Fabulous, intriguing and thrilling! I couldn’t wait to find out the conclusion of this story! The author did a great job with making the characters unique and interesting. The plot kept me twisting and turning trying to figure out the real culprit! I enjoyed it a lot. Looking forward to reading more about detective Prince.

I really enjoyed this book and can see how this series will be becoming one of the best.

Robyn Carter is amazing character who really shows a lot of growth from one book to the next.

I like her interaction with others and how she shows the human emotions that make her more attractive

An incredibly complex but clever and engaging plot with a good team dynamic and a touch of humour. I look forward to seeing how this new series develops.

​The Missing Child is book 1 in the new Detective Rachel Prince series written by Alison James.

This book was great I really enjoyed it, it had me captivated from the first page. To start a new detective series is refreshing and exciting.

I liked Rachel Prince straight away, she is feisty and is not scared to go with her gut instinct. She has a great relationship with her DS and together they are a formidable team. There is lots going on in this book, plenty of twists and turns but it was easy to keep track of the characters and what was happening.

This was a really well written book, I liked the style of writing and the story line. It was dramatic, stomach wrenching and quite emotional as you would imagine being about a missing child. I did have an inkling from about half way through who had taken Lola Jade and my suspicions got stronger the more I read so to be honest the ending wasn’t so much of a surprise to me. Some of the details were shocking but I knew who the bad guy was, but this in no way spoilt the reading experience for me.

This book was an awesome start to a new series, I can’t wait for the next instalment!

I highly recommend this book, I am giving it a really strong 4 stars.

I love reading crime and there is nothing I like more than discovering a series that I love and an author that I want to read more of. And this book, this author is definitely one of those! Oh what a wonderful, gripping, tense and brilliant book! What a spectacular start to a series! The characterisation is second to none, the characters so real that I looked up from the story and expected them to be beside me. I was thinking of this book in the rare moments when I was able to wrench myself away from it. A stunning story, a great beginning to what I just know is going to be a tremendously popular and addictive series. Loved it and cannot wait for the next!

A child goes missing in the middle of the night. The trail goes cold. Enter DI Prince and DS Brickall. Can they unravel the lies in time to save the child? This is a fast paced, gripping read and I was afraid for Lola Jade. This is the first book in the series and I hope to read the books that follow. Thanks to NetGalley, Bookoutre and the Author for allowing me to read and review this book.

Six year old Lola Jade Harper is taken from her home, there were no signs of forced entry and her parents are in an ongoing custody battle/divorce. Lola's father is the primary suspect but after initial questioning he has disappeared.
Detective Rachel Prince has been handed the investigation after Surrey police were unable to find any other leads. Rachel must separate the Harper family’s deceptions in order to find out what really happened to Lola that night.

The Missing Child is the first novel in the Rachel Prince series by debut crime fiction author Alison James. I have to say what got my attention was the books premise of a gripping crime thriller that would have me hooked. Although maybe it didn't quite pull it off for me, it was an enjoyable quick novel with interesting plot twists and an action packed ending. I would recommend this novel if you are looking for a light crime thriller, perfect to curl up with over a weekend.

Well hello Rachel Prince. What a breath of fresh air you are! She needs to eat more though, as I worried for her during the investigation and she must be attractive as she’s very popular! Nothing gets in her way of getting to the crux of the investigation though which I did admire about her.

The story of a missing child starts one way and before you know it, lands in very different territory! There’s a bit of a trail too from London, Surrey, Spain and Portugal which is a nice change and at times it did feel very close to a certain case of a real life missing girl from the Algarve.

What stands out for me here is the banter between DI Rachel Prince and DS Mark Brickall. Humour when you need it most. They’ve got a lot of their plate after all. The destination isn’t a total surprise but the ride there is worth it!

"You may give them your love, but not your thoughts...you may house their bodies, but not their souls."

I have to say that this is one of the BEST police procedural thrillers that I have read lately. From the start to the finish, it gripped and held me tight as I tensely waiting for the very satisfying conclusion. I can't wait to see more of Rachel Prince!

A child has been kidnapped out of her home in the middle of the night and missing for several months when Detective Rachel Prince, of Bermondsey in South East London with the Major Crime Investigative Support unit, gets called to liaise on the case with the National Crime Agency to interface with the Child Exploitation and Online Protection command. She and her partner, DS Mark Brickall, are late to the investigation but are all holds barred as they query all the parties. Lola Jade Harper, 6 years old, vanished and there are no traces of what happened to her. The child's mother, Michelle, and her father, Gavin, are divorcing and in the midst of a fierce custody battle at the time of Lola Jade's apparent kidnapping. Where is Lola Jade and can Prince find her in time?

Great investigative process and a really complicated story line highlight this suspenseful novel. I don't want to give any spoilers, but it is definitely a book you should set aside time for as it will be very hard to put down. I really liked the character of Rachel Prince, except -- please -- let the woman eat and can't she be a little less appealing to EVERY single man who meets her? She's quite cynical and independent, but the potential romance angle really doesn't do her any favors here. The reader can sense her frustration as the investigation leads to one roadblock after another, but she doesn't give up and relentlessly pursues her suspect despite the stonewalling and lack of evidence. Although I figured out, eventually, where this was going -- it was a great ride!

I'd highly recommend this to anyone who loves a good police procedural with a compelling narrative and a unique spin. I can't wait for #2!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.

4 stars

Several months following the disappearance of six-year old Lola Jade Harper, DI Rachel Prince of the National Crime Agency in southeast London and her partner DS Mark Brickall are assigned the case. Lola Jade lived in Surrey and the police department there has asked for the NCA’s assistance. It seems that Gavin Harper, estranged father of Lola Jade has disappeared as well and his current family claim not to know where he is at. Some sightings have taken place abroad and thus the NCA with its international experience is called in.

Jade’s mother Michelle is a real winner. She is self-absorbed and can’t entertain anything beyond her own desires. When she doesn’t want to talk or answer questions, she gets a “migraine.” She cares little for others. In fact one has to wonder how good of a mother was she?

Rachel and Mark team up with DS Leila Rajavi from Surrey to further investigate the case and any possible. Rachel and Mark begin by re-interviewing witnesses and family members. They follow a possible lead to Spain where the father of the girl is said to have worked and wanted to live there.

The case progresses when some of the Harper family secrets are revealed. When a woman is found dead and another child goes missing, the case ratchets up as does the tension in our story.

The identity of the killer/kidnapper comes as no surprise. I suspected them as soon as I met them in the story.

This is a nicely written and plotted novel. I like DI Rachel Prince and the interplay between her and her sidekick, DS Mark Brickall. It injects a bit of humor into a very serious story. The suspense begins immediately and continues throughout the story until the denouement where it ratchets up with an exciting car chase. The ending was a little superfluous in places. There is a lot going on in this book and in places, I felt there was unnecessary information given. The main characters though were well fleshed out. This is my first Alison James novel, and I look anxiously forward to the next in this series.

I want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for forwarding to me a copy of this good book to read and enjoy.

I received an ARC from NetGalley to read and review. The below is my honest, unbiased opinion. Thank you, Alison James, the publisher, and NetGalley, for allowing me to review.

A MISSING CHILD. A DEAD WOMAN. A SHOCKING MYSTERY.

Six-year-old Lola Jade Harper is taken from her bedroom. Her mother is distraught. She is convinced her estranged husband, Gavin Harper, has abducted their daughter.

Detective Rachel Prince is leading the investigation but is soon out of her depth as she searches for the most high-profile missing child in the country. To uncover the truth about Lola’s disappearance, Rachel must untangle the Harper family’s complicated web of secrets and lies.

As the case progresses, the body of a local woman is found. The death at first seems unrelated, until a trail of social media posts lead Rachel to a chilling discovery.

And then another little girl is taken…

With growing pressure from the public and the appearance of someone from her past she’d rather forget, will Rachel be able to solve the connection between the two missing children and the murder - before it’s too late?

Truly addictive from start to finish, The Missing Child is a tense, enthralling crime thriller by one of the best new voices in crime fiction. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Peter James and Karin Slaughter.

THE MISSING CHILD is a well-written debut novel from Alison James. Its plot is fast=paced, twisty, and gripping. I couldn't put it down, and I was surprised by the ending. But most importantly, I really connected with the main character. This, of course, is key since Detective Prince is getting her own series. I found her to be interesting, realistic, and, at times, funny. I recommend to anyone who enjoys a solid mystery read.

I really enjoyed this book. It was well written and held my attention from the start. It had likeable characters. I particularly liked DI Rachel Prince and look forward to reading her future investigations.

I found this to be a solid mystery read. I was invested throughout the book. The characters were interesting and I enjoyed the humor.

The missing child by Alison James.
Omg what a read.
A six year old child lola jade goes missing one night. The mother Michelle says its the dad gavin.
Di prince and dc brackhill are on the case as surrey police case has gone cold. Someone online says Lola jade is closer to home.
Rachel enlists the help of rajavi and Cooper to help. They race against time to try and save a little girls life is at risk?
Omg I was baffled. I had a few ideas as to what happened to lola jade. But nothing prepared me for that. Wow. I was shocked. 5*. Highly recommended. Netgalley and little brown book group uk.