Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the eARC of The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers, in exchange for an honest review.

Seven years ago, Nic’s older sister vanished from the side of the road, leaving Nic’s life in shambles. She still works at the same dead-end job she only keeps because it’s owned by her dad’s best friend, after losing her license in a drunk driving accident. But everything changes when a stranger named Jenna approaches Nic, seeking her help. Seven years ago, Jenna’s younger sister went missing in the same way as Nic’s sister, Kasey, just a week before. Together, these two women embark on a journey to unravel the mystery behind their sister’s disappearances.

Ashley Flowers’ writing is so immersive that you feel like you’re listening to a true crime podcast, which is no surprise. The story is filled with twists and turns that keep you guessing, with brilliantly placed misdirections that will make you roll your eyes at what appears to be predictable moments, only to be proven wrong a few chapters later. This is a must-read for true crime enthusiasts who enjoy the thrill of sleuthing, but with Flowers’ signature plot twists and unpredictable endings that keep you on the edge of your seat.

This was definitely an enjoyable and engrossing mystery for me. I was invested in both Nic and Jenna's character arcs and I wanted to find out what happened to their sisters. There were lots of twists and they were a bit wild but still interesting. I think if you read this book without expecting realism you will enjoy it so much more. I really loved how the author ended the story, it surprised me in a great way! Thanks to Ashley Flowers, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

It's been seven years since Nic's older sister Kasey vanished from her car without a trace. Nic's life has been on hold since that moment. She works the same dead-end job she's had since high school, she's stuck in a crappy apartment in her hometown, and she's on probation for getting a DWI. One night, a woman named Jenna tracks Nic down and convinces her to start investigating the disappearance because Jenna's younger sister Jules went missing in a similar manner the week before Kasey did. The two women begin to pick apart the cold cases, finding connections that the police never looked into and secrets from the past.

This was an enjoyable mystery to read. I appreciated that there was some actual investigation going on, rather than clues just dropping out of the sky. I thought the characters were all interesting and had depth to them. It was hard to watch Nic make terrible decision after terrible decision, but I enjoyed how Kasey's character was slowly revealed over the course of the book. The pacing started out a bit slow, but then it really ramped up. I think to fully enjoy the ending you have to suspend your disbelief a little bit, but it was a twisty road to get there. This will be a good one for readers looking for a classic cold case and people who enjoy stories about sisters.

More like 3.75/5.

Nic and Jenna were interesting protagonists to follow, both wanting answers to their sisters’ disappearances after the police have seemingly given up. As is often the case, they are unprepared for some of the answers they find and how it will impact their ability to work together.

Well that was a wild ride. And very unexpected. Since Nic’s sister disappeared, nothing has been the same and she is barely keeping it together (if you can call getting a DWI and working at Funland doing kids birthday parties keeping it together). When the sister of another girl who disappeared approaches her about trying to solve the cases, Nic is hesitant. But as Nic and Jenna start looking into their sisters’ disappearances, Nic realizes a lot more was going on that summer than she remembers and perhaps this new information could help her find out what really happened to her sister.

This started out relatively promising, but the farther I got, the less I enjoyed it. While I didn’t see the twists coming per se, they were over the top. This definitely did not live up to All Good People Here for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam for providing a digital ARC of this title!

An intense web of lies that entangles two sets of sisters. Piece by piece Jenna and Nicole peel back the layers of deception to find out what really happened 7 years ago. How far would you go for your family?

I really enjoyed this fast paced thriller by Ashley Flowers. I enjoyed All Good People Here and think this book goes over and above the success of her last book. I thought I knew where the ending was going but I was shocked!

I received an eARC of this fantastic book courtesy of Netgalley, Ashley Flowers, and Random House Publishing Group Ballantine. What began as a slow burn quickly became addictive, with each page leaving me craving answers. And that ending? Prepare for a twist that will completely blow your mind! Definitely a must-read.

This was better than I had expected. I think readings of this "girl in trouble" genre will like it. It kept me going and had some appropriate red herrings and twists. Good.

This was a great dark, suspenseful, thriller mystery. I thought I had it all figured out, but things took a turn that I didn't see coming which makes me love a mystery. However, I'm not sure that I buy the way it all played out. It was a very quick read though and chapters ended in a way that made me want to keep reading.

I loved Ashley Flowers' debut, All Good People Here, so I could not wait to get my hands on this one.

I'm a sucker for a story about sisters, especially when they've been torn apart and have to find their way back to each other and figure things out. Big sis Kasey goes missing and Nic knows she has to do whatever it takes to figure it all out - and bring Kasey home, whether dead or alive. This was a solid mystery/thriller with great pacing and lots of red herrings. I did not see the main twists coming, which is always a bonus. I would absolutely recommend this book.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

An absolute addictive read!!! I was definitely all over the place, my suspicions were everywhere!! So full of crazy twists, your jaw will absolutely hit the floor so fast.. A must have at the top of your TBR!!!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

Wow! I could not put this book down, and when I had to I could not stop thinking about it! I was hooked from the beginning and the twists kept coming! Absolutely great sophomore book from Ashley Flowers!

Nic is going through a rough patch. She's at a dead end job, trying to get back on her feet after a DUI, and everyone pities her because her sister vanished seven years ago. Kasey was driving home when her car was found empty on the side of the road, wallet inside and door open. There are no clues to what happened, but the exact same thing happened a few weeks earlier to Jules Connor, who is still missing. When Jules's sister, Jenna, tracks down Nic, she wants them to solve these cases together. They both get in too deep and might be putting their own lives at risk.

This book is so twisty you will not see the ending coming. I devoured this story. At the root of it, this book is about the relationship of sisters. How well can you know someone even if they feel like they are the other half of you? Very well written.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC of The Missing Half.

Summary:
In The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers, two women—Nicole Monroe and Jenna Connor—are united by grief and desperation. Both of their sisters vanished years ago in Mishawaka, Indiana, under eerily similar circumstances. Their bodies were never found, and their cases went cold... until now. When Jenna approaches Nicole, the two set off on a journey to uncover the truth and hunt down a possible killer. But as they dig deeper, secrets begin to surface—and nothing is as it seems. 👀🕵️‍♀️

Thoughts:
This was a fast-paced, twisty thriller that I devoured in a single day! 🙌 I loved how the mystery unfolded piece by piece. Nicole was such a layered character—messy, determined, and real—and watching her dynamic with Jenna evolve was a highlight. This book will definitely keep you guessing until the last page! 🔎📖

A fan of Ashley Flowers, I was excited for the opportunity to read this book before it came out. However, I struggled quite a bit with this one and almost DNF’d several times. The plot didn’t feel solid and it was very slow. The conclusion honestly didn’t even make much sense and was not believable.

I really enjoyed this book, the ending though. There were a couple of oh my and great twists and could not wait to see how it would end. The first time I thought it was ending I was saying wow, no way! Then it kept going and it changed to really!? Not in a good way. I don't want to spoil it for anyone so you will just have to read it. I am in the minority, most people love it. I liked it enough, maybe it was the characters that bothered me, or the situation and what happened and how it was handled. I really can't put a finger on it. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I absolutely loved All Good People here, so I was so excited to read Ashley Flowers' newest, The Missing Half. While I'm not sure it was as strong as her debut, I very much enjoyed the suspense of this book. The Missing Half was a pretty easy read, and it sure did keep me guessing right up until the end.

While there is nothing objectively wrong with this book, it was not for me. The writing was fine and the story engaging enough, but I like a main character I can root for, and I did not find Nic likable at all, even before the end of the book. The plot point of Kasey having an affair with Brad, her father's best friend, gave me the ick. While I realize this served as a necessary misdirection, it was uncomfortable to read. As for the mystery itself, I found the red herrings to be rather obvious, but I didn't see the final twist coming. An unexpected twist is always fun, but in this case, the ending just really wasn't to my taste at all. I wanted to see Nic grow up and change, make the right choice, but she just continued on being kind of terrible.

All this being said, I can confidently say that a lot of people will like this book. It just wasn't to my taste.

The Missing Half was a captivating read. Flowers and Keister did a fantastic job creating an emotional and entertaining story. I loved the concept of this story of two sisters coming together to solve the cold cases of their sisters' disappearances. The characters were layered well, the plot was quick, and the twists were twisting. I couldn't put this book down. I was surprised by the ending. Every time I thought I knew where the story was going, I was pleasantly surprised. Overall, this was a very solid thriller. I'm keeping this review short because I don't want to spoil the fun for everyone else. Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam for the ARC.

Full of twists and turns, with the most unlikeable, unreliable narrator. Flowers' sophomore attempt gave Gillian Flynn vibes in a dark small town way. Not to give too much of a spoiler, but this also in a predictable manner also reminded me of I Know What You Did Last Summer. As with the debut, I've found that Flowers relies a bit too heavily on what has inspired her work and it cheapens the material for me a bit. Overall, still a fun read to start Summer and glad I ended up opting for the audiobook as it did move the pace along better than I think physical would have for me.