I really enjoyed this until the big reveal. I can honestly say I did not see it coming which of course is great... but I wasn't satisfied with the ending. Maybe as I sit with it longer, I'll come around but for now... I'm mad lol. I really enjoyed this though and will be looking forward to her next book!


Links to come

wow wow wow.
this is one of those books that actually feels like it could have really happened. the plot twists caught me so off guard, but it didn’t wrap up perfectly. there wasn’t a happy ending for everyone (anyone, really?). it was tragic and it was painfully real, while still keeping me on the edge of my seat.

The Missing Half was a twisty, emotional mystery that pulls you in right away. It follows two women dealing with the trauma of their siblings disappearing years apart—and the way their lives intertwine is both heartbreaking and gripping. Ashley Flowers does a great job building suspense, and the small town vibes add to the creepiness. Which is to be expected if you’re familiar with Crime Junkies!

Some parts felt a little far fetched, but overall, it was a fast paced, binge worthy read. If you like emotional thrillers with messy secrets and strong women, you’ll probably love this one. Full. Body. Chills.

Will be sharing my review on Goodreads.

Oh Ashley, yes!

Nic is living a whatever life in a whatever town 7 years after her big sis Kasey went missing. One day Jenna shows up and turns Nic’s existence into a flurry when she shows up for help. Her sister Jules went missing just before Kasey in mysteriously similar circumstances and the police have always suspected the cases tied together. Were they right, or is this all a big misunderstanding?

Okay: whew! Where to start?! First of all, I am a MAJOR Crime Junkie fan. So when Ashley released her first book a few years ago I was quick to devour it the moment I could get my hands on it. So color me surprised when it left me.. wanting more. The story was okay, if not a tad unbelievable. But there was something about it that just left me saying, “eh”.

This book redeems her! (Thank goodness!). I ate this book up in 3 days, and it certainly had me questioning multiple people throughout. The misdirection was enough to keep you reading but not enough to make me hard roll my eyes at the end (you know the books I’m talking about).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

The Missing Half- 3⭐️

I liked it! 2 girls go missing in a small town and the case goes cold over the years. Sisters team up to find the truth behind the disappearances.
I was really hooked on the first half, but the second kinda was a flop for me. The ending felt really rushed. That being said I did read this is only a few days?

Pub day: May 6, 2025

I don't know how to copy the link- see homebodyreads on goodreads

3 out of 5 stars

The Missing Half delivers an intriguing premise with its small-town secrets and slow-unfolding mystery. Ashley Flowers clearly knows how to set a chilling atmosphere, and there are moments that feel genuinely tense and engaging.

However, the pacing felt uneven, and some of the twists were either predictable or didn’t quite land with the intended impact. The characters were compelling but sometimes lacked the depth needed to make their emotional arcs fully resonate. Still, the writing is solid, and fans of moody, character-driven mysteries will likely find something to enjoy here.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I like that this was a pretty short read even though the ending could have used just a little more. The main character is absolutely insufferable (perhaps she’s meant to be, I don’t know) but I didn’t find the twists or ending super easy to predict but it was fun to speculate. And honestly, I’d say every character is unlikable.

The missing half by Ashley Flowers is a psychological suspense novel.
Two girls disappear within a couple weeks of each other and years later their 2 sisters, Nic Monroe and Jenna Connor, team up to decide to finally figure out what happened to them.
I really enjoyed the characters and the twists and turns.
The writing is really fast paced and interesting. I really enjoyed reading the book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

WHOA….WOW….FANTASTIC! Ashley Flowers doesn’t just tell the story of Nic, it bleeds with her. Through the unraveling mystery of her sister Kasey’s disappearance, Nic is forced to confront the rot at the root of her own soul. What begins as an investigation spirals into a reckoning. This isn't just about a lost sister but it’s about a lost self. The future she once imagined bright, linear, shared with Kasey shatters into a path littered with addiction, buried rage, and chaos.

But here's the question the novel whispers beneath every page: did the fall begin with Kasey's vanishing, or had the darkness already taken root long before? Is it trauma that turns us, or does it only awaken the shadows we’ve carried since childhood?

Perhaps we are not all meant to be saved.

The final image of Nic and Kasey emerging from the swamp, leaving Jenna’s body behind is not just chilling. It's prophetic. Two sisters, walking out of the murk, not toward redemption, but deeper into the night. A powerful, aching symbol of what it means to be born under a darker star.

In The Missing Half Ashley Flowers delivers a dark, emotionally charged thriller that digs into sisterhood, grief, addiction, and the cost of searching for truth.

The story follows Nic Monroe, a woman suspended in time since her sister Kasey vanished in 2012. Nic's grief is palpable – she’s a woman frayed at the edges, stuck in a cycle of guilt, alcohol, and stagnation in her small Indiana hometown. Her sister was her entire world, and losing Kasey was like losing herself. When Jenna, sister of another missing girl named Jules, shows up with a clue that could connect their sisters' disappearances, Nic is pulled into an investigation that forces her to face what she’s been avoiding for years: that sometimes the people closest to you are hiding the darkest secrets.

Flowers strives for an atmosphere thick with dread and desperation, but truthfully it misses the mark. I think the biggest misstep in developing the story is making our main character so deeply hatable. Nic is not a polished heroine; she’s messy, broken, and while it may have intended to come off as “real” she is genuinely lacking a single redeemable quality. Even plot development skews into unrealistic territory, which is surprising for an author whose career is built on covering real-life missing and murdered persons cases. The lack of DNA in not one but two cases is almost comical. Then a few late-stage twists veer into implausible territory that undo any grounded realism the first half tries to build.

Flowers explores trauma not as a backdrop but as a living, breathing force shaping every decision her characters make. It’s brutal and sad and is the only aspect of this book that earns the 3 stars of it’s rating. This is not just a thriller – it’s a meditation on grief and the haunting power of unresolved loss.

This is available now, and if you’re looking for a mystery read then this may be worth adding to your list!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the complimentary eARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I received a free copy of, The Missing Half, by Ashley Flowers, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Nicole Monroe is 24, she has not having the best like, just got arrested, is missing her sister, Kasey who has been gone for years. I did not like this book at all. The characters are crazy.

The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
As a true crime lover and longtime fan of Ashley Flowers, The Missing Half definitely did not disappoint. Ashley’s background in true crime shines through in the detailed storytelling and psychological depth. I thought I had the case figured out—until the twist hit me completely out of nowhere. That unexpected turn is what really sealed the book for me. I loved it! Thank you NetGalley, Ashley, and Random House Publishing Group Bantam for the advanced reader copy.

This one had some solid surprises in it, and I think it succeeded in its depiction of sister relationships and bonds. That said, there were some fairly large swaths of it that were fairly boring and felt disjointed- but that could be part of the depiction of main character Nic's stagnancy and mental state.

Okay, so my overall feeling is that this psychological suspense novel was a total winner. It had everything I look for – cleverly hidden clues, believable red herrings, and a really intricate plot with these subtle cliffhangers that kept me guessing. Even though it started a little slow, I got completely drawn in pretty quickly, especially with how well-developed the first half was. But once that first big twist hit, the story just took off!
What really impressed me, though, was just how well-written and smooth the whole thing was. The tension was constant and kept me on the edge of my seat, and the main character's development was just masterful. I'm now a huge fan of this author, even though I've never read them before. So, if you're after a sharp and smart novel, seriously, pick this one up.
Honestly, for me, it was a complete home run. Five stars all the way!

Read this if you like:
•fast paced thrillers
•cold case
•captivating audiobook

I didn’t wanna stop reading this one! I wanted to figure out what happened. The ending is not vague which is nice and it wraps up quickly. I didn’t fully guess the ending so that’s a plus too!

An enthralling thriller with a few predictable plot points, but a surprising ending you won’t see coming.

This book is amazing! I absolutely devoured it! Ashley is one my favorite storytellers and I can't get enough. This was definitely a story that pulled me in and wouldn't let go. The characters were real and relatable (to an extent, of course) and I can't wait for more!

Flowers' writing is sharp and vivid, creating a strong sense of place that heightens the narrative's tension. The pacing is skillfully managed, with suspenseful moments interspersed with quieter, reflective scenes that allow for character development. The author's ability to build suspense keeps readers hooked, as unexpected twists and turns add layers of intrigue to the unfolding mystery.

I was engaged throughout this book! I really had no idea how it was going to end and I am so pleased with the execution of the big reveal.

This novel is very well written and full of suspense. I finished it in one day! I would have given 5 stars, but for the over use of the F-word. It became tiresome, over and over. Otherwise a great read.