Missing, Presumed
Author(s): Susie Steiner
For readers of Kate Atkinson and Tana French comes a page-turning literary mystery that brings to life the complex and wholly relatable Manon Bradshaw, a strong-willed detective assigned to a high-risk missing persons case
Acclaimed UK author Susie Steiner combines the sophistication of a literary novel with the atmosphere and iron grip of a perfectly written thriller in her first work of suspense fiction, starring the unforgettable Detective Manon Bradshaw
At thirty-nine, Manon Bradshaw is a devoted and respected member of the Cambridgeshire police force, and though she loves her job, what she longs for is a personal life. Single and distant from her family, she wants a husband and children of her own. One night, after yet another disastrous Internet date, she turns on her police radio to help herself fall asleep—and receives an alert that sends her to a puzzling crime scene.
Edith Hind—a beautiful graduate student at Cambridge University and daughter of the surgeon to the Royal Family—has been missing for nearly twenty-four hours. Manon instantly knows that this case will be big—and that every second is crucial to finding Edith alive. With no clear leads, Manon summons every last bit of her skill and intuition to close the case, and what she discovers will have shocking consequences not just for Edith’s family but for Manon herself.
Suspenseful and keenly observed, Missing, Presumed is a brilliantly twisting novel of how we seek connection, grant forgiveness and reveal the truth about who we are.
Review(s):
Missing, Presumed is fast-paced, twisty and full of realistic characters and scenarios. With any luck Detective Bradshaw will be back in future instalments, since she is a quirky, likable character, capable of carrying a series.
[Steiner] gets inside the minds and lives of her book’s socially disparate personalities with the grace of a novelist of manners, even as she pulls tight the strands of one of the most ambitious police procedurals of the year.
“Nuanced suspense that’s perfect for Kate Atkinson fans.”
This novel stands out from the pack. . . . A highly charismatic and engaging story.
A vein of dark humor pulses beneath this compelling whodunit with an appealing, complicated heroine at its center.
Where Steiner excels is in the depth and clarity with which she depicts her characters. Manon is sad and lonely, estranged from her sister and something of a misanthrope. But she’s also funny and clever, and interesting. I defy you not to fall for her.
Steiner’s engrossing, gripping and wry prose, beautifully detailed storytelling and the wonderfully drawn DS Manon Bradshaw elevate this missing person novel into something quite spectacular and deeply satisfying.
This clever, witty novel is one of those rare books that marries excellent writing and memorable characters with an absorbing plot and a startling twist.
Susie Steiner knows how to capture the reader’s attention, keep her enthralled and sign off neatly. Missing, Presumed is an excellent crime novel.
Missing, Presumed is an extraordinarily assured police procedural in the tradition of Ruth Rendell and Elizabeth George—the surprises continue to the last page as Steiner blasts expectations and assumptions to dig deep into questions of trust, betrayal, class, and family bonds. Dazzling.
ISBN: 9781443450515