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Missing Presumed Missing
Michael is an anxious twelve-year-old. He is bullied at school and has a strained relationship with his parents. He worries about anything and everything.
Taking a short cut home one day through nearby Spinney Wood, he stumbles into a mysterious parallel world. Spinney Wood holds an abundance of dark and frightening secrets: most notably the inexplicable disappearance of many children over the years. Little does he know, this will be the start of a great adventure…
Jonty, the biggest bully in school is missing, and only Michael knows where he is. He doesn’t know what to do, and he can’t tell his parents. All he wants to do is disappear and hide away –like a mole!
With the help of his newfound friends, Melanie and Ben, Michael returns to Spinney Wood in the hope of rescuing Jonty and uncovering the truth. Will the three of them ever make it back home? Can Michael take control of his own future? And will Spinney Wood’s darkest secrets finally be revealed?
Taking a short cut home one day through nearby Spinney Wood, he stumbles into a mysterious parallel world. Spinney Wood holds an abundance of dark and frightening secrets: most notably the inexplicable disappearance of many children over the years. Little does he know, this will be the start of a great adventure…
Jonty, the biggest bully in school is missing, and only Michael knows where he is. He doesn’t know what to do, and he can’t tell his parents. All he wants to do is disappear and hide away –like a mole!
With the help of his newfound friends, Melanie and Ben, Michael returns to Spinney Wood in the hope of rescuing Jonty and uncovering the truth. Will the three of them ever make it back home? Can Michael take control of his own future? And will Spinney Wood’s darkest secrets finally be revealed?
203 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 28, 2022
1 person is currently reading
4 people want to read
About the author
Paul Harris
512 books7 followersLibrarian Note:
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There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 10, 2023
3.5 rounded up to 4
Michael is an anxious twelve-year-old. He is bullied at school and has a strained relationship with his parents. He worries about anything and everything. Taking a short cut home one day through nearby Spinney Wood, he stumbles into a mysterious parallel world. Spinney Wood holds an abundance of dark and frightening secrets: most notably the inexplicable disappearance of many children over the years. Little does he know, this will be the start of a great adventure… Jonty, the biggest bully in school is missing, and only Michael knows where he is. He doesn’t know what to do, and he can’t tell his parents. All he wants to do is disappear and hide away –like a mole! With the help of his newfound friends, Melanie and Ben, Michael returns to Spinney Wood in the hope of rescuing Jonty and uncovering the truth. Will the three of them ever make it back home? Can Michael take control of his own future? And will Spinney Wood’s darkest secrets finally be revealed?
Hmmmm… this was a hard one to rate because there were good elements in the story; like the topics of anxiety and bullying, staying true to yourself, friendship and honesty. But for me there was a mismatch of genre vibes in the book. It felt like a coming of age story partnered with a fantasy/fairytale book but for some reason the two concepts didn’t gel well enough for me which is why I struggled to get into the book as much as I would have liked.
Michael is an anxious twelve-year-old. He is bullied at school and has a strained relationship with his parents. He worries about anything and everything. Taking a short cut home one day through nearby Spinney Wood, he stumbles into a mysterious parallel world. Spinney Wood holds an abundance of dark and frightening secrets: most notably the inexplicable disappearance of many children over the years. Little does he know, this will be the start of a great adventure… Jonty, the biggest bully in school is missing, and only Michael knows where he is. He doesn’t know what to do, and he can’t tell his parents. All he wants to do is disappear and hide away –like a mole! With the help of his newfound friends, Melanie and Ben, Michael returns to Spinney Wood in the hope of rescuing Jonty and uncovering the truth. Will the three of them ever make it back home? Can Michael take control of his own future? And will Spinney Wood’s darkest secrets finally be revealed?
Hmmmm… this was a hard one to rate because there were good elements in the story; like the topics of anxiety and bullying, staying true to yourself, friendship and honesty. But for me there was a mismatch of genre vibes in the book. It felt like a coming of age story partnered with a fantasy/fairytale book but for some reason the two concepts didn’t gel well enough for me which is why I struggled to get into the book as much as I would have liked.
August 6, 2022
2.5★s
Missing Presumed Missing is a novel for pre-teen readers by British author, Paul Harris. New to Longfields school, after another day of trying to avoid the bullies, twelve-year-old Michael Dobson takes a shortcut home through the Spinney Woods, but gets disoriented: the trees seem to be sweeping him towards a gap between two beeches; he is drawn to a pai of mesmerising eyes in a bush, but the spell is broken when school bully, Jonty Johnson grabs him.
Michael somehow manages to escape, leaving Jonty behind in the woods talking to an old woman. When Jonty is reported missing the next day, Michael assumes he’s still in the woods. As the class speculates on what might have happened, Michael finds himself teaming up with smart but irritating Melanie Smithson and thick but funny Ben Gillet. Eventually, he reveals what he knows and, against the express orders of his anxious mother, leads them in a search for Jonty.
He learns from his history teacher that the woods are a Neolithic burial site, and later finds out that the local tribe was massacred there. And that Jonty is not the first child to go missing.
From here the reader should fast-forward past the repetitive episodes of friends searching the woods and coming up empty, to the last quarter of the book where the action ramps up to a dramatic if rushed climax and a rather underwhelming resolution.
While billed as a book for Teens/YA, the plot and writing are really more suited to the pre-teen/middle grade age group. Of the mostly cardboard characters, Ben is the most entertaining, providing much-needed light relief. Quite unrealistic, given the circumstances, is Uncle Steven’s encouragement of his nephew’s investigation. The promising premise is poorly realised resulting in a disappointing read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Matador.
Missing Presumed Missing is a novel for pre-teen readers by British author, Paul Harris. New to Longfields school, after another day of trying to avoid the bullies, twelve-year-old Michael Dobson takes a shortcut home through the Spinney Woods, but gets disoriented: the trees seem to be sweeping him towards a gap between two beeches; he is drawn to a pai of mesmerising eyes in a bush, but the spell is broken when school bully, Jonty Johnson grabs him.
Michael somehow manages to escape, leaving Jonty behind in the woods talking to an old woman. When Jonty is reported missing the next day, Michael assumes he’s still in the woods. As the class speculates on what might have happened, Michael finds himself teaming up with smart but irritating Melanie Smithson and thick but funny Ben Gillet. Eventually, he reveals what he knows and, against the express orders of his anxious mother, leads them in a search for Jonty.
He learns from his history teacher that the woods are a Neolithic burial site, and later finds out that the local tribe was massacred there. And that Jonty is not the first child to go missing.
From here the reader should fast-forward past the repetitive episodes of friends searching the woods and coming up empty, to the last quarter of the book where the action ramps up to a dramatic if rushed climax and a rather underwhelming resolution.
While billed as a book for Teens/YA, the plot and writing are really more suited to the pre-teen/middle grade age group. Of the mostly cardboard characters, Ben is the most entertaining, providing much-needed light relief. Quite unrealistic, given the circumstances, is Uncle Steven’s encouragement of his nephew’s investigation. The promising premise is poorly realised resulting in a disappointing read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Matador.
July 26, 2022
This book is a fantasy, or at least a story of superantural things, and yet it spends the first 3/4 of the book being about missing children, and kids trying to find the missing bully, even though they would be happy if he never got found.
In the final 1/4 of the book, we learn what is making the kids vanish, and we got on a journey to save them.
I would say, skip the first half, at least of the book, and then read the rest. Once it gets going, it was great, and I got into the story, but having to slog through the rest was painful and I almost didn't finish reading it.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
In the final 1/4 of the book, we learn what is making the kids vanish, and we got on a journey to save them.
I would say, skip the first half, at least of the book, and then read the rest. Once it gets going, it was great, and I got into the story, but having to slog through the rest was painful and I almost didn't finish reading it.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
January 12, 2023
This is engaging, enjoyable storytelling which is likely to appeal to the pre-teen readers the author is writing for. I think that most children of this age will find the characters relatable and will enjoy joining Michael, and his new friends Melanie and Ben, as they try to find Jonty, the school bully who has gone missing in Spinney Woods. Michael is the only one who knows exactly what happened on the day he disappeared because one moment Jonty had been chasing him through the woods and knocked him to the ground but then a strange, shrivelled-looking old woman distracted him, saving Michael from the beating he’d feared. Feeling only relief at this unexpected intervention Michael quickly made his escape and raced home so it wasn’t until the next day at school that he realised that Jonty had disappeared. He hadn’t told anyone because he’d been forbidden to go into the woods … and anyway, part of him was relieved that Jonty was no longer around to bully him. However, with the support of his friends, he overcomes his fears and anxieties and sets out to discover the ancient secrets of Spinney Woods and the mysterious disappearance of so many children over the years.
I liked the way in which the author, in an entirely age-appropriate way, explored some of the challenges and worries so many children face (low self-esteem, bullying, difficulties in fitting into a new school and finding new friends, stressful situations at home etc) and demonstrated that, with the right support and encouragement from people who care about you, it is possible to find the courage to change and feel happy being who you really are. I also liked the fact that the author used the adult characters (Michael’s parents, his wheelchair-bound favourite uncle, his teachers) to show that it’s not just children who face challenges in their lives, but that adults too can benefit from facing their fears and seeking help and support.
I don’t know whether the author plans to write another story featuring these characters but if he hasn’t considered it, I think the scene has been set for a successful series so I do hope he will allow them to enjoy more adventures together!
I liked the way in which the author, in an entirely age-appropriate way, explored some of the challenges and worries so many children face (low self-esteem, bullying, difficulties in fitting into a new school and finding new friends, stressful situations at home etc) and demonstrated that, with the right support and encouragement from people who care about you, it is possible to find the courage to change and feel happy being who you really are. I also liked the fact that the author used the adult characters (Michael’s parents, his wheelchair-bound favourite uncle, his teachers) to show that it’s not just children who face challenges in their lives, but that adults too can benefit from facing their fears and seeking help and support.
I don’t know whether the author plans to write another story featuring these characters but if he hasn’t considered it, I think the scene has been set for a successful series so I do hope he will allow them to enjoy more adventures together!
September 4, 2022
A great read, perfect for children who are not yet old enough to be reading YA but wanting to dip their toes in the water of some YA themes.
Paul Harris' Missing Presumed Missing compelling plot and lovable characters make it a quick and engaging read. Ben provided necessary comedic relief and worked nicely opposite the more studious and thoughtful Melanie. Michael (our protagonist) gave us a different take on a hero and showed how no matter how you feel you can achieve great things and to always believe in your own convictions. The secondary characters of the parents, Mr Logie, and Uncle Steven expanded the story and helped drive the plot forward.
It is a book that will be firmly staying on my shelf!
Paul Harris' Missing Presumed Missing compelling plot and lovable characters make it a quick and engaging read. Ben provided necessary comedic relief and worked nicely opposite the more studious and thoughtful Melanie. Michael (our protagonist) gave us a different take on a hero and showed how no matter how you feel you can achieve great things and to always believe in your own convictions. The secondary characters of the parents, Mr Logie, and Uncle Steven expanded the story and helped drive the plot forward.
It is a book that will be firmly staying on my shelf!
July 31, 2022
This is a hard one for me to write as I was really looking forward to it. However the writing style is more on the childish side and I would say this makes it more a middle grade read in my opinion than teens and young adult.
Also the book was very slow burning and for most of it it was ourely about children going missing and almost felt very samey, as the book comes towards the last parts the reader finds out the reasons and cause for the children disappearances and is taken along for the ride to try and stop it. However, by this point the damge was already kind of done and the faster pacing and answers didnt make the rest of the book better it just made the ending feel very rushed.
Also the book was very slow burning and for most of it it was ourely about children going missing and almost felt very samey, as the book comes towards the last parts the reader finds out the reasons and cause for the children disappearances and is taken along for the ride to try and stop it. However, by this point the damge was already kind of done and the faster pacing and answers didnt make the rest of the book better it just made the ending feel very rushed.
February 11, 2023
A captivating adventure where a young Michael has to face all his fears, anxiousness and bullying to uncover the truth of mysterious Spinney Wood and the case of the missing children. Michael is a very believable and realistic character, someone who struggles to cope with the pressures of the classroom and things going on at home. Will Michael default to being "Mole" or will he rise above everything and respond like the more dynamic "Jack Flash" in order to cope with his big challenge? Slow building mystery that crosses time to reach an exciting and enchanting finale. Both myself and my 10 year old loved this book, and we can't wait for Paul Harris's next book!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews