Wow Ashley did it again! I loved her first book so reading this one was an absolute must but oh man. It was better and wilder. I could not put it down. I read the whole thing in about 4 hours. I have not read a book this good in a long time. The characters development was great! Read it! You won’t be able to put it down. I had my jaw on the floor the whole book!

A twisty and chilling story of lost family and answers being found in mysterious ways. I couldn't put it down!

Ashley Flowers continues to get better with each book she writes! I enjoyed this fast paced thriller, it was unpredictable, easy to read and so exciting. The author definitely challenges my comfort zone, but in a good way. Ashley is a definitely a true crime expert, I could not put this one down! I can’t wait for her next book.

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

I LOVED this book! I enjoyed that the main character was experiencing a realistic fallout of a missing loved one. Her life was in shambles and her grief was misplaced in a way that felt authentic and refreshing. Family secrets are exposed and new friendships are tested. There is a lot of substance to this thriller.

Most thrillers are predictable, this one delivered shocks until the very end. If you enjoy novels that are seriously twisty, you'll love The Missing Half.

For a reader looking for a fast-moving, absolutely intriguing plot or one who prefers character development and description” you’ll find it in this thriller. I can usually predict the ending to a mystery novel; but this novel, like real life, offers no predictable future track until you get there, and Ashley brings you along to observe the action. The unexpected twists of the plot always seem logical, predictable, psychologically sound, only you, the reader, never saw it coming.

Great mystery about a missing sister. The novel explores the emotional implications of loss and longing within a whodunit structure. The ending for sure will surprise even the most seasoned mystery readers

Two women are united over the mysterious disappearance of both their sisters years before under similar circumstances. The unlikely pair, down on their luck and doggedly looking for answers, will go to any length, including putting their lives in danger, to find answers. The characters are raw and real and readers will sympathize with their plight. The ending is truly shocking and will stun readers. Fans of Taylor Adams and Brad Parks will enjoy this.

Loved the mystery and suspense in this novel. It sucked me in from the start. I felt such compassion for Nic and Jenna not know what happened to their sisters. It was a fast read for me. Didn't want to put it down because I wanted to see how it ended. Highly recommend.

This book really took me by surprise. There were parts that were a bit slow for me and I honestly didn’t know where the story was going. The ending was not something that i saw coming and I’m still trying to decipher if I liked the way it ended or if I wanted more. The best thing was to go into this without knowing the premise because it limited my expectations.

I absolutely loved this authors debut but unfortunately this one just wasn’t my favorite read. I was really engaged in the first half of this but didn’t love the second half. I didn’t love the twist and I think it’s because I just didn’t seem to care about these characters.

What a ride! While it didn’t live up to the hype of All Good People Here, this is still a fast-paced, surprising thriller that will satisfy! I thought about it for days after.

Overall was an enjoyable read. The ending felt rushed for how much had to read through to get to it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House—Bantam for providing me an advance copy of this book.

I love a thriller, and I thought that Flowers' first novel, All Good People Here, showed some great potential for her future projects. So of course I wanted to give The Missing Half a shot. Unfortunately, I don't see myself trying another of her novels, should she write more in the future.

I struggled a lot with her style of writing. I took a few notes during my read, which all centered around the complaint that this book is so...overwritten. Interactions feel unnatural, and I found myself unable to suspend my disbelief and accept the dialogue and internal monologues as anything beyond frustratingly clunky. I wished for less handholding and more trust in the audience that we will pick up on subtle hints. I needed some space.

The Missing Half is a solid, if not groundbreaking, entry into the world of small-town mysteries. Ashley Flowers brings her true crime sensibilities to this story of two women—Nic and Jenna—bonded by the unsolved disappearances of their sisters. The setup is intriguing, and the emotional weight of loss and hope is handled with care. I appreciated how the book explored the long-term effects of grief and the complicated choices the characters face along the way.

That said, some parts of the plot felt a bit too convenient, and I found myself wishing for a bit more suspense and development, especially for the supporting characters. The pacing is quick, making it an easy weekend read, but the story never quite reached the level of tension or originality I was hoping for. Still, there are some clever twists, and fans of Flowers’ podcast or her first novel will likely enjoy seeing her growth as a storyteller.

Overall, The Missing Half is entertaining and worth picking up if you’re in the mood for a fast-paced thriller about sisterhood and secrets, but it didn’t leave a lasting impression for me.

Thank you Random House for an ARC of Ashley Flowers second novel “ The Missing Half”. I am an avid Crime Junkie fan so I will read anything ashley writes, esp after devouring her Jon Benet Ramsey story debut. This story is about Nic who is living a dead end life after her sister Kasey goes missing. She is approached one day by a woman who says her sister went missing also and she thinks their cases are linked. As Nic digs deeper and deeper into her sisters disappearance, she realizes that someone’s things are meant to stay hidden. I binged this on audio and LOVED the narration. It kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

Thank you, Random House Publishing Ballantine Group for the advanced copy of The Missing Half. I am a sucker for a missing persons mystery and this novel had the bones to be a really good suspenseful novel. Nic, the main character, is struggling with long standing grief from the loss of her sister, Kasey who went missing 7 years ago. I loved the writing and the genuine love that was apparent that Nic had for her sister, Kasey, but the novel tended to drag on and on and just didn’t have enough suspense for me. I did like it, but it just wasn’t great. Also, I guessed part of the conclusion pretty early on, but did not expect the way it would eventually end for Nic. I loved All Good People Here by Flowers, but this one was just okay.

Thank you Bantam and NetGalley for the ARC! This book was very well written, and while I enjoyed the last novel written by Ashley Flowers, I LOVED this book! It was filled with surprise and intrigue, and I was not disappointed!

I wasn't sure what to think when I first realized that Ashley Flowers, of true crime podcast fame, had set her sights to writing Mystery/Thriller fiction. I have to say, though, that I was pleasantly surprised by this one! This is a solid story, with characters that will keep you guessing and a twist that I just did NOT see coming - and, for anyone who reads a lot of books of this genre, to have the twist come totally out of left field like this one does, is saying something! The Missing Half is a quick, propulsive read that will keep you interested and on your toes, and it was one of those books that you will walk away from shaking your head, wondering how you missed the reality that was right in front of you all along. Solid work, and an author I'll look forward to reading more from in the future!

Ashley Flowers (host of the popular true crime podcast “Crime Junkie”) writes what she knows. This time she created an exploration of the bounds of sisterhood within a page-turning mystery. This book would be good for “Crime Junkie” listeners and anyone looking for an exciting poolside read. (Recommendation will be sent to readers of WordSmarts.com email newsletter)

This book was disappointing. It started off well, then got very repetitive and nothing much actually happened, other than the main character Nic berating herself constantly after continually messing up. When Nic and Jenna start working together the story picked up and got better, but then it built up to a lackluster, abrupt, silly let-down of an ending. I found that I felt reading the book was not really worth it.