this but got quite a few thrills from the twists and turns.

While the plot was largely predictable - bad guy receives just desserts in karmic twist of fate - it was largely enjoyable and pretty much a page turner.

There were quite a few interconnected threads that the author has managed to somehow intertwine without losing their character essence, or the plot development.

[Emily West · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good crime thriller that kept up a steady pace throughout. This is the second in the series but you don’t have to have read the first to really enjoy this one, it would just give you a bit of background on the main characters. A good read.

[The Endless Unread · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nail-biting terror. This kept me on the edge of my seat and I devoured it in one sitting in order to find out what happened. So many twists and turns. Really compelling.

[Zubeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a gripping read. The plot was interesting and held my interest. The characters were well realised and I'd look forward to reading more.

[Billie Brocklehurst · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nowhere to be found
Louisa de Lange
A good story, includes several storylines that link well together. Feel it was slightly longer than it needed to be.
Written well and characters likeable. Loved the relationship between the 2 main police characters although would have liked a little more backstory to Kate’s past relationship. Loved Max’s character.

Some editing issues the title and author was randomly inserted into several sentences.

Good read! Overall 3 star as there is lots of competition in this area and it didn’t grip me as much as others.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent book in this series. A great story and good characters. I really enjoyed it.

[Tess Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what a book! This is not what I was expecting. This book gripped me and with plenty of twists, kept me guessing, and what a finale! Can't wait for the next Kate Munro book.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyable read and loved the new series, DS Kate Munro. Will be eagerly awaiting the next in the series.

[Hannah Ferry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this series.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seems like a good series.

[Maggie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very poor

[Silke · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars