Alice Pepper is a mid-sixties librarian in West Haven Oregon who lives in a sprawling house that includes her friend Ruby, Sister Violet, and granddaughter Taylor, who's twin sister is a local police officer. They share and life and jigsaw puzzles. Alice loves puzzles and boy does she encounter a doozy. Violet's book club friend Michelle who runs a dance/martial arts studio in town has disappeared. Alice rallies the ladies and joins the search and then we have an unexpected twist.

This is a story that pulled me in with not only the mystery but also the relationship dynamics s with family, and friends. I enjoyed getting to know all the secondary characters. The story with them kept me as involved as the mystery. I love seeing an older sleuth.

This was my first book by Ms. Noonan but won't be the last. I can't wait to catch up with everyone in the next one!

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This one lands right in the middle of the road. It’s not a bad read by any means. It’s decent, comfortable, and exactly what you’d expect from a cosy mystery. But at the same time, it didn’t leave a strong impression. The mystery itself is fairly standard fare for the genre, which is fine in a cosy—what matters more is whether it holds your attention. And while it kept me reading, I wasn’t exactly glued to the page.

What stood out to me most was the imbalance between the mystery and the cosy elements. We read cosies for the cosy, of course (think small towns, quirky locals, pets with better social skills than most humans) but this one leaned so far into cosy that the mystery often felt more like a suggestion than the central focus. I wonder if that's the intention of this series. To be more about the personal lives of the central characters that the mysteries.

I thought the puzzle aspect was less highlighted in this book, which was a focus for me in book one. I think of this as a themed cosy, so I hoped that would play a larger role in the story. It does to an extent, leading to more of an emotional conclusion than investigative conclusion. Again, I go back to that balance.

In short, this book is a fine choice if you want something safe and comfortable, but it may not satisfy if you're craving a well-balanced mystery. I think this may be one for readers who enjoy the balance skewed to drama and the cosy side.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoy Alice Pepper and in the previous the author hooked me. And with this book, she’s gotten me for life! With a protagonist that I can really relate to, a solid mystery and excellent writing, I’ll keep coming back as long as she writes this series!

Why is the puzzle missing a piece? Wait, who sent Alice the puzzle? And even more important, where is Michelle? This second in the cozy series (just fine as a standalone) sees our mature heroine Alice worried about her pal Michelle, who has gone missing. Michelle's husband Lars isn't worried and seems to be moving along already. Well, that's enough to set Alice and her pals into action to get answers. It's a nicely crafted mystery that also includes a touch a family drama involving Alice's daughter. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I liked this for the characters and stayed for the puzzle.

The older friends gather together to work jig saw puzzles and keep up on the local gossip. The successful wife of a blowhard artist with a nearly invisible past goes missing and then it's all hands on deck to find her. All except the self-absorbed husband. Then comes the mind-blowing plot twist! Good characters, creative investigations, and a riveting plot made this a great read.
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected e-galley from Kensington Publishing | Kensington Cozies via NetGalley. Pub Date Jul 29, 2025 ***** #review #goodreads #bookbub #storygraph
#ThatMissingPieceIsKillingMe by Roz Noonan #AlicePepperLonelyHeartsAndPuzzleClubMysteriesBk2 #kensingtonbooks #NetGalley #librarything #cozymystery #missingperson #familydynamics #relatives #localcops #obnoxiousvictim #friends#humor #seniorsleuths #amateursleuths #friendship #librarian #familyfriction

A clever cozy mystery that kept me guessing. Many interesting characters. Good age range. Lots of family issues. Good story. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

This cozy mystery series has so much appeal, starting with its setting, which is a small town, West Hazel, in Oregon. Alice Pepper, the main character, is a librarian who struggles with getting older and wants to make the most of her life. She has found friendship and belonging with a group of West Hazel folks who love jigsaw puzzles -- which is a really fun thing to hang a mystery on! We learn so much about puzzles and the puzzle world while Alice solves her mysteries. In this one, the wife of a volatile, temper-prone artist goes missing. Alice receives a mystery gift, a puzzle, that closely resembles the artist's work, but it is missing a strategic piece. From there, Alice works backward to find out what happened to her friend.

#ThatMissingPieceIsKillingMe #NetGalley is another great addition to this unique series, featuring a group of jigsaw puzzle lovers.
Alice is a fun, easy to like character, and she genuinely shined in this story.
While solving another murder investigation, Alice has to time to think about her own fractured family, especially her daughter, who she's been estranged from.
There's something about this series that truly intrigues me and I'm hoping to read much more in this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

Puzzle-loving librarian Alice Pepper is enjoying her life surrounded by family and friends in her large house and with a budding romance developing. She's startled out of her pleasant life when a friend, Michelle, suddenly goes missing. The missing woman was supposed to lead her class of dance students in a performance at a community event, but when no one can find her, alarm bells start to ring. As the community gathers to search for her, everyone is startled when her husband, artist Lars Olsen, claims to be too busy to join in to help. He doesn't seem all that worried that his wife is missing, even going so far as to move in his much younger girlfriend. As Alice and her friends look for the Michelle, they are unprepared when an even bigger shock is discovered not long afterwards. When someone fires a gun at the amateur sleuths, Alice decides there are several mysteries to solve before she can get back to her latest jigsaw. She also is sorting through some family drama when she gets word that her estranged daughter Lauren would like to meet with her.

I enjoyed the slow pace of the mystery and the genuine friendship between Alice and her friends. The small-town vibe was also very calming and peaceful (except for the possible kidnappings and murders!).