the missing half by ashley flowers follows twenty-four year old nicole monroe aka nic and jenna connor as they try to solve the mystery of their sisters' unsolved disappearance.

both of their sisters disappeared in similar circumstances; kasey, nic's older sister, vanished in the middle of the road with her car's driver's door wide open and her purse untouched, and just two weeks earlier jules another young woman (jenna's younger sister) from the same area disappeared in the same way, and their bodies have never been found.

there was not a lot the police could go on and so their cases went completely cold for almost a decade, until jenna approached nic and told her that she found a clue and wants them to try and solve their sisters' cases together. and as they try to look for something the police might have missed they discover things they weren't prepared for...

i was hooked from the beginning and i honestly thought i was gonna give this book five-stars and was regretting giving a friend ashley's debut "all good people here" before reading it myself, buttt as it turns out just because of the ending im not going to give it five-stars, but i might give "all good people here" a chance, but im not here to talk about her old book, so lets get into it.

i really appreciated the character development of nic and i liked how she grew to like jenna despite the way things started out. i did not see the twists coming and it kept me wanting to never stopped reading it until i saw how it ended (which was disappointing, in my opinion)

i honestly don't like these type of endings, like can any mystery/thriller book not end with any of the characters not breaking the law in some kind of way? (it seems like every mystery/thriller book i read lately end in the same way) im trying not to spoil anything so you'll have to read it and figure it out for yourself, you might even like the ending. and if you have any recommendations for good thrillers please give them to me.

thank you netgalley and random house publishing group - ballantine - bantam for the arc!
(i'll publish this review on goodreads on may 1st 2025)

WOW loved this - was hooked from start to finish and definitely did not anticipate the direction this one went in. I adored her first book, and was very happy with this follow-up! Will definitely recommend to thriller/suspense fans. 4.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC.

I am furious as I am writing this review. I didn't see where this book was going, and I despised the end, but what a great read.

There were so many twists and turns that I never expected. I was invested from the start and really like how this author writes.

This is a dark thriller about sisters and their bond. It was heart-wrenching at times, very well written and shocking.

WOW. What a wild ride. There were a couple plot holes I think, but overall a great story. Loved the short chapters and it kept me turning the pages.

THAT ENDING!!! This was written so well and I couldn’t put it down. I still feel shocked and numb after the last couple chapters. Ashley Flowers knows how to write crazy good thrillers!

I’m not sure how I feel about this book to be honest. The plot twists were surprising and also expected… I don’t think I ever connected with any of the characters enough. The story was interesting if not cliche but the kind you enjoy.

This one was such a wild ride! It was twisty, and suspenseful with an ending I truly did not see coming.

Within a few weeks of each other, two women go missing in the same area - never to be seen again. With no real leads, the case runs cold. Nearly a decade later, one of the sisters of the missing women (Jenna) reaches out to the sister of the other missing woman (Nic). Convinced that the police missed something - and no one knows the missing women better than they do - they decide to team up to unravel the mystery and get justice for their sisters. However, when they start digging, they uncover more than they could have imagined.

I appreciated all of the twists and turns of this book. As I read, I kept thinking it would be one way, but was delighted when it went in a completely different direction. The last third definitely gave me chills! Once you start this, you won’t want to stop, so get cozy, grab a few snacks, and enjoy!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine for the ARC!

Seven years ago, Nicole “Nic” Monroe’s older sister Kasey disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Two weeks earlier, another girl, Jules Connor, disappeared in the same area. Neither girl was ever found. Present day, Nic still struggles with Kasey’s disappearance when she’s met by Jenna Connor, Jules’ sister, who suggests they look into their sister’s cases together, and their investigation quickly uncovers information not previously known to the police. The Missing Half starts off with a bang, and the explosions never stop coming in this gripping, suspenseful story of two sisters who are determined to discover the truth, regardless of what lies in their wake. This was one wild ride, with surprises at every turn, and I truly couldn’t put this one down with the chapters whiplashing past in a fury. This was crazy good, highly entertaining, I loved the characters and the plot, do not skip this one, definitely a must-read. Five glowing stars!! I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A dark and emotional read about a young woman whose sister has been missing for years. Her sister's case is cold and has haunted Nic for the last 7 years, leaving her stuck at the same job, drinking too much, and basically put her life on pause. Nic teams up with another woman who also has a missing sister and they try to figure out what happened to both women.

The first 80%-ish of this book was just okay to me, what really redeemed it was the last 20%. However, this whole book kind of just felt sad to me.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for an arc. I’m struggling to rate this one. I really enjoyed it but the end was unsettling to me. I’m not sure if that makes me dislike the book more than I would have. I definitely thought this was better than her first book though.

"The Missing Half" is a poignant and thought-provoking novel that will stay with readers long after they finish reading. Flowers's masterful storytelling and the emotional depth of the characters make this a compelling and unforgettable read.

I loved Ashley Flowers' debut, All Good People Here, and couldn't wait to dive into The Missing Half. This story of two sisters, one of whom is missing, captivated me from page one. Ultimately, this one fell a little flat for me by the end (which I always say will make or break a thriller), but I did enjoy the ride there.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book!

Ashley outdid her last book with fantastic writing and really well done characters. This book takes you on a ride as two sisters try to find what happened to their missing sisters. It’s a whirlwind of different suspects and plot twists all leading up the last couple chapters which really pay off.

I’m really into this even more so than All Good People Here and as a Crime Junkie this scratched an itch!

This story was positively compulsively readable. I ate it up like popcorn at the movies. I couldn’t stop!! I read this book in two sittings. The first lasting late into the night and the second starting early in the morning as soon as I woke up. The setting was realistic and relatable for those of living in middle America. The twists were unpredictable if not a little unrealistic, but this is a thriller novel after all! The focus on sisterly bonds and female friendship and the dark secrets and lies that can come along with that was a unique facet of the book that I really enjoyed. Truly my only complaint about The Missing Half is that the ending seemed rushed. I felt the same way about Flowers’ first book, All Good People Here. But I also found its story as addictive as this one. Maybe a succinct ending is just her M.O. Regardless, I will continue to read whatever Flowers puts out!

Definitely a thrill ride, my heart aches for her sister and how much it changed her life. It was compelling till the last chapter.

A compelling and intriguing story that will have you turning the page to find out what happens. The plot is paced well and the characters are well-developed. An added bonus is that the twists were not predictable.

Crime Junkie fans will recognize the familiar storytelling style of author, Ashley Flowers as we dig in to the tale of two sisters who lives were splintered into a before and after. Nic’s life was forever changed on the night her sister, Kasey, vanished without a trace. Jenna lost her sister under eerily similar circumstances two weeks earlier. But seven years have past and the cases remain unsolved. Until once again fate connects these two families, as the two left-behind sisters join forces to find justice. Can Jenna and Nic ever know what really happened all those years ago? This tale has all the twisty murder mystery goodness you’d expect from Ashley Flowers!

This was a twisty mystery from Crime Junkie podcaster Ashely Flowers that should not be missed. When Nic's sister goes missing, her life as she knows it dissolves. 10 years later, she's still in the same dead end job just trying to make ends meet and attend her court appointed AA meetings. Then along comes Jenna, who's sister was also missing under very similar circumstances at the same time, and she pressures Nic to help her figure out the mystery behind these disappearances. I definitely did not see the twist coming at the end. I was convinced it was this one character, but I was wrong. Very well done.

What a fun ride! I really enjoyed Ashley's first book, however I liked this one even more. I love a dysfunctional main character and she definitely delivered that in The Missing Half. I really connected with the main character and could feel how hard she was struggling with the loss of her sister. It felt more real that she was having a hard time coping with the situation surrounding the disappearance. This book had me questioning every character and constantly coming up with the wrong answer. And what a great dark ending, which is also a favorite trait of mine. Chefs kiss would highly recommend. 4.5 stars