Brennan is a master storyteller and I really enjoyed this wrap up to the initial Quinn and Costa underlying storyline. The strength is always in the characters and this gave us new insights into both Kara and Matt. While this does stand alone, start at the beginning because there is a big reveal that needs to be worked up to.

I have always wanted to read one of Allison Brennan's novels so I jumped into the fifth book in her Quinn & Costa series, The Missing Witness. While it can be difficult to join an established series without having read the previous books, I was able to catch up, though it did take awhile to place all the characters relationships.

The book begins with LAPD Detective Kara Quinn returning to Los Angeles to testify against a dangerous human trafficker she went undercover to catch. Kara Quinn has been on loan to the FBI in Washington DC where she works closely with Agent Matt Costa, and with whom she has a more than collegial relationship.

Kara is eager to testify, and threats against her life by the trafficker's people have given her LAPD and FBI colleagues concerns about her safety. When the trafficker is shot and killed on his way into the courthouse, there is one witness to the killing- Amy, a civilian IT consultant who has been working undercover to get information on white collar financial crimes that may implicate people high up in the city government as well as the trafficker.

Amy disappears following the killing, and there are questions as to whether she is a witness or the killer. Quinn and Costa and Quinn's former unit in the LAPD have to work together to find Amy and unravel the white crime syndicate that has now turned to murder to protect their secrets.

Brennan does a good job explaining the complicated scheme that involves nonprofit organizations that have contracts with the city to build housing for unhoused people, and the web of deceit that has created millionaires out of people high up in the government and their family members.

There are some truly tense scenes in this fast-paced novel, including a few shoot-outs, a rooftop chase, and Kara racing away on a motorcycle from killers on her trail. I was biting my nails on these scenes.

I found it interesting how Brennan built her story around a real world problem, the homeless issue, and dealt with it from the perspective of people living in the middle of it. She clearly did her research on it. (Here is a link to an essay Allison Brennan wrote about this.)

For people who have read the previous Quinn & Costa novels, they will no doubt enjoy seeing what their favorite characters have been up to in the interim, and there are a few surprises for them. After reading The Missing Witness, I will be looking the first four books in the series- Kara Quinn is a badass.

I was incredibly excited for this book when I saw it on NetGalley. I have really been in the mood for thrillers recently, but unfortunately this book was not for me. In the very first chapter, the character's internal monologue consisted of an entire diatribe about homelessness and the messed up system in place to handle the problem. I pretty much immediately lost interest from that moment on. I read about 25% of the story before I gave up. It was simply not for me. I never got invested in the story and did not want to continue.

This is simply a reflection of my taste in books, characters, and stories. I hope this book finds the readers that will love it, but I am not the target audience for this particular one. For that reason, I will likely not post about this on any other platform.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.

“Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive” or so Sir Walter Scott claimed – even if the quote is generally and erroneously attributed to Shakespeare. It does rather sound like one of his, after all.

The Missing Witness, both the person and the case she’s caught in the middle of, is all about those practices of deception, and the need for the FBI’s Mobile Response Team to get to the heart of those deceptions. Bloodily if necessary.

Because the case in this fifth book in the series, after The Third to Die, Tell No Lies, The Wrong Victim and last year’s Seven Girls Gone, takes LAPD Detective Kara Quinn’s temporary membership in the MRT all the way back to where it began, to the case that made LA much too hot a place for her to remain, putting her on an unwelcome vacation and pushing her straight into the path of the FBI – and into the arms of the MRT’s Special Agent in Charge, Matt Costa.

Kara has been dragged back to LA, possibly because the human trafficking case that sent her out of town is finally being brought to trial. Or, more likely because the villain of the piece wants her back in town so he can send his goons out to eliminate her – just as he’s done with all the other witnesses to his many, many crimes.



Not that both of those things aren’t true – they’re just not anything remotely like the whole entire story or any of its moduses and/or operandis.

This is a case that has always been about deception. Including covering up the fact that the case is much bigger on the inside than appears on the outside. But also because Kara’s participation at the beginning, misplaced guilt in the middle and exile at the end are all about, not the deceptions that all the perpetrators have perpetrated in order to keep the dirty deeds on the down-low. The biggest deceptions in this case are the lies that the cops who were supposed to be on Kara’s side, on her team, the people that she trusted to bring her back home to her city and her job, have been lying to her all along.

And that’s one betrayal that she has utterly no capacity to forgive.

Escape Rating A: The case in The Missing Witness was solid and compelling and confounding, all at the same time. Because it’s wrapped around something so huge, so monstrous, and so easy to hide and obfuscate, that it’s nearly impossible to see the whole of it at once.

When Kara Quinn opened this case and this can of worms not quite a year ago, it was about sweatshops and human trafficking and scum who are so rich and so well connected it seems like they can even buy forgiveness from the FBI

But Kara tipped over a huge, gigantic rock, and the things that crawled out from underneath it have tentacles reaching from the Mayor’s Office to the County Board of Supervisors to the LAPD and the LA Office of the FBI – and that’s just for starters.

So Kara left town so that the case against one human trafficker could get pulled together without her body ending up in the middle of it. But that’s not the case her friends and mentors at the LAPD are investigating. They’re investigating the much bigger monsters that crawled out from under that rock – and they’re keeping Kara out of town for her own good – or so they believe.

Their cause is righteous, but their methods are not. To the point where the left hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing – or who the left hand is killing along the way.

At its heart, this is a case about political corruption, greed and graft, and the way all those things have intersected within the morass that has been called the Homeless Industrial Complex.

But white collar corruption and fraud cases are huge and complicated. There are so many moving parts that it’s difficult to get people to understand what’s at stake and who has been staked. So an awful lot of bad has happened but it’s been hard to even get the public’s attention OR to get a District Attorney to prosecute.

Murder cases, on the other hand, are easy to reduce to the soundbite of a gunshot.

What makes this story so compelling, is the way that Kara’s pursuit of the original murder and trafficker is used as a vehicle to get us inside, to get us to care about the larger but much more amorphous corruption case that has been hiding in plain sight all along.

And the way that even though a measure of justice gets served, we still feel the depths of the betrayals Kara suffers, that the people she once believed had her back have been lying to her all along in their belief that she wouldn’t have been willing to serve the same justice they were.

Which leads to the epic conclusion of The Missing Witness, a conclusion that is certainly the ending of the story arc of the first five books in this thrilling, suspenseful series, but hopefully will lead to much more to come. Because I’ve loved this whole series and I absolutely do not want it to end!

So many twists and turns in this book will have you turning page after page. I loved this book and thought it was a perfect addition to the series. This book ties up a lot of Quinn's past and so many answers come out. We meet a new Agent who I hope will be joining the team. We also meet a lot of Quinn's former police department. I did not want to put the book down as I needed to know everything that was going to happen next. I can't wait for the next book to come out.

The Missing Witness by Allison Brennan
Quinn & Costa #5

Excellent addition to the series ~ wrapped some issues up and opened doors for many more wonderful books to look forward to ~

What I liked:
* Kara Quinn: LAPD police officer on loan to FBI’s Mobile Response Team, has worked many times undercover, parents were con artists, has trust issues, bright, quick, impulsive, street savvy, can hold a grudge, in a relationship with Matt Costa, has some big surprises and issues to deal with
* Matt Costa: FBI special agent, team leader of the Mobile Response Team, bright, team oriented, calm, sees the bigger picture, protective, traditional, not impulsive, in love with Kara and “sees” who she really is, good with and for Kara
* Violet Halliday: IT savvy, works for Los Angeles City Hall, volunteers with First Contact NGO, had difficult childhood, has trust issues, tends to shy away from people, central to this story, might have a future with Will
* Will Lattimer: military veteran, started First Contact NGO, has a nine-point plan he believes would work better for the homeless than what is in place in this story, bright, aware, compassionate, realistic, might be interested in Violet
* Michael: Kara’s work partner, strategist, tactician, protective, difficult childhood, would like to know more about him
* Sloane: FBI newbie undercover in LA-FBI office, ex-Marine, bright, calm, family oriented, intriguing, hope to see her in future books
* The look into corruption, fraud, homelessness, and the impact it has
* The plot, pacing, setting, character development, and how it all was wrapped up at the end
* Knowing/hoping that there will be a book six to read in the future

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Thinking about how callous, selfish, corrupt, and evil some people can be and then thinking about the impact their behavior has on others. Won’t name names but there were quite a few I would gladly see behind bars in this book

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and HQN-MIRA for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Rating - 4/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Date Read - January 8, 2024
Publication Date - January 23, 2024

*I received an E-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review* - Thank you @abwrites, @htpbooks and @netgalley!

There are many twists and turns, like mini mysteries within the bigger mystery, which I enjoyed. It made it harder to predict the answers to each mystery. I got lost sometimes but so did the characters, which made it feel like we were figuring everything out together! You might guess who did something and still be surprised about what happens next. I also enjoyed that there were hints of romance, even though it was not the main plot.

I do not agree with many of the opinions on homelessness and addictions that are held by the characters in this book but I was able to put that aside and still enjoy the story. I found that it does play into myths and misconceptions held by society, so please be aware of that when reading. I think it creates a good opportunity for readers to do their own research and learn more about why those beliefs are not necessarily fact.

Overall, The Missing Witness is a great thriller that will keep you on your toes and even has some romance to reach a broader audience!

Get excited to read The Missing Witness, available January 23, 2024! 🎉

*Please check trigger warnings*

Kara Quinn has been called back to Los Angeles to testify in the case against David Chen, a human trafficker. Months ago, Kara went undercover to expose David Chen’s operation, bringing women in from China for forced labor in LA sweatshops. However, things go terribly wrong the night of the raid and Kara’s informant as well as her partner Colton are murdered. Kara was forced to relocate as David Chen put a price on her head. After assisting Matt Costa and his FBI Mobile Response Team back in the first installment, Matt arranged for Kara to come work for him on loan from the LAPD.

Now with the case against David Chen finally going to trial Kara’s days with the Mobile Response Team may be coming to an end. However, when Chen is shot the whole case starts to come undone. Kara, Matt, and Michael must piece together why Chen was killed and the plot is more complex and deeper than they imagined. Homeless assistance programs, corrupt city officials, leaks in the Los Angeles FBI office factor into their investigation. Plus, FBI Agent Bryce Thornton is still gunning for Kara’s badge. They have an ugly history.

The Missing Witness was a crime procedural with many layers. Kara reunites with the LAPD, and it’s bittersweet for her. This is what Kara’s been working toward, a chance to get her life and career back in LA, but things aren’t as she imagined. Kara’s become attached to working with Matt and his team of agents, solving cases all over the US. She’s become attached to Matt as well, albeit reluctantly. Matt’s been a steady rock for Kara as she works through relationship issues. I’ve enjoyed seeing them draw closer.

Living in California, I’m disheartened to hear the story is based in part on the homeless crisis here. So many of the facts defy logic!

I love Allison Brennan’s brand of mystery/crime procedurals! She blends complex characters, their relationships, and current topics into a riveting mystery! I breezed right through, glued to the pages, eager to see how it all turned out! I’ve grown attached to all the characters on Matt’s team, each being fleshed out a little more with each installment. The series is best read in order. I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy courtesy of MIRA. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’ve been loving Allison Brennan since I read one of her novel and found it weill plotted, entertaining and gripping. This series improves with each new instalment and I like how the author deals with social issues (human trafficking, homelessness) and include them in her story.
Kara is a clever and strong woman and I liked how she wasn’t frightened by the menaces and how she collaborated to solve this complex thriller.
Gripping, full of surprising twists, heartbreaking at times.
Strongly recommended
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to MIRA for this ARC, all opinions are mine

LOS ANGELES – The 2023 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count results were released today, showing a 9% rise in homelessness on any given night in Los Angeles County to an estimated 75,518 people and a 10% rise in the City of Los Angeles to an estimated 46,260 people.

A human trafficking case from detective Kara Quinn’s recent past reminds her how haunted she is by Sunny’s death. Sunny was instrumental when it came to Kara's trying to stop a trafficking ring. Now back in Los Angeles, Kara is set to testify against the person who was running the human trafficking in the case where Sunny was killed. Because of her impending testimony, there is a vendetta against Kara.

Then the story goes back and forth to Violet, whose mother is one of the victims of homelessness. Her mother is one, like many others, who fell victim to the drug epidemic. Addicts, as the book mentions, are on a “…slippery slope of desperation". It was impossible not to feel compassion for the people in this book, and of course, real life, which is why I included stats about Los Angeles above.

Even before the trial begins, the prosecuting DDA is stabbed, and this increases the danger that Kara is facing. It becomes patently clear that there is a high level of corruption and this places Kara's life at risk more than once.

There is a missing witness and both Kara and FBA SSA Matt Costa are determined to get to the bottom of things in this desperate case. Time. Time. Time. Will it run out?

Many thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

another twisty turn follow up to the quinn series. Allison Brennan keep up the hard work on these thrillers. They hit every time

Kara Quinn, on loan from the LAPD to the FBI, is finally headed back to LA to testify in a trial. A trial that has put her life in danger for the past few months. When the defendant, Chen, is shot down in cold blood outside the courthouse and another involved in the case is killed in front of Kara, things really heat up. Violet saw who killed Chen, but is now the missing witness. She is tied to another case about fraud with grants for the homeless, but could the two be connected? Many are looking for Violet, but who can she trust? In this book that’s a big question. Police and FBI corruption abound and as answers are sought to help solve the cases, twists and turns have all of us asking that same question. Will Matt and Kara be able to solve the crime before anyone else gets killed (including themselves)? Quinn takes us into the streets and the homeless camps. Highlighting the corruption that goes on with the grants that are received to help. When big money is involved greed takes over and trouble ensues. Looking forward to the next Quinn and Costas case! Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Well Researched and Wonderfully Written


I must express my renewed admiration for Allison Brennan, as I found myself thoroughly enjoying "The Missing Witness." Being a long-time fan who has sporadically delved into her works, this novel, the 5th installment in the Quinn & Costa series, proved to be a delightful one-day read. Despite not having read the preceding books, the narrative was engaging, and any missed backstory only heightened my eagerness to explore the series from the beginning – I've already acquired the first book.

The storyline revolves around a gripping case of human trafficking, where the accused meets a tragic end, and the key witness vanishes. While the plot is undeniably compelling, what truly captivated me was the poignant opening. Allison Brennan skillfully portrays the harsh realities of homelessness and drug addiction, delivering a narrative that feels uncomfortably real. This raw depiction resonated deeply, drawing me into the story with an authentic and impactful touch.

I extend my gratitude to Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA, and NetGalley for granting me access to an eARC of "The Missing Witness." The experience was both enlightening and enjoyable, reaffirming my appreciation for Allison Brennan's storytelling prowess.

A great continuation in the Costa and Quinn series.
I am enjoying seeing the growth in Kara and Matt’s relationship.
A fast paced story that keeps you engaged.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book was so engrossing and fast paced my heart felt like it was jumping out of my chest numerous times!!! From beginning to end I was hooked. I loved that it didn’t show the GLITZ AND GLAMOUR side of LA that are so often shown in books but also spotlighted the not so nice parts that need reform (ie the homelessness, mental health crises, and substance abuse issues that plague the city, that they have more than enough money to tackle but choose to put towards other means)! The whole book (and the rest of the books in the series) totally lends itself to a Netflix or other streaming platform show!!! SOOO SOOO OUTRAGEOUSLY GOOD!

If you like crime/court procedurals with a some real social issues thrown in this book would be PERFECT for you!

4.5⭐️

⭐️THIS BOOK IS OUT NOW⭐️

Special thanks to NetGalley @htpbooks and @_mira_books_ for the review copy in exchange for my honest review❤️

#themissingwitness #allisonbrennan #mirabooks #htpbooks

The Missing Witness is the 5th book in the Quinn & Costa. I will say right off the bat that I had not read the previous books in the series, and while it was clear there was some backstory I was missing out on I’m more than thrilled to say that didn’t hinder my enjoyment of The Missing Witness in the least. (Only made me interested in reading the series from the beginning.) The book centers around a human trafficking case where the accused is murdered and the witness to that crime goes missing. It’s an excellent story, but honestly what really hooked me was the opening. Allison Brennan’s portrayal of the homeless plight and drug addiction is hard hitting, totally believable, may even be a bit too real for those who’ve known anyone who has ever been in such situations, but it was that realism that just drew me right in. Thanks so much to Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA, and NetGalley for allowing me access to an eARC of The Missing Witness.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-missing-witness-allison-brennan/1143446385?ean=9780778369653&bvnotificationId=5c3950d2-ba3f-11ee-ba81-0ef28ef729b5&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=gmail.com#review/269821050

Quinn and Costa are tasked with finding a missing witness. But they are finding it hard to know who to trust. They find themselves in the midst of corrupt city politics. It also breaks open the awful state of the Californis homeless. It is gripping and I didn’t want it to end.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Missing Witness is the fifth installment in the wonderful Quinn and Costa series that just keeps getting better and better with each book. Allison Brennan’s storytelling is phenomenal, and I know I can’t get enough of this series and this author’s books. The reader has been waiting since book one, The Third to Die, when we got introduced to Kara, Matt and the rest of the Mobile Response team. It’s been leading up to this particular case of Kara’s and I know I am not the only one who was on teeter hooks to see how it would end up for her as well as for the FBI team she has been on loan with. The writing is top notch with so many twists and turns I really didn’t see them coming as I flipped the pages to see what is next. This is testament to the author’s wonderful storytelling. This is an author who knows how to craft a story filled with twists that will draw the reader in until the very last page.

We met Kara Quinn in the first book, The Third to Doe and I know I wasn’t the only one who found the prickly detective compelling and intriguing. I enjoyed each of the series books, but THE MISSING WITNESS puts them on Kara’s turf in Los Angeles and we finally see what happens when the trafficker is determined to see pay for his crimes finally face justice when it all goes sideways. The characters are what make this series such a wonderful entertaining read. They are flawed, complex people and the reader can’t help but find yourself rooting for them. I really enjoy Kara’s relationship with the FBI team as each book in the series kept it growing between them and the reader is shown how Kara is and why she is the way she was.

The Missing Witness is one wild ride right from the beginning to the last page. I am really hoping the author continues this series as it really is quite different from other FBI series I have read, and the characters continue to grow and learn with each book. If you are looking for an action-packed ride with compelling characters and a fast-paced storyline, then I highly recommend this series as a whole. I do recommend reading from the beginning as each book builds upon the end and we get to see the growth of the main characters with each book.

I loved this book!

After the detailed build up of these multiple complex cases, figuring out the characters involved, wondering if they were clean, or dirty, had me hooked and didn’t want to stop reading this addictive story. There were many twists and turns that really added so much. The ending was just right and I’m wanting to see more from this team.

Thanks to NetGalley & the Harlequin for an early copy! I’m definitely adding the rest of series to my tbr stack! Posted 1,23.24 to my instagram book account @theendlessstack & Goodreads.

This is book five in a series that I have not read the previous books. I felt quite lost through much of the book and highly recommend reading the series from the beginning.

Even not having read the previous books I can tell that fans of this series are going to love it. There are many enjoyable twists and turns and, it appears, some new characters being added.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.