I absolutely loved this book!

This story is about Nic who left her home town of Cooley Ridge ten years ago and has absolutely no desire to go back. She's managed to reinvent herself, obtained two degrees, has a great job that she loves, as well as a lovely fiancee. She's even managed to iron out her accent. But around the same time Nic left Cooley Ridge, her best friend Corrine went missing - and now her father says he's seen her on the porch of their old home. But her father is senile and in a care home - surely he's imagining it?

There are several reasons why I loved this book. Firstly, the characters are so well-drawn I felt I knew these people. They weren't entirely lovable, they all had very realistic flaws - for me, that was part of their appeal. Different aspects of their personalities were dripped into the story, a little at a time, so just when I thought I'd worked someone out, there was another twist to surprise me. And as I read an awful lot of crime fiction, it takes a lot to surprise me! Every character has a very plausible motive for wanting Corrine to disappear. I'd read one chapter and think 'Ha, he's the murderer!' and then in the next chapter I'd think it was someone else, and so on. I never did work it out!

The third reason I really enjoyed this books is that the story is told backwards. You have the beginning, where Nic receives the news about her father, and then the story skips to fifteen days later. The chapter after takes place fourteen days after Nic's arrival in Cooley Ridge, counting down to day one. It is a brilliantly clever way of telling the story; it hits the ground running and doesn't let up in tension until the very end. I did have to concentrate hard though! It's a bit like trying to do a jigsaw puzzle, have someone sweep all the pieces back in the box after an hour, and then having to start all over again!

I would definitely, definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves psychological suspense. With the claustrophobic setting and dysfunctional characters it reminded me of one of my favourite authors, Shirley Jackson. But, like Jackson, the author takes her time in letting the tension mount up and tighten into a stranglehold - which means that if you're the kind of person who devours fast-paced crime thrillers, you might find it a little slow - but I loved it!

Wow what a great psychological thriller, with lots of twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. This is the first Megan Miranda book I have read, and it won't be the last, as I loved it so much. I've never read a book that is written backwards before, it made a nice change. I will be recommending this book to friends and family, I have written reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. My thanks to Atlantic Books and to Megan Miranda for the opportunity to read such a good book.

I was attracted to this book as it promised something new - a psychological thriller told in reverse. It also promised to be nail-biting and breath taking. I didn’t think it quite hit those two but it was very clever and worked well though I did have to re-read one or two bits and concentrate very hard to remember what had gone on the day after as we went back through time.
This is also a novel about a group of friends and family and the lengths people would go to – I wouldn’t say for love because they were generally an unlikeable crowd and there was a lot of deceit and lies being covered up along the way.
The slow reveal of what really happened to Corinne was very well done through unexpected plot twists and turns. The backdrop of the woods and the feeling of being watched build up the suspense as the truth was finally told. The interwoven story of the other missing girl added to the strength of the plot.
I would recommend this book but it needs full concentration and savouring to make sure you don’t miss anything!
With thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for a review copy.

I found this a difficult book to get into, not just because of the structure of telling the story backwards day by day (didn't really see what this adds to it) but because the main characters are all so unpleasant to each other. This is supposed to be a story about a group of friends and how far you would go to protect those you love but I just found myself thinking that there isn't any real love here. There is obsession, jealousy, hate and plain vindictiveness but not what I would call love. When Nic's "best friend" goes missing, 10 years earlier, she is supposedly devastated but then we are told very early on that everyone involved has told lies and has secrets about that night. Not really the actions of friends, who you would think would care more about what has happened to Corinne. It makes it very hard to empathise with any of them. I can't say much more without giving away the plot.
Once you get used to the structure it's a pretty fast read and there are enough twists and reveals to keep you reading. I was curious to see how it concluded but in a detached way, which is how the characters come across as well. I also disliked the casual violence against some of the female characters which seemed to be just accepted as the norm.
My thanks to Netgalley for this copy in return for an honest review.

Great book. Excellent storyline and wonderful main characters. I would highly recommend this book.

All the missing girls by Megan Miranda is a mystery and thriller and women's fiction read.
It's been ten years since Nicolette Farrell left her rural hometown after her best friend, Corinne, disappeared without trace. Then a letter from her father arrives - 'I need to talk to you. That girl. I saw that girl.' Has her father's dementia worsened, or has he really seen Corinne? Returning home, Nicolette must finally face what happened on that terrible night all those years ago.
This was a really enjoyable read although I did guess what happened i still enjoyed it. 4*. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book from netgalley.

This book had me gripped the whole way through. I like the way it worked backwards until the truth was finally revealed. The twists and turns in the plot are well written. The characters are well developed and believable. I would definitely recommend this book and would read another book by this author.

An interesting and unique way of writing - working backwards to find out the story of what happened to two girls. I liked the different way as a change from all the psychological thrillers i read but did find it confusing at time. A good story and a good twist.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Atlantic Books for an advance copy of All The Missing Girls, a psychological thriller set in Cooley Ridge, a small town in North Carolina.

Nicolette "Nic" Farrell returns to Cooley Ridge to help her brother, Daniel, deal with her father's dementia and financial problems. She left Cooley Ridge 10 years earlier after the disappearance of her best friend, Corinne Prescott and never looked back. Now she has barely returned when another young woman, Annaleise Carter, goes missing.

Told in the first person from Nic's point of view the novel has a clever, if unusual format. It opens and closes in the present but the majority of the novel counts back from day 15 to day 1 of Annaleise's disappearance. It works well as it builds the suspense with all the usual information about character and motive held back until the end. It also takes longer for the reader to realise what an unreliable character Nic is although the flashbacks to 18 year old Nic and Corinne imply something different to the sensible school councillor she tries to portray herself as.

All Missing Girls is an assured debut novel with clever plotting, a sharp eye for small town America and some well drawn characters so for that I have awarded it 4 stars. On the other hand, I hated Nic and her way of thinking. I couldn't summon up any enthusiasm to read about her actions and only stuck with the novel to find out what happened.

I think All The Missing Girls will be a popular read and deserves to be so, which is why I went against my instincts and chose to read it when it really isn't my style. I've read it, found plenty to admire in it but I can't, in all honesty, say I liked it.

I struggled with this book. It seemed to go on and on but nothing really happened. I didn't like the main character for some reason and this may have clouded my judgement. Even after finishing it I'm still not really clear on what happened....

I have never read a book that is told backwards in timeline before, however despite wondering whether I would be able to keep up, I found it really easy to read.
Nicolette's best friend disappeared when they were 18, but her Dad has sent her a message to say he's seen her. Nicolette takes the journey back to the place she grew up to see her Dad and find out more. After leaving her childhood home after Corrine's disappearance, Nicolette wasn't keen on going back very often. Whilst she is back her childhood sweetheart's girlfriend also goes missing. What happened to both girls?
The book had me hooked from page one and the ending wasn't one I was expecting which was really good.

Inventive and original this novel is literally written backwards! Initially the reverse chronological order had me a little perplexed but I soon adapted and relished every page thereafter. Beautifully written with a storyline that brings a chill to the bones this complex read is well worth investing in.

Thank you to the Publisher and to NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Highly recommended! I am already looking forward to Megan Miranda's next offering.

All The Missing Girls focuses around the disappearance of two girls and tells the story in reverse chronological order, filled with tension and twists as we work our way backwards with Nicollete (Nic} Farrell, her brother Daniel and her old boyfriend, Tyler.

The novel has a dark and atmospheric feel about it that gives it a slow but tense pace as the reader takes the jouney from day 15 all the way back to the beginning. It serves to build a sense of fear and of being watched as you read through and the woods close to Nic's house certainly provide the suspense filled backdrop the author was looking to create.

I struggled to connect with Nic the main protaganist - I didnt really like her that much, I found her cold and almost selfish I deinitely warmed more to Tyler her ex boyfriend and her brother Daniel. I felt sorry for their dad, who was in later stages of dementia, in the care home but in moments of lucidness able to recall events of the past but never quite clearly enough to give Nic the answers she was looking for. I just felt that Nic had kind of abandoned everyone and left them to deal with the mess of ten years ago and her return home heralded a new set of events. However, I also believe that it is a skill to create a main character who is unlikeable but still manages to keep the reader reading. I felt real malevolant undercurrent of fear and mistrust between all the characters and at times you wondered who you could really trust.

All The Missing Girls explores the dynamics of relationships and friendships in small towns where everyone knows everyone else and little lies become huge whopping lies and the ripple effect of them can carry on dripping their way through inhabitants lives forever.

In theory, I liked the idea of the reverse chronogical order and I know it worked for many but it left me slightly confused which may have detracted from my enjoyment. I loved the beginning of the book and I loved the end of it and eventually felt as though it had all tied up and explained itself to me. However the middle left me feeling slightly confused and kind of wishing I had started the book from the back page and read backwards. This is just my experience of this style of writing and I know others enjoyed it immensley - so I would recommend that you give it a go and read it with an open mind!

I was given a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and independent review. I liked the way this book was written with the story told in reverse although at times I was a bit confused. Secrets and lies, old friends with lots of history. A gripping read which left me intrigued until the whole plot unraveled. 3.5***