The Missing Among Us: Stories of missing persons and those left behind

by Erin Stewart

In Australia 38 000 people are reported missing each year and in the US it's over 600 000. In the UK someone is reported missing every 90 seconds. Many of these cases are never resolved.

Blending long-form journalism with true crime and philosophy, The Missing Among Us takes us from the Australian bush to the battlefields of Northern France and the perilous space of a refugee camp to explore the stories of the missing. Erin Stewart speaks to parents of missing children, former cult members, detectives and investigators, advocates working on the crisis of missing refugees, a child of the Stolen Generations and many more to trace the mysterious world of missing persons.

Examining famous cases like that of Madeleine McCann to those who are lesser known yet equally loved and mourned, this unique book forces us to see the complex story behind each missing person and those they leave behind.

Genres: Nonfiction

304 pages, Paperback

Published March 1, 2021

Reviews

[Meegz Reads]

*DNF*

Copy kindly received via New South Books in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately the writing style really doesn't sit well with me in this book. I find the author drifts off on tangents a bit much, where-as I prefer to read the more fact based, maybe procedural type crime books. I hate to DNF a book, but I just can't get into this one. I'm sure others will enjoy this, unfortunately it's just not for me.

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[Gillian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wish I’d read the acknowledgement at the end first that this book started as a PhD - it definitely reads like it. The writing style works for that genre but not as a book. While I found the stories interesting, the constant interrupting with facts and statistics made it hard for me to really get into it.

[Asofterbutch · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic read. Erin Stewart has a great, distinct writing voice that keeps you grounded as she explores the world of missing persons. Throughout her in-depth interviews with people who have been missing, people whose friends or family have gone missing, and professionals involved with missing person cases, Stewart beautifully illustrates the strange, ambiguous existence her subjects experienced (and in some cases continue to experience). I found this book to be both compelling and very intense; I read it in a series of binges with breaks in between to process the heavier parts. I look forward to returning to this book again and again in the future.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating book detailing the stories of missing persons.
A little different from other missing persons books in that it included interviews with people involved in searching for missing persons and has chapters about different types of missing persons such as those missing in wars or natural disasters, those that go missing because they become involved in a cult, etc.
A very interesting and well researched book.

[Jo Hartley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book, though harrowing and eye opening in parts as to how much / little is done when people go missing

[Nicole]

DNF.
Tried my best, but could not get into this. The subject matter should make for compelling reading, but the author manages to make it completely uninteresting.