The Missing Ones by Anita Waller was another excellent psychological thriller. Every book I have read by Anita has been a first class read and this book was no different The Missing ones grabs you from the beginning and the very end which was superb.

I received a free advanced copy of this to read and give my unbiased review, thanks to NetGalley.

I’d never heard of Anita Waller before, so this is my first book of hers to read. I’ll admit that while reading it a lot felt “off” - just felt like a new writer, not enough research/experience with the topic/roles, and felt dragged out until right at then end where it feels rushed and lacking. With that aside though, the storyline itself had me intrigued.

Very early on I was like, oh it’s totally “Z”; and when the author started to lay down the hints towards “Z” way later on, I was like yep, nailed it! And off and on I did have a bit of a suspicion that it was “R” - but stayed focussed on “Z”. So I assure you, I didn’t see that true twist reveal coming at all.

What. A. Spectacularly. Awesome. Crime. Thiller. This. One. Was.
They don’t come better than this one.
And the ending – it has it all, it feels like everything is both breaking inside you, and coming together at the same time. Weird, I know.
And now, I’m off to look for other books by the author. I hear there are several others that are great also.

An absolutely superb crime thriller!

Ray Eke walked away from his accountants job when he had a breakdown; he is now very happy with his life as he collects litter on a daily basis. His mother moved in with him to look after both him and the house, and it's all working so well that she hasn't gone back to her own home yet. Upset returns to Ray's life when he finds a dead body while picking up litter; a young woman who went missing three years previously - but the body is newly dead. The police team investigating are well aware that it couldn't be Ray involved in the murder as he's such a gentle soul. Then another girl disappears and the investigation suddenly becomes more serious and much more urgent . . .

I've read a few of Anita Waller's novels and this one shocked and surprised me - easily her best yet. Simply superb from beginning to end and earning all five sparkling stars and my very highest recommendation. One not to be missed!

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley.

The Missing Ones by Anita Waller is a twisty and nail biting mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat!

Ray Eke used to be an accountant in a firm, but after years of stress and crunching numbers he has had enough. After a breakdown, Ray leaves the business far behind, now spending his days working for the Council picking up garbage left behind in the streets. Everyone knows Ray as a friendly and hardworking, helpful guy. But when one day while he is picking up trash, Ray makes an unsettling discovery. He finds the body of Lauren Pascoe, a woman who has been missing for 3 years. It's obvious Lauren has been held prisoner somewhere, but where has she been, and who did this to her? Ray is cleared right away, there's no way he would be capable of something that brutal. But soon, another girl goes missing, and she has a connection to Ray. Is Ray truly the harmless garbage man everyone sees, or is he a monster hiding behind a mask?

I really enjoyed this book! I do think it would classify as a mystery or police procedural rather than a thriller though. The premise is tense and well written and I really enjoyed the atmospheric setting. This book does have some gruesome and dark moments so just be prepared. The pacing was steady and the way that Waller writes makes following along easy. I did guess the ending but I still loved the journey to get there! Overall a tense and dark mystery that I would recommend to fans of Claire Douglas and Lisa Jewell!

Thank you to NetGalley, Anita Waller, and Boldwood Books for this ARC!! Publication date was May 16th 2025.

This is not my first book by Anita Waller, and I was engaged from the very beginning. I appreciated the characters, the storyline, and the vivid setting. While the read was enjoyable overall, I found certain aspects of the investigation particularly intriguing, and the chemistry among the team added a delightful touch. Their entertaining banter brought a lot of charm to the narrative.

However, I felt that the ending was somewhat abrupt, and it would have been helpful to have more clarity regarding the motivations behind the attacks.

I want to thank Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read this book, and I'm looking forward to seeing how Waller continues to evolve as a writer in her future works.

This was a fantastic read, and a perfect psychological thriller that I would recommend to any thriller fans! I’ve read a lot of books about serial kidnappings and serial killers, but this plot was definitely unique in it’s own way and I throughly enjoyed this story from start to finish!

A lot of thrillers are pretty predictable in terms of plot twists, but this one most definitely wasn’t predictable, and the twists in this book made me gasp out loud, which is rare as I usually guess plot twists early on! I adored everything about this book. The writing was brilliant and the story was so cleverly written, and all the characters were interesting to read about.

This was in a way kind of a police procedural, as we follow the detective team as they hunt to find the killer, and I loved the dynamic of all the team. I would absolutely love it if this turned into a police procedural series, following the team solving more crimes! I’m not sure if that’s on the cards, but I hope so!

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This story started well and I was engaged with the story. However, It was much more graphic and gruesome than I was expecting.
I found the story to be slow in parts with unnecessary details. Lots of story filler that was not relevant and did not add any depth to the story.
I had guessed some of the ending. I didn’t find the ending realistic. The ending felt very rushed. After a slow build it seemed anticlimactic and left way too many unanswered questions.

The Missing Ones is the 7th book I've read from Waller and is up there as one of my favourites.

I was obsessed! That prologue though, it had me hook, line and sinker! Now she had me in her clutches Waller wasn't letting me go until I'd devoured every last word!

It's a fast paced read with some great twists and an unexpected blinder at the end. The suspense was intense and had my pulse pounding ten to the dozen.

Ray was quite the odd character though wasn't he? I cast my suspicions on him from the beginning.

A dark, atmospheric and engaging read.

I absolutely enjoyed reading this. Will definitely be recommending. Kept me really hooked I'll love to reread again

The Missing Ones is a mix of police procedural and psychological suspense. The discovery of a woman's body by a man picking up litter reopens a cold case. The woman has suffered atrocities, and the need to find the killer is at the forefront of the newly appointed Detective Inspector's mind. Another disappearance puts additional pressure on the investigation team, but the clues are sparse and the suspects hard to find. It's a disturbing story with terrible crimes and many unexpected twists. The ending is suspenseful, and the final twist is chilling. I like the investigation and psychological suspense mix, which keeps the reader guessing, the investigation team dynamic, and the final twists that emphasise the story's psychological aspect.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Ray Eke has always found peace in his job., collecting litter for the city council. Until the day she found the brutalised, bloodless body of a girl on his round. He recognises her too. Lauren Pascoe went missing three years before. It's also clear she hasn't been lying on the roadside verge all this time. Someone's clearly been holding her prisoner. Keeping her as their very special toy. The police know it couldn't have been Ray, whose gentle heart is obvious to all. But then another girl is taken. And she's someone who Ray had a connection with, back in his previous job as an accountant.

I was pulled into this story by the end of the first chapter. Ray Eke is known to all the local police force as he waves to them when they pass him while he's litter picking. When Ray discovers the body of a woman who has been missing for three years, the police are desperate to find out who had kept her captive.

The pacing is perfect and the twists kept coming in this gripping read. I did kind of guess who the killer was, but only just before it was revealed. The final twist I did not see coming at all.

Published 16th May 2025

I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #AnitaWaller for my ARC of #TheMissingOnes in exchange for an honest review.

First book I have read from this author. Well written. Plenty of suspense and twists to keep me reading. Well rounded characters. Very enjoyable . The only niggle for me was I felt the ending finished too abruptly. Would definitely read the next novel. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

My first Anita Waller I can anticipate it won't be my last. The Plot within itself was tantalizing and anticipating without being overtly gory. The characters were superbly fleshed even without immense detail. I may become a full time thriller consumer.

1⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advanced copy of The Missing Ones.

Ray is a successful accountant until one day he experiences a mental breakdown. He recovers and decides to take a more low stress job like picking up trash. He is very content until one day he finds a body and his life is turned upside down.

The premise of this book was better than the execution. This book seemed to have a very juvenile writing style and really drug on way too long.

The only thing wrong with this book is that I finished it far too quickly. I found it very hard not to race through the pages trying to outguess the author. But, then, I was left twiddling my thumbs because I was not ready to part with the indomitable Litter Picker.

Mrs. Waller writes with intelligence and expertise on police procedural matters. She depicts each member of the investigative team with meticulous precision, infusing them with distinct personalities and traits. The true brilliance lies in how her portrayal allowed me to grasp the team's dynamics, their thoughts, and their uncertainties about the progress of the investigation, along with an intense sense of urgency that drove them to dig deeper for answers. The lighthearted banter among the team members added realism and brought the story to life.

This is why I found it impossible to put the book down.

The conclusion, dear readers, is akin to coiled spring—so intricately twisted that I am still reeling!  

What a colossal imagination this author has!

Don’t miss out on this very dark twisted and cautionary tale of murder.

I really enjoyed this book and found it to be one of the better police procedural books I have read for a while. Really liked the characters DI Chris Chandler and all of his team, definitely scope for a full series with these characters and could easily see it being televised.
The story itself was quite gruesome at points really adding some grit to the story.
Very fast paced. Thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish.

You may think that you know where this story is going however, then the author throws in not just one huge twist but a second massive one right at the end. It is a great page turner as you try to figure out what exactly is happening and how the perpetrator is. This is a tale where instead of the usual fingers pointing towards the people it could be , it is more pointing away from those it couldn't be which makes it a great twisty dark story.


Thanks to Netgalley/Boldwood books for the ARC to review

This is a good crime thriller.
A woman’s naked, brutalised body is found by a local litter picker.
When the Police arrive they recognise Ray as he’s well known in the area as he used to be an accountant until he suffered a breakdown.
He now chooses to clear the streets as it’s a stress free life.
The investigating team are upset by the results of the post-mortem as it seems the woman was tortured for some time.
Soon another young woman goes missing and Chris and the team fear the worst.
This is a good read but had a bit of an abrupt ending with no explanation of why the attacks were carried out.
Thanks to Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read this book.

This crime novel had me hooked from the very start. The Sheffield setting added a gritty, realistic atmosphere—it felt like settling in to watch your favourite Friday night crime drama, only darker and more intense.

What I really appreciated was how smartly written it was. The characters' decisions made sense, and there weren’t any plot holes to pull you out of the story. It’s always a bonus when a book respects the reader’s intelligence.

I devoured it in just two days—which is no small feat with a six-year-old at home! I simply couldn’t put it down. The police team were genuinely likeable, and just when I thought I had it all figured out, an unexpected twist took me by surprise.

Highly recommended read—I’m off to buy more books by this author!