Unmissing

by Minka Kent

A return from the past knocks a family dangerously off-balance in a novel of spiraling suspense by Washington Post and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Minka Kent.

Merritt Coletto and her husband, Luca, have the life they dreamed of: a coastal home, a promising future, and a growing family. That dream ends with a late-night knock on the door.

Weak, broken, and emaciated, it’s Luca’s first wife, Lydia. Missing for ten years, presumed dead, and very much alive, she has quite a story. Her kidnapping. A torturous confinement that should’ve ended with her dead. And finally, escape. Racked with guilt over the beautiful life they’ve built, Merritt and Luca agree to help get Lydia back on her feet—it’s the least they can do.

But the more enmeshed Lydia becomes in Merritt’s family, the more questions Merritt has. What is it about Lydia that’s especially unnerving? Why hasn’t she gone to the police with her harrowing tale? What does she really want of them? The answers, when they come, are terrifying.

Because Lydia isn’t the only one with secrets.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook, Suspense, Psychological Thriller

Audio CD

First published February 15, 2022

Reviews

[Melissa (So Behind) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Going back and forth about how to rate this one.

There are a couple of good twists, but honestly I saw them coming for the most part. I think I'm in a thriller saturation zone where it takes a lot to surprise me. Or it also could be that I didn't have any character to root for, they are all awful. If I would have had someone to get behind (who didn't do dumb things that they didn't thoroughly think through) I think that would have made the book better.

The premise is great--Lydia shows up on her husband's doorstep after being missing for ten years and declared dead. Her husband Luca has moved on and is now married to Merritt and they have a two year old daughter and a baby on the way. Where has Lydia been all this time, and what does she want with Luca and Merritt?

The execution, while fast-paced and kept me interested throughout, is where this book fell a bit short for me. There are so many things that just absolutely could not have happened, and require a lot of suspension of disbelief. Sometimes I'm able to do that, but in this case I just couldn't wrap my mind around some of it, especially the ending events. listened to the audiobook and the dual narrators for Lydia and Merritt were great and really gave them vivid personalities, it is a wonderful way to experience this book.

If you're able to just ride out the story and take it wherever it goes, the drama and rapid pacing should keep you invested.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

[Joey R. · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars — I decided to read Minka Kent’s “Unmissing” after thoroughly enjoying the first two books I read by this author. After reading this one, I’m reminded of the words of the great modern poet, Meatloaf, who said ‘two out of three ain’t bad.’ “Unmissing” begins with Lydia being kidnapped and taken prisoner in an isolated cabin in the woods. She remains there for 10 years where she is tortured and abused. The abductor finally shoots her and leaves her for dead. Although injured, Lydia survives the shooting and takes several days to walk back into town. Does she immediately seek medical help, food, and shelter after 10 years as a captive? No. Does she go to the police and report her abductor so that he won’t have the opportunity to target her again? Well of course not. Does she walk to the home of her husband from 10 years ago (not knowing who was there) late at night looking like a monster and being sent away by the new wife? Well, of course she does. This is just a summary of the beginning of the book, it goes downhill from there. The ending is particularly bad in this one — full of cliches and a laughably bad final resolution. I would have rated it one star but the author does a very good job writing dialogue from multiple narrators, and the book had one twist about 3/4 of the way in that made the book more enjoyable. I will have to read another of Kent’s books to erase the memory of this clunker as soon as possible.

[Brady Lockerby · Rating 1 out of 5]

one of the worst “thrillers” i’ve ever read 🤣 very immature and overly descriptive writing for no reason? such a waste

[Kaceey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Knock, Knock! ✊

Luca and Merritt are living their best life that feels very close to perfect…. Until Merritt answers the door-bell one night. Standing before him is a woman…a woman claiming to be Luca’s first wife. But that’s impossible! His first wife Lydia is dead!

Ooh, what a twisty one this was! You’ll think you have this one figured out. You may think you know the direction the author is headed. Not even close! Be prepared to be taken on a slippery, thrill ride filled with one shock after another! I’m keeping this brief to avoid any spoilers.

Mina Kent is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors! Luckily I have a few more of her older books on my shelf to keep me busy until her next release!

Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas &Mercer

[Lit with Leigh · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book before publication.

**TRIGGER WARNING: SA

BUCKLE IN FOLKS: The hate train is leaving the station. I'll give this 1.5 stars because the writing wasn't atrocious, but the absurdity of the plot knocks it down to one star. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone unless you're a masochist.

THE PLOT
B**** I'm back - Lydia to her husband and his new wife after she's been tortured, r**ped, and just abused in general for 9 years in a remote cabin. But what does Lydia really want? Told from the POVs of Lydia and the new wife, Merritt, both wives are on their own mission and have secrets galore.

MY OPINION
NAHHHHHH BRUV!!!! WHAT DID I JUST READ??? I know this genre requires you to suspend your disbelief, but this was beyond suspension... If I wanted to enjoy this, I would have had to chuck all logic, reasoning, and critical thinking skills out the window.

I want to bill the author for the Botox I'll need to correct these new cringe wrinkles. I think my face is stuck in this stank expression. Halp.

I've never made so many notes on my Kindle; and they were all some variation of: BISH WHAT????? Lydia, Merritt, and bum ass Luca (the husband) were all competing in the Dumbass Olympics... And they all tied for first place.

I really can't go into details without spoiling the book, but it was just so absurd, I wanted to laugh. If anyone in this story had even the smallest smidgen of common sense, the whole plot would've been over in two seconds. Merritt could've seen Lydia and been like: "You came back here to make a point but no one other than us and some crystal-loving whacko knows you're alive? Say less. Let me get my gun." But nah, that would be too easy. Let's help the girl get back into society.

Also, I hated ALL of the characters. Usually, I don't really care if I can connect with a character, or how likeable they are. If they're annoying, it's usually for a reason. But these mans were all so uniquely annoying and despicable (even the "good person" or protagonist if you're fancy), I wanted them all to take a trip to the remote cabin and UFC fight it out until the death. I couldn't even feel sorry for Lydia, which is saying a lot given what she went through.

ANYWAYS. Like I said, the writing wasn't bad... I think. Honestly, I was too distracted by this Lifetime movie hot mess express storyline that I wasn't even paying attention to the writing quality. And if you've read my other reviews, you know that's saying a lot, because writing quality is usually my #1 point of contention.

If you enjoy these kind of ~~crazyyyyy~~ dramatic stories, then I think this is you. I prefer something truly SICK but plausible. This plot had too many holes (nay—Grand Canyon sized gaps) for me to enjoy.

PROS AND CONS

Pros: I finished it
Cons: Plot, characters, the fact I know this novel exists

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very easy read. It is not exactly compelling, but the story does flow nicely. The back-and-forth POVs from Lydia and Merritt get the reader into their heads…but not always into all of their thoughts.

There could be more explanation. All three main characters had awful childhoods, but what happened in the interim is glossed over, especially in Luca’s case. Introspection here is meager. Lydia keeps saying that she wants to get her life back, but we only see her mention how this actually looks for her in an offhand manner with no real detail. Since it’s her driving force, we should know more about it.

The characters are rather thin. The epilogue also leaves a lot to be desired.

It’s an entertaining read…not sure there’s a whole lot of “there” there, though.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Merritt and Luca seem to have it all. He being a successful restauranteur allows Merritt to live in the lap of luxury. They have a lovely three year old daughter, a mansion by the sea, and Merritt is nine months pregnant with their son. The four of them will soon be the perfect family living the perfect dream.

Until.....

Luca's first wife, Lydia, appears on their doorstep. Bedraggled and malnourished she is a shock to see especially since she's supposed to be dead.

Lydia has been held in captivity for nine years and she is determined to get her life back one way or another. Let the games begin!

I had a lot of fun with this one. This is the type of easy breezy book where you can just tune out and let the author carry you away. Zippy short chapters keep the pacing on point. Is this the most plausible book? Nope, not at all but it has that *I can't look away* vibe where you just have to follow it through to the end. It also has a couple of twists, one that I saw coming and one that I didn't, which kept me on my toes. All in all this was a great way to spend the day and I'm a happy reader! 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my complimentary copy.

[Bailee Latham · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

A fun thriller/suspense and exactly what I needed!

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hi, my name is Christina, and I am a thriller adrenaline junkie. I am currently in the “chasing the dragon” phase of my thriller addiction. Having recently read several satisfying serotonin-inducing thrill rides, I picked up the always reliable Minka Kelly for my next fix. This twisty roller coaster thrill ride satisfied my cravings. Though I had one or two quibbles with the plot, it was entertaining, surprising, and delivered the multiple thriller kicks I was looking for.

The “unmissing” character of the novel is Lydia, a newlywed who was kidnapped while she was on a hike in the first months of her blissful marriage. After suffering years of unspeakable torture, nine years later, she reappears at the door of her former husband — and his pregnant wife. What’s a husband to do when the love of his life who was declared dead shows up in his new happily married life?

This book had a compelling plot and very interesting characters. And that first twist halfway through the book was AWESOME! I may have audibly gasped. This kind of surprising and serotonin-inducing, heart pounding surprise is exactly what this thriller addict was looking for. Unfortunately this book suffered a little from what I call “one two many twists syndrome.” It seems like a lot of thriller authors nowadays feel like they need to plot twists upon twists. This can be very fun, but other times it can weaken what might have been a better plot if the author just stayed with the original idea. It can also take the story into disbelief territory when one totally bonkers twist is compounded by yet another wildly unbelievable twist. Here, I felt that was a little bit the case when the third and fourth additional twists and turns of the plot took what would have been a totally satisfying one-twist story into territory that strained credulity for me.

Nonetheless, I still enjoyed following the wild ride to its inevitable conclusion. I enjoyed the book a lot but just think I would have preferred the way the book seemed to be going around 60 percent. But hey, if the worst thing I can say about a thriller is that it is TOO twisty and exciting, then that’s still a killer read.

I definitely recommend Minka Kent to all thriller addicts. She never fails to deliver the thrills and vicarious fun. She’s a wonderful, suspenseful, creative author who is extremely accessible and her books are the definition of unputdownable. For her next book I’d love to see her stick with a slightly less unbelievable and awesome idea. Nonetheless, I still really enjoyed this one.

Thanks to Thomas and Mercer and Minka Kent for this very fun and adrenaline-filled read. 3.75 stars rounded up. I’ll be greedily picking up whatever book Kent writes next and racing through it like the thriller addict I am.

[Sydney Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m shocked to say this may be the first book I’ve ever fully predicted all the twists 😅 I sooo wanted to be wrong but it’s okay. Still enjoyable enough, although I would’ve liked a bit more explanation in the end, specifically about the motives of the characters. Quick easy read, enjoyed the writing style just didn’t blow me away.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Merritt Coletto is happily married with a toddler and 8 months into another pregnancy when she gets a knock on her door. Standing there is her husband’s first wife Lydia. The one that was presumed dead after going missing while hiking and vanishing without a trace 10 years ago. Where has she been all these years? Why is she back now? And what does she want?

This is one of my favorite plot setups I’ve come across in a while. What an insane scenario that is just ripe with possibilities. Ultimately I didn’t love the direction the author chose to go. It was a little too similar to many other books in this genre and thus was a bit predictable for me. That said, I read 80 bajillion (hyperbole, what’s that?) thrillers, so for your average reader who does not, I imagine this wouldn’t be as much of an issue.

What was a bit more of an issue is the same problem I just had with Survive the Night where characters just act completely irrationally and in ways no normal person would, because otherwise the plot couldn’t happen. I can’t say more without getting into spoiler land, but if anyone in this book acted like they had a functional brain, it would be over after about 20 pages. That said, I still generally liked this. Weird, I know. I think it was something to do with the writing, which I really enjoyed. You know how sometimes you’re watching a movie and it feels like the actors elevated bad material? It feels kind of like that here, where good writing bolstered a meh plot.

3.5 Stars. This was my first Minka Kent. It definitely won’t be my last. There was a lot I liked here, and I’m really excited to see how a writing style I enjoyed translates to other plots.

Expected publication date: February 15, 2022

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advanced copy of this title for review.

[Cindy (leavemetomybooks) · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was a total miss for me. I started rolling my eyes almost immediately.

I don't expect thrillers to be realistic, necessarily, but the level of suspension of disbelief and absence of logic required with this plotline was more than I could handle.


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WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUCK WAS THIS STORY?

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ok. so... It turns out that Luca (gasp!) was the one who kidnapped Lydia and kept her in a cabin and raped and abused her for nine years and then shoots her and she escapes and makes her way to his Fancy Restaurant Money House and meets his new wife and dumb kid and NEVER GOES TO THE POLICE -- just strolls up to the house of the person who brutalized her for nearly a decade and has no anxiety? no PTSD? Just carries on with her (convoluted) revenge/extortion plan that involves SPENDING TIME WITH THE RAPEY DUDE and like sitting in an office? Or something? And then.... (super gasp!) IT TURNS OUT THAT THE NEW WIFE KNEW THE WHOLE TIME AND WAS ACTUALLY THE MASTERMIND? again: what.the.actual.fuck.

I fucking hate this book. It gives thrillers a bad name.

* i read a netgally review copy from the publisher- this comes out Feb 15, 2022

[Susan's Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yup: that happened!!!! The very decent series of twists and a good, flowing writing style kept my attention right to the very end of this dramatic thriller. I didn't know who to believe - until the very well tied together ending.



While I did suspect ONE of the characters, I certainly didn't guess the entire convoluted "sh*t sh*w" that was Lydia's lot in life! That woman never seemed to catch a break!



One plot element that had me chuckling repeatedly involved my own old, evil nemesis: INSURANCE COMPANIES. How they mess with your life, make you have to go through hoops and force you to downright alter your behaviour sometimes! No spoilers here but as I said, I found this aspect of the plot so, so interesting, if not downright ironic.



(And here I digress: My philosophy concerning this iniquitous fixture in our human lives has evolved from a youthful, naive belief that "Of course we need insurance to guard against the vagaries of life/the unknown future" to "Why are we allowing these multi-billion dollar corporations to gain so much power over our lives in almost every conceivable way?" In Uni, one of my profs was downright rabid about this subject, but the storyline in this novel tends to vindicate his socialistic abhorrence of these corporate swindlers: insurance is a damnable thing in the wrong hands.)

Lydia, Luca and Merritt: what a trio of misfit, unreliable characters! Who to believe?!!!



While this was a fairly enjoyable, fast-paced read, you occasionally had to suspend your disbelief for some portions of it. But, to be fair, if the conveniently "omitted facts" were known to the reader any earlier, the first "twist" wouldn't have been as effective.



This author writes very well: just enough introspection, flashback and description to ignite your interest, but not so much that it slows the action down. With a bit of tightening up in the plotting area of her writing, she could be churning out epic thrillers with jaw-dropping twists that result in movie offers.

I'm rating this one a 4 out of 5 because I really liked how smoothly and quickly I got from the beginning to the end of this story, despite the multiple points of view.

My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

What did I just read? Unmissing by Minka Kent has a storyline that packs many punches. There are three main characters : Luca Coletto, a restaurant owner and developer; Merritt Coletto, Luca’s pregnant wife; and Lydia Coletto, Luca’s first wife, who disappeared without a trace ten years ago and was presumed dead and officially declared as such. Life is fairly good for Luca and Merritt, when out of nowhere appears Lydia, wife number one who had been kidnapped and tortured for years. And that is as far as I can go with this. The rest is up to the readers. No matter how much I attempted to guess how this mystery would unfold, I was always wrong. Unmissing’s plot is so original and well-developed that the book takes the reader on quite a ride. Who kidnapped Lydia? Why did she not go to the police when she escaped her captor? Which wife will Luca chose over the other? Why does Merritt want to befriend Lydia? I have thoroughly enjoyed Unmissing and I would not hesitate to read more books written by Minka Kent. Highly recommended. Thank you to Thomas & Mercer, NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Virginie Roy · Rating 3 out of 5]

First Minka Kent book for me! Will it be my last? No, because the writing and pacing were good (if not, I woud probably give a 2-star rating). I just hope the protagonists of her other novels act with more realism than in Unmissing! I can appreciate crazy plot twists, but I need to believe in the actions of the characters, and it wasn't the case here. All in all, a fast but forgettable read.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC

[Lyn❤Loves❤Listening to Real Voices Only!!!!❤️🎧📚 Addict ON HIATUS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audio - 5 Stars
Story - 3.75 Stars

[Jayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you read one Minka Kent book,
you have NOT read them all.

Minka Kent does not use a "cookie-cutter" when she writes and some of her thrillers are better than others.

I am a "Minka fan" and I confess:
If Minka Kent writes a book, I will read it.

I have read all of Minka Kent's books and this is the second Minka Kent book that I have read about a missing wife.

"The Thinnest Air" (2018) was my first "Minka Kent Missing Wife" book and my favorite title by this talented author.

"The Unmissing" is about a wife who reappears after being missing for ten years. When the missing wife resurfaces, she discovers that her husband has happily remarried and is now the father of two children.

What happened to the missing wife? Where was she for ten years? Why did she return?

And what will the husband do now that wife #1 is back in town?

This plotline was very reminiscent of Lucinda Berry's "When She Returns" (2019)...... until it wasn't.

Fast-paced and well-plotted, this book boasted no shortage of unreliable and unlikable narrators.

It's up to the reader to discover which unreliable and unlikable narrator to believe.

Although "Unmissing" was well-written, entertaining, and engaging, it suffered from too many "this would never, ever happen" moments and that is why it earned 3 stars instead of 5 stars.

I listened to the audiobook and both narrators did a superb job.

3.5 Stars.

[CarolG · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lydia, wife to Luca Coletto, went missing just months after their marriage and has been declared dead. Fast forward ten years and Luca is married to Merritt who is expecting their second child. They have opened a chain of restaurants but finances are strained and Luca is trying to sell the businesses. No spoiler here unless you haven't read the blurb but Lydia suddenly reappears and inserts herself into Luca and Merritt's lives.

This was an easy-to-read book and the pages went by pretty quickly but it's not one of my favourites in this genre. Usually by the time I'm half-way through a book I've started to draft a review but I had an awful time doing that with this one. The writing was fine but the story itself was quite implausible and the characters were impossible for me to relate to. At one point Lydia is extorting cash from Luca and as a result he has to close one of the businesses. She doesn't seem to care one bit about the effect this has on the employees who are out of a job and that really angered me. As you can see, the ratings for it are all over the map. I think there are many readers who will enjoy this book and just as many who won't but it's not a total waste of time IMO! A low 3-star read.

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.

Publication Date: February 15,2022

[Caroline S · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can’t believe how bad this book was. Utterly stupid.

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been a while since I have read a book by Minka Kent and I am wondering why! I grabbed Unmissing when a reliable friend posted about it on Instagram and I knew that I had to read it. I love a good thriller with plenty of twists and this one had so many. I read this in an evening, I just had to know how it was all going to end and believe me when I say you will not pick it.

This is a really hard book to talk about with spoiling anything. So much that I want to say that I can't! Basically all you need to know is this. Luca and Merritt have a great life together - happy, rich, one child and another on the way. So imagine their shock when Luca's first wife, Lydia rocks up to the front door. Lydia has been missing for 10 years, and has been declared dead. And boy does she have a story to tell.

Doesn't that make you want to read it? Told from the point of view of the 2 women, this is a book you don't want to miss.

Released February 15th, 2022. Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for the advanced copy to read.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.

A woman presumed dead shows up ten years later. Her husband has remarried and has a family. He and his new wife decide that it is the right thing to do to help the first wife out. But a game is being played and it isn't clear who is the cat and who is the mouse.

A lot of books claim to be thrillers but  Unmissing definitely lives up to the title as it kept me riveted. It had twists and turns that I didn't see coming and I just kept repeating "wow' under my breath. Alternating between the voices of the first wife, Lydia and the second wife, Merritt, I loved the dark tone that this story took. This will no doubt be a book that will make the book club circuit.


Publication Date 15/02/22
Goodreads review published 21/02/22
#Unmissing #NetGalley.

[Emmyreads444 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ate this up , I was NOT expecting that ending

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really great read. I was really interested and pulled into the story from the very beginning till the very end, great plot twists.


Happy Reading 📚📙📕📗📒📘📓📒📓📚📙📕📖📗📚📓📒📙📚📗📘📚📓📚📙📕📖

[Chelsey (a_novel_idea11) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Minka Kent delivers again!!

I could not put this book down and in true Minka Kent fashion, I devoured it in less than 24 hours!

Ten years ago, Lydia is kidnapped while hiking in the woods. Missing and presumed dead, the state legally declares her deceased after no trace of her turns up after several years.

Flash forward to present day, and Lydia's widow Luca has moved on with his life. A successful restaurateur, husband, and father of one with another on the way, his life is turned upside down when his first wife suddenly reappears.

But Luca's life isn't the perfect facade he puts forth. In massive debt, losing businesses and employees by the day, and close to losing everything if he can't sell some of his restaurants to a major franchise, Luca is overwhelmed when Lydia is suddenly back and seemingly expecting to fall back into his life by his side.

Struggling to get on her feet with no legal identity, home, or means to survive, Lydia turns to Luca and his wife for help. Merritt is convinced if they befriend Lydia and help her get a fresh start she will leave them in peace, but will it be that easy?

This was such a page turner full of twists and jaw dropping moments. Somehow I guessed pretty early on some of the twists but I still couldn't get enough of the story and didn't want it to end. I love Kent's writing style, character development, use of dual narrators, and how she's able to pack such a punch in so few words.

If you enjoy a twisty thriller and want a face paced, unputdownable read, look no further!

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for a copy of this great novel. To be posted on my blog on publication day.

[Krickette❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fast paced, peculiar type thriller! I wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did! It is written with a soft pen, slowly revealing the details of a women’s worst nightmare. This is a story of survival and redemption. Forgotten and discarded, she is tormented and left for dead. Lydia is abducted… out for a hike in the local wooded park, with no cell reception; she is grabbed, drugged and taken. Without giving much away, the story begins with her reappearance… and just like that… hooked! The story begins with two main female characters. Who do you trust? It’s up in the air as this story unfolds. You don’t see what’s coming, or how and why Lydia (the unmissing woman) does what she does, but as the story evolves - you are smack in the middle of one hell of a thriller!

The character development is purposeful and creative. At first, unsure which story to believe, the author draws you in and makes you want to trust, and believe -leaving you wonder “could he do that? Could she do that? What is real? How could this be?” The author’s ability to unfold a little bit of terror, a little bit at a time is indelible and prickly!

This book is addictive! So many plot twists! So many questions and then just like that… it all starts to unravel. I could not put this book down. An easy read, this fast paced thriller surprises you at every turn! What a great Fall book! 3.5 ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️✨and I rounded up to 4 stars.

[Dutchie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid 3 star read for me. The plot is intriguing: Missing first wife returns from being presumably dead to find her husband remarried with children. This was a very easy read, however it felt nothing really happened until roughly the 60% mark which was a bit disappointing. Once it did get going it was one reveal after the next. and didn't let up. I do have a pet peeve sometimes with nicknames being over used to the point they distract/irritate me. But that's just me and only something that's minor. If your looking for something that's more in depth this may not be for you but if your in the mood just to have a fun easy read this may be that book.

Thanks for my advanced reading copy in exchange for honest review

[Lesley Pitre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Read This Book!

I love, love, loved Unmissing by Minka Kent. Excellent read. Interesting character development, the plot twists were amazing, unexpected, and well balanced. I loved how fast paced the story was, ... sucked me in, kept me interested, and left me wanting more each time I had to put the book down. Unmissing just delivered. 5 🌟!! I highly recommend!

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 glowing stars for this unputdownable thriller. Loved every page.

[Kori Potenzone · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, I am a HUGE fan of Minka Kent. I was completely elated when I was approved to read and review Unmissing prior to its release date, February 15, 2022.

Every time I read another publication by Minka Kent I swear it is even better than the last. How is that possible when they are all 5 star ratings?

Minka Kent easily captivates your attention on page one. You become completely addicted to the turn of each page . I personally, can not get enough. Every novel has left me with a major book hangover .

Luca was once married to Lydia but about 10 years ago Lydia when missing and was declared dead after years of search and investigation. Flash forward to the present day, Luca has since moved on with Merritt, his second wife until one day Lydia shows up on the doorstep to their home.

What happened to Lydia?

You are going to have to pick up a copy of Unmissing to find out!

This novel is filled with plot twists and an ending you can not predict. Easily another 5 star rating, if you have not already pre-ordered this copy you need to do so now, thank me later. Enjoy book lovers!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unmissing is officially my very first Minka Kent novel and I am already completely sold on her. I feel like there is so much to this plot that I could easily give away, so I am going to keep things as brief as possible. This book was unputdownable from the very first page and had quite a few twists and turns, none of which I saw coming. I saw a lot of people gushing over how good it was and I am definitely in the same camp as well as being really excited about the fact Kent has a decent-sized backlist. Her writing immediately drew me in, and I loved the viewpoint changes between Lydia and Merritt. The majority of the characters aren't very likable (including Lydia and Merritt), but this wasn't a problem for me, and it actually made things really interesting. There are a lot of choices made that wouldn't be mine, but then we wouldn't have had the book we did.

I would also recommend the audiobook which is narrated by Carly Robins and Jane Oppenheimer. I really enjoyed listening to both of them, and I was a fan of both of their voices. Robins has a slight lisp that I thought fit very well with Lydia's character and made her seem a bit younger. You are definitely going to have to suspend some disbelief if you want to read Unmissing, but it is quite a ride and I loved just letting Kent take me away on it. I listened to the whole book in just an afternoon and I'm sure it would be just as quick reading it. I thought Kent's writing was very seamless and natural, and she certainly knows how to hook and bait the reader! I loved every second of this one and will be looking forward to reading more of this author.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.