This book was middle of the line for me. It sounded really good and had some great twists and surprise plots, but I felt the writing was just mediocre. I skimmed a lot of it and enjoyed the ending, but didn’t have enough to keep my interest page by page.

Every book by Minka Kent will leave you breathless and Unmissing does not disappoint. This was a very well-written book with interesting characters. Luca’s presumed dead first wife, Lydia, appears after ten years but he’s now married to Merritt. Where do they all go from here? No spoilers but this book will suck you in. This is a voluntary review of an advance reader copy. Unmissing will be released in early 2022.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I just finished this book and LOVED it! 

I was let down by her last book, THE WATCHER GIRL- I liked it, I just felt like it needed more. Like it was stripped down to its bones. But, I loved her writing and the characters, so I decided to give her another go and I’m so glad I did! This one is good!! 🙌

Definitely do not miss this one!!

One of the best suspense/ thrillers I’ve read! This book will keep you guessing till the very end! Once I started I couldn’t stop till I finished!! Minka Kent is a fabulous writer.

Unmissing by Minka Kent was a fantastic domestic suspense thriller that I couldn't put down. This particular genre is catnip for me and Unmissing didn't disappoint. I loved getting the POV from both the current wife and the missing/presumed dead first wife. I highly recommend this fast-paced, twist-filled novel.

Merritt Coletto is happily married with a toddler and 8 months into another pregnancy when she gets a knock on her door. Standing there is her husband’s first wife Lydia. The one that was presumed dead after going missing while hiking and vanishing without a trace 10 years ago. Where has she been all these years? Why is she back now? And what does she want?

This is one of my favorite plot setups I’ve come across in a while. What an insane scenario that is just ripe with possibilities. Ultimately I didn’t love the direction the author chose to go. It was a little too similar to many other books in this genre and thus was a bit predictable for me. That said, I read 80 bajillion (hyperbole, what’s that?) thrillers, so for your average reader who does not, I imagine this wouldn’t be as much of an issue.

What was a bit more of an issue is the same problem I just had with Survive the Night where characters just act completely irrationally and in ways no normal person would, because otherwise the plot couldn’t happen. I can’t say more without getting into spoiler land, but if anyone in this book acted like they had a functional brain, it would be over after about 20 pages. That said, I still generally liked this. Weird, I know. I think it was something to do with the writing, which I really enjoyed. You know how sometimes you’re watching a movie and it feels like the actors elevated bad material? It feels kind of like that here, where good writing bolstered a meh plot. 

3.5 Stars. This was my first Minka Kent. It definitely won’t be my last. There was a lot I liked here, and I’m really excited to see how a writing style I enjoyed translates to other plots.

Unmissing by M. Kent, published by Thomas & Mercer, is a full-length, stand-alone mystery thriller of it's finest.
Merritt Coletto and her husband are living a good life. A flourishing business, one daughter with another child on the way, they're uberhappy.
Only when someone from the past shows up on their doorstep - in the blink of an eye everything changes.
Lydia, Luca's first wife, who's assumed dead for years, is back - and she brings her own agenda.
Unmissing is a story where nothing, literally nothing is as it seems. Victims, culprits, no one can tell who's who.
This is the twistiest of twisty reads I read in a very long time, and I loved every minute, every sentence, every word, loved the storyline, even the characters and the plottwist, o my, I just can't anymore. Brilliant, just brilliant.
This highly anticipated book delivered everything I could dream of - and more. Outstanding, action packed, fast paced, drama filled .
I highly, highly recommend this gem of a story.

This book is a twisty and suspenseful, told in chapters alternating between the two wives perspectives.  The first wife appears after being missing and being declared dead on the second wife's doorsteps.   the first part of the book seems like three people who need to communicate and figure out what to do, so was slowly setting us up for a series of twists and for a no one is who they appear to be plot.  And a satisfying ending

I see I’m in the minority here but I found the book completely implausible. And the internal monologue of Merritt from the beginning of the book to the end is a 180% as we’re  led to believe one thing from her inner thoughts and then the complete opposite.

Riveting 

I loved this book!  I was on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book wondering who was hiding what because everyone seems to have a secret.  The characters are believable, the plot well written, and the suspense begins on page 1.  This novel is definitely worth reading!  I received an advanced copy and this is my honest and voluntary review.

One thing I particularly enjoyed about Unmissing was the timing. Just when you think you're starting to figure things out, WHAM! A curveball and you're sent reeling. The characters were memorable and well developed. A fast read simply because it was hard to put down.

Unmissing was a very good short read. Minka Kent is an author that I discovered when she wrote "When I was you". I loved that book and absolutely loved this one. This story had the right amount of mystery and thrill. Definitely had a twist at the end that I did not expect.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Excellent story! Totally engrossing!.  Looking forward to reading more by this author! Could not put this down!

I am a big fan of Minka Kent so I had high expectations going in to Unmissing. All I can say is WOW!! This book is full of mysterious characters, an intense storyline, and a shocking ending that readers won’t see coming. I finished this book a few days ago and can’t stop thinking about it!! I will be telling everyone I know to go out and buy it!!

I have read every single book by this author and she hasn't written a bad book yet. This book is no exception it is what I would call the perfect thriller. Really from the very first page I was hooked!!! Lydia is kidnapped and is pronounced dead. She gets away from her abductor after nine years and goes and visits her husband who now has a different life with a family. Is Lydia going to steal her husband back or is there something so much more sinister going on? OMG the suspense in this book keeps you on your toes! Absolutely one of my favorite books I have read in awhile . Such a great storyline ! I would give 10 stars if I could. Read this book!!! You will be just as captivated as I was throughout the whole book . Read in 2 days! Highly recommend this book and any book Minka Kent has written. One of my favorite authors. LOVED!!!!!!

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of the unmissing. Well what a page turner!!!  And the twists just kept coming. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to those that love mystery and thrillers!!

I absolutely loved this psychological thriller. There were so many twists and turns that it kept me hooked and I had to know, not only Lydia’s fate, but the fate of the other characters. I really enjoyed that this novel alternated between Lydia and Merritt’s POV. 5⭐️ for sure! 

Thank you @netgalley, #ThomasandMercer ,and #MinkaKent for an advanced copy of this novel in return for an honest review.

A disheveled looking woman shows up at your door late one evening, claiming to be your husband's wife who disappeared and was designated as dead nine years ago. What do you do? Thus begins this story of lies, deceit and murder.

As a fan of Minka Kent's books, I was excited to receive an ARC from NetGalley of this, her newest book soon to be published. (Publication date 2/15/22) The premise was intriguing, but just didn't hold the suspense that I was expecting. For me, the surprise reveals seemed to come out at odd points in the layout of the chapters which didn't provide those "gotcha" moments. And, some of the characters personality traits were too incongruous to their actions and words. I was left with a lot of questions and feelings of disbelief at times.

However, this was a quick read with a crazy twist or two that kept me guessing and should appeal to most mystery and suspense enthusiasts. I look forward to reading more books by this author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is quite an unusual tale where the wife of a newly married couple suddenly disappears one day while out hiking. Almost 10 years pass and the husband Luca has re-married Merritt. Together they have made a life together and set up several successful restaurants. 
One day Merritt opens her front door to find that Luca’s former wife has suddenly turned up claiming to have been raped, tortured and imprisoned all these years by a monster.
A novel plot that kept me glued to the book to the very end.

Merritt and Luca are wealthy restauranteurs with a darling toddler and a second baby on the way when, wouldn't you know, it all comes crashing down.  Luca's first wife, Lydia, was presumed dead after disappearing ten years ago on a hike.  So how is she now on their doorstep?  It turns out, she was kidnapped and held captive all of this time and was finally able to escape and make her way home.  Only to find his new wife and family now in her place.  So the question becomes what do they all do now?    

It's certainly a very uncomfortable situation for everyone involved - Luca is shell-shocked, Merritt is sympathetic, yet protective of her family, and Lydia is determined not to be turned away.  For the time being, she is taken in by a lovely woman named Delphine, a character I really enjoyed.  Her crystals and incense lifestyle is quite a calming influence on Lydia as she tries to figure things out.  Luca and Merritt seem pretty two-dimensional as the stereotypical affluent couple, but if you know anything about this author's books, you know that not everything is what it seems.  

That's what makes her stories so enjoyable - other authors would make this a straightforward plot, building on how all of the characters adjust to the changes in their lives.  But not this author.  She knows how to keep the readers on their toes, and casually tosses in major twists when you least see them coming.  I love that - there's no big build-up with a huge revealing cliffhanger on the end of the chapter - the story doesn't need that and it makes any surprises that much more unexpected and enjoyable. See for yourself, this is a story you won't want to miss!