As a librarian, I encounter a wide variety of books, but The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers is one that stands out for both its gripping narrative and its exploration of human relationships. This novel dives deep into the complex dynamics of family, identity, and the emotional weight of unresolved pasts. It provides a fresh take on the thriller genre, blending suspense with a poignant look at personal growth and discovery.

The story follows the journey of two sisters, estranged by a tragic event from their past, who are forced to confront their shared history when a new revelation about their family emerges. Flowers does an excellent job of crafting a story that is both tense and emotional, keeping readers on edge while also drawing them into the heart of the characters' struggles. The pacing is brisk, with enough twists and turns to keep even the most seasoned thriller fans engaged.

One of the strongest aspects of The Missing Half is its character development. Flowers takes her time to unravel the complexities of each sister, revealing their vulnerabilities, secrets, and desires. The author does not shy away from showing the darker, more painful aspects of family dynamics, but she also offers hope for reconciliation and healing. This balance is rare and makes the book resonate on a deeper emotional level.

From a librarian’s perspective, The Missing Half is a book that will appeal to a wide range of readers. Fans of psychological thrillers will appreciate the suspenseful plot, while readers looking for more introspective works will be drawn to the book's exploration of identity and familial bonds. The writing is accessible but not overly simplistic, and the themes are both relevant and thought-provoking.

While the book is engaging, it does occasionally fall into predictable patterns of the thriller genre, with some twists feeling slightly contrived. However, Flowers' ability to humanize her characters and explore the emotional impact of their choices elevates the story above standard thriller fare.

Overall, The Missing Half is a compelling read that will stay with you long after you've finished the last page. It’s a great choice for book clubs or readers looking for a thought-provoking yet entertaining narrative. Highly recommended for those who enjoy thrillers with heart and depth.

4 stars

Ashley Flowers proves with this newest effort that she is dominating modern true and now fictional crime, and I am here for it.

In her second book, Flowers focuses on the power of sisterly bonds and how even in the most trying of circumstances, they can feel unbreakable.

When Nic's older sister goes missing and is presumed dead, Nic understandably spirals. With parents who were already distant, rampant alcoholism, and some challenging attachment issues, Nic is doing life very much on her OWN until Jenna shows up. While Nic would normally keep on walking, the fact that Jenna also lost her sister - and particularly because the circumstances are so similar to Nic's sister's situation - the two partner to see if they can make more progress than the police did.

This is nice and twisty, which is the central (but not only) reason that it is so engaging. Nic is definitely challenging to root for at times, a statement I think even she'd agree with, and that makes her quite compelling to follow.

This is a solid read, and I'm looking forward to what Flowers pens next.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This story primarily follows Nic Monroe as she works with Jenna Collins to solve the case of their missing sisters, Kasey and Jules, known as The Mishawaka Girls. Nic has struggled to cope and move forward with her life after her older sister went missing without a trace. She is approached by Jenna Collins, who's younger sister also went missing, and who's disappearance has been linked to Kasey's sister, about partnering up to solve the cold case and find out what really happened. This lights a fire and determination in Nic despite her initial resistance to working with Jenna.

The story was a slow build starting off introducing Kasey and her post loss struggles, followed by Jenna and her mission and proposition for Nic. The story takes you through their investigation ranging from who they suspect, interviews with those who knew them, their feelings on the initial police response and investigation, events that happened the summer the girls went missing, Nic and Jenna coming to terms with what they uncover, and ultimately wraps up the story with a twisty answer to what happened to both Kasey and Jules.

This was an quick and easy read that provides a narrative around the bond between sisters, actions and consequences, life after loss without closure, and the ends one would go to for the answers. I genuinely enjoyed this read and it is one that I feel would be enjoyed by novice and avid thriller readers alike. While the ending was certainly a twist, it was one that I was able to piece together the closer to the reveal I got. I did appreciate that the way the story unfolds is believable and well explained. I also appreciate that Nic is a character that you are likely meant to be frustrated with, but there were times where I felt like it was wearing on me and I couldn't help thinking about when we would see her make smarter decisions and character growth. Overall, another excellent book by Ashley Flowers!

Wow. This is my first Ashley Flowers books, and I am hooked. This is a great addition to the thriller family, complete with family tragedy and sisterly bonds that can never be broken.

I can't wait until this book is published, so I can discuss and break down with other readers!

The Missing Half is great for fans of Courtney Summer's Sadie.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Two young women go missing within weeks of each other. Years later, their sisters join up to try and solve the cases.

Nic's life has been on a downward spiral since her sister Kasey went missing 7 years ago. When Jenna contacts Nic to tell her she thinks her sister, Jules' disappearance is connected with Kaseys' , the women decide to work together. But secrets being kept by both women may destroy everything. A gripping crime story along with a story of the connection between sisters. I loved it!

Nic Monroe and Jenna Connor are the sisters of the missing Mishawaka girls, who disappeared within weeks of each other 7 years ago. Now, Nic and Jenna are teaming up to find more information about their sisters’ cases and who the man is that abducted them.

This story took on so many twists and turns, keeping me guessing until the end. The writing was super readable and grabbed my attention. Although so many things were going on during Nic and Jenna’s investigation into what happened to their sisters, I was able to stay on track and follow along. I also loved that the author captured the special relationship and bond between sisters.

Although the ending had a pretty big twist and I didn’t guess it fully, it still wasn’t that surprising. I didn’t find my jaw dropping, hear myself gasping, or feel my eyes bulging when I read it. I don’t know if that just means I’m desensitized?

Overall, I think this book is great entertainment!

Title: The Missing Half
Author: Ashley Flowers with Alex Kiester
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group ~ Ballantine/Bantam Books
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: May 6, 2025
My Rating: 3.3 Stars
Pages: 272

Story is center on two women- Jenna and Nic and their sisters Jules and Kasey. Two sets of sisters. Two nights, two weeks apart however their bodies were never found. Later the girls were branded the “Missing Mishawaka Girls”.
Jenna Connor ‘s sister Jules was first of the two to go missing in a little town a bit outside of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Her car was pulled off onto the side of the road with everything still in it.
Nicole “Nic” Monroe is twenty-four and her sister Kasey always looked after her. Kasey being missing is difficult on her and she is compensating by drinking too much. In fact, recently just gotten a DWI,

Story started out slow… I realized why the ratings were all over the place. I personally found the foul-mouth characters unlikeable and had a hard time feeling sorry for me. I kept at it and found it a Quick read! The twists in this one did throw me - have to admit I was surprised. I enjoy a good thriller, more the twist the better I like it.

Want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group ~ Ballantine/Bantam Books for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for May 6, 2025.

If I had to describe this book in 2 words it would be beautifully tragic. Ashley Flowers comes in again with another soul-crushingly beautiful of 2 girls and their quest to find their sisters. Everything in this book could be true and it’s as if you’re listening to a podcast. Loved all the way through.

Seven years ago, Kasey Monroe vanished without a trace. Since then, her sister, Nic, has been lost. She lives in a dingy apartment in her hometown in Indiana and has a dead-end job she has been working in since high school. She just can't move on since her sister disappeared.
Then one day, Jenna Connor appears in her life. Her sister, Jules, also went missing around the same time and under similar circumstances. Her car was left by the roadside but it was also empty.
As the two begin to compare the cases and try to find the missing link, secrets emerge but they only leave more questions.

This one was fabulous!! I must admit I had no idea what direction this one was taking but I am immediately fascinated by stories with missing people and the author cleverly strung these stories together to really pull me in. There were many possibilities and suspicious characters planted through the narrative, which kept me guessing, along with a bunch of twists and surprises. I cannot wait to read more by the author. 4.5*

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this gifted review copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc of The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers.
This is the first book I have read by this author and I absolutely loved it. I was so immersed in this story and the characters, that I was heart broken when it was over. This one has so many twists and turns and just grabs you from page one. Now, I’m off to read her debut novel…

Loved the twists and familiar setting (I’m from Indiana!) I liked it a bit better than her first bc it was a bit less gruesome.

I don’t have words for that ending. The final moments of this story were truly moving and well written. I enjoyed Ashley’s last book but this one was on another level. What her last book had in complexity, this one had in heart and overall the pacing, intrigue, and characters were more well rounded in this book. I cannot wait to get another Ashley Flower’s book in my hands. Grab this with both hands and don’t let go. You’re in for a ride.

Initially, I was intrigued by two sisters teaming up to find their missing sisters. However, the ending was a disappointment. It was far from happy, although it featured a good twist that made sense. The main character, Nic, is so flawed that it's sad. I prefer more lighthearted reading. I also noticed some errors that will hopefully be corrected in the final version. While some readers may enjoy the story, I didn't find it to be a quality read.

This was a great fast paced thriller that I couldn't put down. There are several surprising twists and you will be kept guessing until the end. I liked this much better than Ashley Flowers first book - it might be because she had a co-writer and the writing and plot were just better. I would definitely give this a chance even if you didn't like All Good People Here. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

What a ride! When two strangers team up to try and solve the disappearance of their sisters, unimaginable secrets are revealed. The twists just kept twisting! Definitely give this one a shot!

Thank you to Ashley Flowers, NetGalley, and Ballantine for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Nic Monroe's life has stagnated since the disappearance of her older sister, Kasey, 7 years ago: she still works the same job she did as a teenager, still lives in her hometown, still drinks too much to unwind. Jenna, the older sister of Jules, who went missing around the same time as Kasey, eventually reaches out to Nic with a proposition: the two of them know their sisters better than anyone, and if they work together, maybe they can finally solve their disappearances.

The premise was compelling, but the writing was rather bland. I appreciate that Nic was flawed and unlikable and there were a few moments where you really feel her grief, but other than those few moments, she and all the other characters felt very one-dimensional. As for the plot...well, I'm all for suspension of disbelief in these types of page-turners, but there were so many times that I was like...no? That did not happen like that? I don't know, maybe I'd appreciate it more if I wasn't an only child and understood the deep, unyielding bond between sisters. A very medium three shelter cats named Bansky out of 5 that might ultimately be closer to a 2.5.

The Missing Half - Ashley Flowers
Pub Date - May 6. 2025
Rating - 3.5/5 rounded up to 4
Thoughts - Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing - Bantam for this gifted advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.
I absolutely LOVE Crime Junkie, so definitely needed to get my hands on this book. I really liked the premise, especially since I have sisters of my own, I was able to relate the plot. The writing in this book is very well done, though slow at times. It wasn't one of those books I HAD to finish before the end of the day, so that would be my only critique if anything, which is why my rating isn't higher. When the story picks up though, Flowers doesn't miss a beat because the twist comes out of left field! Very well done!

The Missing Half tells the story of the bond between sisters and how the remaining sister feels the ache and emptiness.

Nicole has a missing older sister, Kasey, who has been missing for a few years. When Nic meets Jenna she sees how much they have in common when she hears that Jenna has a missing sister Jules. Jules went missing three years before Kasey.

The two young women compare notes and gradually begin to trust each other. They try yo find a connection between the two cases and come up with a short list of suspects and people to interview. But could someone be trying to stop them ?

Interesting story with a strong female lead. The effects of a missing other half and strength and bravery but with several twists and turns. Great character development and intense mystery.
Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion after reading.

A fast moving mystery with plenty of sad characters, possible culprits, and new information after two women are missing and presumed dead for 7 and 10 years. Some parts moved faster than others, and I'm not sure I loved the resolution. But it passed the time like any decent mystery should.