Nic is 24, stuck in the same job she’s had since high school, and reeling from a recent DWI. Seven years ago, her sister Kasey disappeared—her car was found abandoned on the side of the road, door open, with all her belongings inside. It devastated Nic, and her life spiraled from there.

When Jenna Connor shows up at Nic’s work with a new clue, she proposes they work together to find answers. Jenna’s sister Jules disappeared just two weeks before Kasey. As the two dig into the past, they uncover far more than they ever expected.

My Review
I didn’t see the ending coming. It was extremely realistic—in a tragic, heavy way. The writing was strong and the story moved fast. I read it so quickly I’m sure I missed a few details.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Missing Half is so good that I read it in one day! That is rare for me and should tell you a lot about The Missing Half. I anticipated starting the book, reading for a couple of hours and moving on with my day. You will not be able to put this book down! It grabs you from the beginning and the hold increases more and more with each turn of the page! You will not see the twists coming and then pow! Ashley Flowers is one of my favorite authors and knows how to write a gripping thriller! This is one of the best books I've read this year.

Nicole Monroe is suffering. She lives in a small town in Indiana, works at Funland, has a small, dreary apartment, and has to ride a bike everywhere due to a DWI. Nicole and her sister, Kasey were as close as sisters can be. Kasey is 2 years older than Nic and vanished 7 years ago. Kasey's car was found on the side of the road with her door open, her purse and cellphone still in the car. The car was found 100 miles from home. Where was Kasey going and why didn't she tell Nic? They shared everything. Nic has spiraled ever since and hit the bottle way too much. She misses her sister with every breath she takes.

One night when Nic is working at Funland, she notices a woman staring at her. She tries to ignore it, but this woman is not the Funland type. She doesn't seem to be there for a party, doesn't seem to be watching a child, so why is she here staring at Nic? When Nic mentions the woman to the owner he looks over, but doesn't recognize her either. When Nic looks a bit later, the woman has left. Nic breathes a sigh of relief. She doesn't need more trouble. When Nic leaves for the night she goes to unlock her bike. The woman approaches her and wants to talk to her. The woman is Jenna Connor and her sister, Jules, vanished the same way as Kasey. Her car was found on the side of the road 2 weeks before Kasey's. What did these 2 young women have in common? Why would someone pick them?

Nic and Jenna decide to work together to find something that the police missed. The police have stopped working the case as it's been 7 years. The original detective told Nic that he passed the case to another detective as he's on his way out. When they start investigating everything about both cases, they start asking questions of people that knew the girls. They have a list of people that could be responsible for their disappearance. Some of the people hit close to home. As Nic and Jenna get closer to finding out what happened, there are threats and danger to deal with. Who could be doing this and why? Someone wants to keep this a secret. How far will they go to make sure Jenna and Nic never find the truth? I rate The Missing Half 5 stars with my very highest recommendation. The book is out now, so get this book and enjoy it! You will need a drink along the way! I'd like to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine-Bantam for an advanced copy of The Missing Half in exchange for a fair review.
#TheMissingHalf

Holy buckets this was a good one! I was on the edge of my seat through the whole book and could not put it down! Lots of good twists!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reader copy!

5 stars!

Ashley Flowers writes really captivating, suspenseful thrillers. I loved this one and how different it felt from her debut. The sister plot line really drew me in and I enjoyed all aspects of it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I was excited about this one because I’m a Crime Junkie and the premise is really interesting. I enjoyed the first half and then it unraveled. I couldn’t suspend disbelief when it came to the ending and I was left with more questions than answers. I’m curious if there is going to be a sequel but I don’t think I’ll read it. It would actually be a good book club pick though because there’s a lot to unpack when it comes to the characters’ motives and what you would do if you were in their shoes. I was excited about this one because I’m a Crime Junkie and the premise is really interesting. I enjoyed the first half and then it unraveled. I couldn’t suspend disbelief when it came to the ending and I was left with more questions than answers. I’m curious if there is going to be a sequel but I don’t think I’ll read it. It would actually be a good book club pick though because there’s a lot to unpack when it comes to the characters’ motives and what you would do if you were in their shoes.

This was my first read from this author but I am definitely going to have to pick up her first book. I can't say the characters were that likable but I still didn't want to put it down. I really wanted to find out what exactly happened and when you find out prepare to be blown away. The last few chapters in here were doozies. Didn't see that ending coming at all. I'd recommend.

Soo here's the thing; I did struggle a little with reading this because it seemed a little slow before finally starting to pick up. Two women have both been impacted by their sisters disappearance several years prior. One has been working diligently to find her younger sister or at least figure out what happened, the other has been slowly self destruction over losing her older sister. This is the culmination of their efforts to work together and figure it out.

Is it a good premise? Yes. Does it sometimes require you to suspend disbelief? Also, yes. It is another of those occasions where civilians are figuring out what cops could not. As far as some of the twists, a few of the earlier ones I did figure out, but the final ones were a surprise, never saw it coming. I don't want to say more than that to avoid messing up the surprise for others. It is a very quick read, not a long book at all. The writing style works for me, even if the way it was wrapped up is a bit unrealistic. I will try other books by the author to see how that goes.

"The Missing Half" was such a good read. Ashley Flowers kept me on the edge of my seat with so many twists and shocking turns. What an ending!!

Review of The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers

A big thank you to the publisher for approving my request to read this on netgalley as well as to @libro.fm for the audiobook.

I really enjoyed this one and it was a very quick read/listen for me. I definitely felt bad for the main character who was searching for the truth about what happened to her sister, and there were lots of really good twist in this one that I never saw coming. I enjoyed the storyline and writing style.

Synopsis:
Nicole “Nic” Monroe is in a rut. At twenty-four, she lives alone in a dinky apartment in her hometown of Mishawaka, Indiana, she’s just gotten a DWI, and she works the same dead-end job she’s been working since high school, a job she only has because her boss is a family friend and feels sorry for her. Everyone has felt sorry for her for the last seven years—since the day her older sister, Kasey, vanished without a trace.
On the night Kasey went missing, her car was found over a hundred miles from home. The driver’s door was open and her purse was untouched in the seat next to it. The only real clue in her disappearance was Jules Connor, another young woman from the same area who disappeared in the same way, two weeks earlier. But with so little for the police to go on, both cases eventually went cold.
Nic wants nothing more than to move on from her sister’s disappearance and the state it’s left her in. But then one day, Jules’s sister, Jenna Connor, walks into Nic’s life and offers her something she hasn’t felt in a long time: hope. What follows is a gripping tale of two sisters who will do anything to find their missing halves, even if it means destroying everything they’ve ever known.

Ballantine I think you love me and I will forever be grateful for that!

Ashley Flowers, host of the Crime Junkie podcast, wrote a second book and man! I liked this one better than book one. Only up from here for sure :) The thing I love about Ashley is she is a wonderful story teller. She has a way that brings you into the story and you want to know what happens next. Same thing here! I'm unsure if this book has snippets of a true crime like book 1, but I will say, I was amazed. I was amazed by how she drew me in and led me on a wild goose chase. Who she wants you to believe it is was so forth coming you know its not going to be that person. But the last 10% or so, wow. It'll get ya and you won't see it coming. Great great book.

This book gave me Stacy Willingham vibes for real. Alcoholic, messy female MC is her MO lol. But Ashley Flowers also did it. Honestly, that was a detractor from the story. But I did like this story. Not sure I agree with the ending and how I feel about it, it's a bit of a lesser of two evils kind of thing...Like, do I side with that ending or do I hate it because of what happened. Vague, yes lol. Overall, a quick, fascinating read that leaves you wondering what else?

Ashley Flowers delivers a gripping and emotional mystery in The Missing Half. The story dives deep into the complicated bonds between sisters and the haunting ripple effects of a long-buried trauma. With a strong sense of atmosphere and a narrative that kept me turning pages, this book was hard to put down.

The pacing was solid throughout, and I appreciated the emotional layers woven into the suspense. Flowers does a great job of balancing the mystery with heartfelt character development, making the story intense and personal.

While a few plot points felt slightly predictable, the journey was still engaging, and I found myself fully invested in the characters’ search for truth. The ending was satisfying and wrapped things up in a way that felt earned.

A compelling, well-written thriller with emotional depth—definitely a recommended read!

Thank you to NetGalley, Ashley Flowers, and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Nic’s sister has been missing for 7 years. While Nic has accepted that Kelsey is likely dead, it hasn’t stopped her from imploding her own life in every way possible. When Jenna, sister of another missing woman, shows up to Ty and get Nic to look into the disappearances again it makes Nic angry. However, she gets sucked in by Jenna and before she knows it she is going down the rabbit hole of her sister’s disappearance all over again.

I thought I had this one all figured out and I was so wrong. There were some final chapter surprises I hadn’t prepared for! This was a great thriller and I will recommend to my book loving friends!

Ashley Flowers’ *The Missing Half* hooked me from the first page. I was deeply invested in Nic and Jenna's search for answers about their sisters' disappearance (and possibly murder?). Flowers captures the ache of unresolved grief with raw honesty, and the growing bond between Nic and Jenna felt authentic and powerful. I couldn’t stop reading — every chapter revealed just enough to keep me guessing. Unfortunately, the last 50 pages revealed a twist that did not match the compelling nature of the rest of the book. The twist felt forced, the characters suddenly felt OOC, and the conclusion left me with more questions than answers. I personally prefer endings that are a little more tightly wrapped up.

I enjoy books with unreliable narrators, and this one definitely delivered. I thought I knew where it was going the entire time, and there were just enough red herrings to convince the reader they understood what the plot really was. But the ending surprised me, and considering how many stories I consume (both reading and watching) that is impressive. I would definitely recommend to someone looking for a less predictable mystery/thriller and they are all Freida McFadden-ed out.

I liked Ashley’s previous book too, but this one was a standout! Other authors in the women’s suspense genre should take note! This is how you do it. Twists were believable and I didn’t see them coming. Can’t wait for her next one! Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine for the review copy!

4.5

Two young women whose sisters went missing seven years ago, meet and decide they would work better together than on their own trying to find out what happened to their sisters. Their sisters seem to have gone missing in the same set of circumstances. Could this have been done by the same person?

I paired this book with audio and ended up connecting quickly with the two sisters stories and staying with the twists and turns along the way. My mind kept changing on what was going on but the reader has to wait until the end, which made total sense but I didn't suspect. That last sentence is staying with me!!

A personal note - I appreciate the lack of graphic foul language, sex, and murder descriptions. Finding good clean books that are well-written are getting harder and harder to find. My thanks to the authors and publisher.

My thanks to Net Galley and Bantam for an advanced copy of this e-book.

I'm a fan of Ashley Flowers and Crime Junkies so I know that she can tell a good story. But this particular story just fell flat to me. Or rather it didn't seem to get off the ground very quickly and I never felt very engaged with the story.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. Though not for me, I hope others will enjoy it.

4.5 stars

Oh those final twists were insane!!

Ashley Flowers can for sure write amazing thrillers. Loved the plot of this one and all the twists and turns. I really liked Nic as a character and main protagonist, she was easy to root for and I really wanted her to solve her sister’s disappearance.

The book itself was a bit slow in the beginning but it sure got me in the second half 👀 I’m still on the fence on how I feel with the ending but I’ve got to admit, it wasn’t what I was expecting AT ALL

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review

Thank you to SMP and NetGalley for the arc of this book. All opinions are my own.

I have loved Ashley’s debut, as well as crime junkie so I was excited to get my hands on this and it did not disappoint. I really enjoyed this one. It was suspenseful and gripping. I loved the way Ashley told the story. It was easy to get lost and I enjoyed it immensely!