Ashley Flowers is such a captivating storyteller, she always has me transfixed. The Missing Half was no exception. Just when I thought I had this book figured out I would be surprised!
All The Good People Here was a good book. The Missing Half did not disappoint!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC!!

My first book of Ashley Flowers and I enjoyed it. It was a fast-paced read with some twists and turns.

We have some flawed but believable characters. I wasn't a big fan of the ending but this is one of those stories where anything goes and any ending is to be expected (minus an alien or other genre-bending stuff)

Overall, a decent, fast-paced read. Thanks to Netgalley & Random House for the e-copy!

3.5/5

In her sophomore thriller, Ashley Flowers’ background as the creator of the Crime Junkie podcast serves her well. Following two sisters seeking answers about their respective missing siblings, the story is intriguing and could easily fit in the annals of true crime. The story is well-paced and the characters are vulnerable with one another while seemingly withholding just enough to make the reader question each movement and motive.

The Missing Half is a suspenseful and twisty mystery that keeps you guessing until the end. Paul makes for a convincing red herring, and the tension is well-paced throughout. However, the relationship between Nic and Jenna could have been more developed, and the ending felt a bit rushed. Still, it's an engaging read for mystery lovers.
3.5 stars

This book started out really well, but as the plot progressed the treatment it and the characters got was really uneven. At times, Nic seemed really well developed. At others, she just didn't sound or feel believable as a protagonist. While the twist at the end was somewhat unexpected, its execution was kind of clumsy. The narration felt like it really had to work to give us the big reveal and the subsequent explanation that comes in this type of novel. Also, the ending...I understand the intention, but I don't think it was executed well. There were so many other ways the book could have gone, and that's where the book, I think, stumbled in the biggest way. If readers can find too many other plausible explanations/possibilities, that, to me, says the author should have gone a different way with what they ultimately picked.

Some of the thriller moments were great, but the novel could have been much better all the way around.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this book started off strong and interesting, trying to find out what happened to the missing sister, but fell flat towards the end. At first, the chapters keep you engaged and are fast-paced, leading you wanting to know more. However, the story just became a little too convoluted in a way where things did not add up, and when we finally get to the ending, it was very lackluster. There are no likable characters throughout the book as well, which made it hard sometimes to keep engaged as we went along in the story.

This was such a good book. I had my thoughts and suspicions throughout but did not even dream that would be the ending!! Wow!

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.