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.

First time reading this author and I was pleasantly surprised. I wasn’t a huge fan of the characters, and thought some of the book was a bit unnecessary, but did enjoy it and it kept me coming back for more.

As a fan of Ashley Flowers and her Crime Junkie podcast, it was hard not to keep picking up the books she is also authoring. I enjoyed the storyline, twists and connections that made up this story.
Nic can't seem to figure out her life because grief has just taken over and she is still missing her sister who disappeared 7 years ago. Her family life is strained and she has zero interest in her job but she can't escape the fact that she doesn't know why her sister vanished. Enter Jenna to her front door. Jenna's sister also disappeared and it's possible the two could be connected somehow.
Nic and Jenna make an unlikely couple trying to solve this mystery and digging up some old dirt. They seem to uncover more info in their short time together than what's been discovered in the last 7 years. And a lot of it is not pretty.
I wasn't entirely sure I knew where this was going and I'm still not sure that I have recovered from what was revealed...

What a crazy twist 😳 did not see that one coming. I really enjoyed this book and it was definitely an easy and fun read.

I went into this one wary after the ambiguous ending of Only Good People Here and am happy to say it’s a much more satisfying read and ending. Two sisters coming together to try and solve the disappearance of their sisters. I thought I knew what was happening for most of the book but was proved wrong twice. I didn’t want to throw my kindle through a wall and that is a good thing.

Wow the twists. I didn’t see any of them coming and this book kept me on my toes the whole time. Could not put it down! I love a quick easy read thriller!

Two women haunted by their sisters' unsolved disappearances band together to try to find answers. Nicole Monroe is faltering in her life in the seven years since her sister Kasey went missing - she is in a dead end job, living in a rundown apartment and serving community service for a recent DWI. When she is approached by Jenna Connor, whose sister disappeared the same summer, she starts to feel hope that together they may be able to do what the police were unable to do. Fast paced with some surprises along the way.

Ashley Flowers kept me hooked! I thought it was going to be an obvious ending, but I was pleasantly surprised. I’ll read her next book too!

What a fantastic read! The Missing Half completely pulled me in from the start—I flew through it in just two days. Ashley Flowers delivers a gripping, fast-paced story that’s perfect for fans of true crime and mystery.

The plot kept me guessing the entire time. Just when I thought I had it figured out, the twist took me completely by surprise. Flowers does a great job layering suspense without overcomplicating the storyline, making it both thrilling and easy to follow.

For all the Crime Junkie fans out there, this one feels like a modern-day Nancy Drew—you’re right there beside Nicole, unraveling clues and chasing down the truth about her sister’s disappearance. It’s emotional, mysterious, and completely absorbing.

~ thank you to netgalley and bantam for this arc in exchange for an honest review ! ~

4.5⭐️

i could not put this one down and read it in less than 24 hours lol
the twists and turns were done so well - i had some guesses and they were barely half right. i enjoyed the pacing and thought the story flowed nicely.

one thing about me is i LOVE an unreliable and hot mess narrator and thought nic was perfect. hated and loved her throughout the whole story.

highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a quick-paced, twisty thriller (and who wants to support a fellow hoosier!)

Years ago, two seemingly unrelated young women go missing from the same small town in Indiana. Now, their little sisters are trying to solve the mystery. Written by Ashley Flowers of the true crime podcast Crime Junkie, this is a fairly straightforward thriller with one twist I did not see coming. And, being a fellow Hoosier, I enjoy stories set in Indiana. However, there were so many plot holes with the story and ending that it made it completely unbelievable. The ending was so unsatisfying that it almost ruined the entire book for me. If the ending had been more well thought-out or fleshed out a little bit more, the book would have been much better.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for my copy! ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Two women, both with sisters who mysteriously disappeared, team up to to see if they can solve the case that the police have pretty much given up on. A fast read but the characters were not fleshed out very well and the plot was not very believable

Nicole is in a rut. She got a DWI, living in a dinky apartment, and working at the same dead end job. She has lived like this since the day her sister disappeared, seven years ago. Jules also disappeared around the same time as Nicole’s sister. Nicole and Jules’s sister team up to find their missing halves.

I was left wanting more and not really wowed by the twist. I was left with more questions than answers. It was a fast paced thriller that I quickly binged, but I just wanted more.

Thank you to Ashley Flowers, Bantam, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'd heard good things about Ashley Flowers's debut novel, but I never got around to reading it (even though my local library has tons of copies). However, when I saw this follow-up available, I decided to give it a go. End result? Maybe I should've stuck with the debut. This one was... fine? It has all the hallmarks of a good thriller, but there's just a 'been there, done that' kind of aspect to it that made me long for an author who was a bit better. The writing is fine, and, I suspect, that has to do with Flowers's co-author. It's easy to read and the pages fly by, however the characters and the twists and turns are a little flimsy. Even after the twist, I felt like I'd read this book already. I don't know, maybe fans of her podcasts will eat this up, but I'll be hesitant before picking up book 3. Still might try that debut. But hey, at least this was short.

4 stars for me! This book was definitely one that was hard to put down.

Set in the small town of Mishawaka, Indiana, the novel follows Nicole “Nic” Monroe and Jenna Connor, two women whose sisters vanished under eerily similar circumstances seven years apart. Their quest for answers intertwines their fates, leading to a narrative rich in suspense and emotional depth.

I was expecting a plot twist, but found this to be pretty shocking!! No spoilers from me, you will have to read it yourself!

I read Ashley's first book, All Good People Here, right after it came out, and I didn't love it. So, I picked up this book with fairly low expectations, but I was surprised with how much I enjoyed it. Two sisters join forces to discover the truth about their two missing sisters, who disappeared seven years ago and were never found. I kind of guessed one of the plot twists, but not the end, which was bananas. I did not see it coming (maybe I should have). I don't totally know how I felt about it- I didn't really like Nic. She was annoying and a little whiny, and while I appreciate how dedicated she was to figuring out what happened to her sister, she was just not a very kind person. I agree with the last sentence of the book (no spoilers, you'll have to read it for yourself).

One pet peeve- she mentions the cat, Banksy, is a calico and male. This is impossible, as calicos are only female. Also, her inability to care for her cat and decision to return it made me really annoyed.

Overall, if you like twist endings and missing persons cases with morally ambiguous characters, this is a good read.

*Thank you to NetGalley, the authors, and Bantam for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Ashley Flowers does it again! I will read anything she writes! This was the true definition of a page turner. You really can’t help but devour this book. There is one heck of a twist you won’t see coming and it was amazing! From a well developed plot to well defined characters this book has everything a thriller needs! All thriller lovers will love this one!

As much as I want to enjoy Ashley’s books, they aren’t for me. I am a huge fan of her podcasts and listen to those weekly. But as someone who reads thrillers and mysteries regularly, I found this book to be messy from start to finish with large plot holes and an ending that was so incredibly far-fetched.

I do think this book was a bit better than her previous debut novel.

My first book by this author and wow, it did not disappoint. I was drawn in immediately by the main character who was battling so many demons after her sister disappeared. I felt bad for her for probably 80% of the book. You'll understand why I stopped feeling bad for her after you read this. But this was extremely fast-paced, I read this in less than 24 hours and there were definitely no slow parts for me. And the twists at the end, holy moly my jaw dropped and is still on the ground.


Many thanks to Random House Publishing - Ballentine|Bantam for the gifted copy!