Book Review: The Missing Ones by Anita Waller

Please join me in welcoming Anita Waller to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her latest book, The Missing Ones.

Ray Eke has always found peace in his job, collecting litter for the city council. Until the day he finds the brutalized, bloodless body of a girl on his round. He recognizes her immediately too. Lauren Pascoe went missing three years before.

It’s also clear she hasn’t been lying on the roadside verge all this time. Someone’s clearly been holding her prisoner. Keeping her as their very special toy.

The police know it couldn’t have been Ray, whose gentle heart is obvious to all. But then another girl is taken. And she’s someone who Ray had a connection to, back in his previous job as an accountant, before his breakdown…

The twists in this novel are guaranteed to leave readers with their jaws on the floor. Just when you think you know who the killer is, you’ll have your mind blown!

*****

DI Chris Chandler is new to Sheffield, having just started a new job with an unfamilar team. When the body of a woman who has been missing for three years is found near the police station, he has to jump in at the deep end. Then, a second girl goes missing. The cases can’t be linked… can they?

I was so pleased to be invite onto this blog tour. Having been a big fan of Anita Waller’s previous novel, The Girls Next Door, I was very eager to get started on her latest book, The Missing Ones.

Wow! That’s what I have to say about this book. This is a psychological thriller at its best. I pretty much read this in one sitting, holding onto my kindle so tightly, my fingers lost blood flow. The plot grabbed me and pulled me in and wouldn’t let go.

I will say, some of the scenes are quite graphic. Anita Waller doesn’t shy away from completely putting the reader into the space of the victim and what they go through. It had me asking how someone could do that to another human.. My heart broke for Lauren and for Hannah and for their mothers. I don’t want to say much more about this as I really don’t want to spoil too much.

The cast of characters are all very compelling. DI Chris Chandler and his team, Tia, Bryn, Maria, Andy, Sally and Danny are a brilliant combination and the scenes where they were trying to figure out what was going on were great. I felt as though I was in that office with them, trying to figure it out. I could feel their frustrations and excitement if they got a lead. Something Anita Waller is VERY good at though is creating many twists and turns. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, you’re then shoved onto a rollercoaster and sent in a direction you just weren’t expecting. I also found myself really hoping that we will see this police team again. I think they could have their own book series…you know…just saying.

The Missing Ones is an incredible thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat and questioning everything you think you know about the characters until you suspect everyone. Bravo, Anita Waller. One of the best books I have read in the genre.

About Anita Waller –

Anita Waller is the author of many bestselling psychological thrillers and the Kat and Mouse crime series.

She lives in Sheffield, which continues to be the setting of many of her thrillers.

Say hello to Anita on Facebook and Bookbub. Click here to sign up to her newsletter.

The Missings Ones was released by Boldwood Books on 16th may 2025. Click here to buy on Amazon and Waterstones. 

by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.