This is set in Sydney. The first in what look to be a series of books following Detective Bonnie Hunter.

This story primarily follows Bonnie's story, who is a cop on a domestic violence squad and ends up at a call out that doesn't end well. She ends up being persuaded to join her friend on his homicide team.

The team are put on a case of a missing wife, Juliet Keller. Bonnie's suspicions are immediately raised when a lot of domestic violence red flags flash in front of her.

The story darts between the present and the search for Juliet and the past which is telling you Juliet's story and what leads up to her disappearance.

I enjoyed the fast paced nature of this, the two timelines and stories unfolding simultaneously worked very well. Bonnie and Juliet's characters were built well as it develops and both are very likeable characters and relatable. Sam was written so elequantly handsomely ugly in a way that you just hated him from the start.

A dark triggering subject handled with absolute clarity and care.

Did it matter than I guessed what the twist was going to be relatively early on? No, not at all.

I'd definitely be up for more of the Bonnie Hunter series if this one is anything to go on. I give this a 5/5

An absolutely terrifying story that highlights a topic that is commonly seen yet rarely discussed.
This book had me hooked, riveting from the very beginning until the tense end.
A well crafted thriller that sees you horrified and shocked with a moralistic truth.
Highly recommended.

Catherine Lee’s Missing draws you in from the first page. It’s perceptive, fast-paced crime fiction with real emotional weight. Detective Bonnie Hunter is tough, principled, deeply human, and quietly furious about the things too many people let slide.

Lee writes with clarity and purpose, especially around coercive control and its insidious reality. The dual timelines are handled with precision, each deepening the stakes for the reader.

It’s tough but compassionate. It’s the kind of crime novel that reminds you why the genre matters.

Eva Seymour’s audiobook narration served the material perfectly.

Thanks so much Belinda and NetGalley for the review copy.

Missing by Catherine Lee

Missing is book one in the Detective Bonnie Hunter series.

Detective Bonnie Hunter has been sidelined and left feeling conflicted after a domestic violence call-out went horribly wrong; she is seconded to the homicide team by her friend, 'Coop'.

The team is investigating a potential kidnapping after Juliet Keller goes to the grocery store and never returns. Bonnie's domestic violence spidey senses start tingling as soon as she meets Juliet's husband, who is a lawyer from a family with significant means behind them. The book explores themes of domestic violence and coercive control, and there are chapters from Juliet's POV that describe scenes of both, so read with caution.

I think you'll like Missing by Catherine Lee if you like books with strong female leads or enjoy Australian police procedurals (for example, anything by Shelly Burr @shelleyburrwrites, Jane Harper @janeharperauthor or Dervla McTiernan @dervlamctiernan) or books that you aren't comfortable reading, like Denizen by James McKenzie Watson @jamesmcwatson or psychological thrillers like Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra @tsierraauthor or Dark Mode by Ashley Kalagian Blunt @akalagianblunt all of which I loved, but ... they were not warm cosy books.

A big thumbs up. I'll be adding other books by Catherine Lee to my TBR pile. (I swear that 141 unread books in my Kobo account are a perfectly reasonable number of books to read.)

Body Count = 3

Thank you to Bolinda Audio and Netgalley for this audio-ARC.

@Bolindaaudio #Bolindaaudio @netgalley #NetGalley #missing

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Catherine Lee’s *Missing* is a gripping psychological thriller and the first book in the Detective Bonnie Hunter series. Set in Sydney, Australia, the novel follows Bonnie as she investigates the disappearance of Juliet Keller, a woman who seemingly vanished after a trip to the grocery store. As Bonnie digs deeper, she becomes convinced that Juliet’s controlling husband is hiding something, leading to a tense cat-and-mouse chase for the truth. With strong female leads, spine-tingling suspense, and unexpected twists,

EXCERPT: ' . . . We've got a case. Call came in while you were out.'
'We? I'm taking a break, remember? And it's Sunday. The Swans are playing this afternoon. Only case I'll be working on is the rest of that case of beer.'
'You're taking a break from Sex Crimes. This is a potential homicide.'
'Coop . . .'
Cooper held up a hand to stop her. 'Nope, not listening. I've got a missing woman. I have to drive to the Southern Highlands, and I've got a massive hangover thanks to you. The least you can do is drive me down there. Besides, Carmel doesn't want you left alone.'
'Seriously? I'm a big girl.'
'I know that,' Cooper said as he fished around in Bonnie's fridge. 'But you lost a victim two days ago, Bonnie. We all need a helping hand sometimes.'
'What I need is to relax at home and watch the game.' She crossed her arms defiantly.
Cooper closed the fridge and turned to face her. 'Okay. I'll let Carmel know. She said she'll send McLeish to babysit you.'
'She wouldn't.'
'I don't think she was joking. What happened to the rest of the pizza from last night?'
Bonnie opened the lid of the garbage bin and pointed.
Cooper looked crestfallen. 'You threw it out? Seriously?'
'We left it out on the bench all night. You can't eat that.'
'Maybe you can't. I've got a cast-iron stomach.' He stared into the garbage bin, and for a moment Bonnie thought he was actually going to reach in there and pull out a slice.
'There's some cereal in the cupboard and milk in the fridge. Help yourself while I shower.'
'So, you're coming?'
'Well, I'm sure as shit not staying here with McLeish.' She headed for the bathroom, then turned back to face him. 'I'll drive you down there, but I'm not getting involved, Coop. Homicide isn't for me.'
Cooper smiled. 'We'll see.'

ABOUT 'MISSING': Sydney, Australia.

Bonnie Hunter is done with creeps who treat their families like possessions. Sidelined and angry after a domestic violence call-out went horribly wrong, the detective finds herself seconded to a team tasked with finding a missing young woman.

According to her husband, Juliet Keller went to the grocery store and never returned. The husband demands action, but his violent outbursts and controlling behaviour have Bonnie’s family violence radar on high alert. Convinced he’s responsible for Juliet’s disappearance, Bonnie is single-minded in her mission to disprove his story.

Outsmarted at every turn, and questioning her worth to her new team, Bonnie finds herself in a cat-and-mouse chase to uncover the truth. Because whatever happened to Juliet Keller, it’s soon clear her life is not the only one on the line.

MY THOUGHTS: This is my first book by Australian author Catherine Lee, and it won't be my last. Lee had me captivated from the very first word until the very last. The plot is fast paced and gripping, the characters all too familiar and real.

Although this is the first book in the Detective Bonnie Hunter series, it follows on from where the author's Cooper & Quinn mystery series leaves off. This wasn't a problem and I didn't feel like I was missing anything. However, I am delighted that I have a backlist of books by this author to catch up on!

Missing is told in alternating timelines - Bonnie's search for Juliet and Juliet's backstory up to and including her disappearance.

Missing is a story of domestic violence, of coercive control. I have been in Juliet's position and can attest to the accuracy of what she portrays. Despite this, I found myself gobbling up this mystery, rooting all the time for Juliet, hoping that she had escaped, that Sam hadn't killed her and that Bonnie would get the bastard.

Does Juliet escape or is she dead? Does Bonnie get to arrest Sam? Not telling.

Read the book for yourself.

I have just found myself a 'read everything she writes' author.

I listened to the audiobook of Missing, superbly narrated by Eva Seymour.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

#Missing #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHOR: Catherine Lee is an Australian author of fast-paced, mostly clean, crime fiction.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bolinda Audio via NetGalley for providing an audio ARC of Missing, written by Catherine Lee and narrated by Eva Seymour. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

I listened to the audiobook of MISSING. Eva Seymour does an excellent job of building the story and maintaining the emotions and tension found in the story of a police detective investigating a missing woman who could be a victim of domestic violence.

MISSING is the first book in the new Detective Bonnie Hunter series, a spin-off of the DI Charlie Cooper series, another excellent mystery/thriller series by Catherine Lee. Detective Hunter's still reeling from the DV case that ended badly when she's recruited to join the investigation of a missing woman. The husband is making noise about finding his wife, but Det Hunter's experience tells her there is something wrong. Set in Sidney, Australia, the descriptive writing brings the community to life as Lee builds a cast of characters you'd recognize in the grocery store. Fast paced and tension-filled, this series is another winner for Lee.

Bonnie Hunter is seconded to the local homicide unit after a young woman goes missing in suspicious circumstances.

Juliet Keller appears to have the perfect life. Married to hotshot Lawyer Sam, she has Alice many would be envious of. So when she goes missing and her car, phone and wallet are found outside a local store it seems she has been taken. However Bonnie begins to doubt the husbands story and the team soon suspect he may have had something to do with her disappearance and they are convinced he has killed her.

As the investigation unfolds it seems Juliet’s life may not have been as golden as it 1st appears., but is Sam really responsible for her disappearance?

We follow this story from both Bonnie, as she investigates and Juliet’s POV as we discover what led up to that fateful day.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this title. The narrator did a great job of bringing the story alive. The characters are totally relatable and I enjoyed how this story unfolded. I found myself willing things to go well for Juliet and for Bonnie’s theory to be correct.

I am grateful to Netgalley for introducing me to this author and I am keen to explore more and also find out more about Bonnie as the series progresses.

My first Audio book by Catherine Lee and I will be following this series with interest
Similar to other domestic violence books I have read or listened to but still enough twists and turns to keep me interested
I also like the new Detective Bonnie Hunter and her story in this audio book
Definitely worth a listen

A very well written book with good, engaging characters although somewhat stereotyped.

The main storyline of domestic abuse was very predictable and held no surprises.

I was lucky enough to listen to the audiobook version and would say that the book was lifted by the superb narration.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bolinda Audio for my ARC

I haven't read anything by Catherine Lee before but I certainly won't be making that mistake again if this book is anything to go by. I listened to the audiobook and from the very beginning, I was absolutely hooked.

Everything about this book is exceptional ... the story, the writing style, the dual timeline, the pace, the characters, the tension, the emotion, etc., etc., is second to none, especially given the difficult subject matter of domestic violence which I think the author captured accurately but without sensationalising it. And lets not forget the narration which was one of the best I have listened to so far; Ms Seymour's voice drew me into the story with ease and kept me listening long after I should have stopped.

Like I said, this does cover the heinous crime of domestic violence so if that is a trigger for you, I would definitely pass this book by but otherwise, I would highly recommend it to others who enjoy gripping thrillers.

This is the first book in a new series and I very much look forward to reading or listening to more in the future and my thanks must go to the author, Bolinda Audio and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts of this excellent book.

This is the first book in the Detective Bonnie Hunter series and I think it could be a series I could totally get into. I love a book that just envelopes you from the beginning and that’s exactly what this one does. The storyline deals with an important theme and I think the author did a great job in portraying it and she has clearly done her research. The storyline switches between a past snd present timeline which flows well and really builds the backstory. It has really likeable characters that I could see becoming family as the series plays out. Really enjoyed this one and I look forward to more in the series.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bolindo Audio for the opportunity to listen and review #Missing

This has to be the best audio book that I have listened to in such a long time. Firstly the narration it was an Australian reading it - I had listened to an English narrator trying to do an Australian accent and words and trust me as an Australian living in the UK I wanted to throw something I was getting so frustrated. So this was fantastic.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R2QTGIRJ25YA7E/ref=pe_111708471_1111884441_SRTC0204BT_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

Thank you Netgalley, Catherine Lee and Bolinda Audio for the audio Arc of Missing.
Narrated by Eva Seymour

My first book by Catherine Lee for me and I really enjoyed this gritty police protocol/Psychological Thrillers. Bonnie Hunter has been tasked in finding a missing women after disappearing on the way to the grocery store. With her little evidence, her gut instinct points to the Husband who is controlling and has a temper. But is it him?

I really love narratives like this that tackles the subjects that are real, gritty and more common than what we think. It was hard to listen to because of the details but was handled with care and realism. Catherine's writing style is smooth and flows very well between character building and plot direction. Bonnie Hunter's back story subtly underlines the main narrative which makes her feel real, human and well built as so does her team. The plot and twists that come throughout the story really does make you question about the masks that some people where and whether you really do get to know the people in your life.

This book was narrated by Eva Seymour and her voice was perfect for this sort of genre.

4 stars

Hands down one of the best psychological thrillers I’ve come across in a long time. Solid 5 stars from me!

From the very first chapter, this book had me completely hooked. The pacing is fast and relentless, and the writing style pulls you in so deeply that I literally didn’t want to stop listening. If it weren’t for pesky things like work, I would’ve devoured it in one sitting.

I listened to the audiobook version, narrated by Eva Seymour, and I’m convinced that made the experience even better. Her narration was incredible—she brought the whole story to life in such a vivid way, I felt like I was actually there in the suburbs of Sydney. Her Australian accent added the perfect touch since the characters and setting are all Aussie too. And the way she captured the eerie vibe around Sam just gave me chills.

Speaking of characters… Bonnie Hunter is such a standout. I loved her strength and resilience, especially in how she handles the very real and tough issue of domestic violence. She’s a total badass and someone you can’t help but root for. On the flip side, Sam, ugh. I hated him more and more as the story went on. Like, truly despised him—so kudos to Lee for writing such a convincingly awful antagonist!

I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book in this series. I need more Detective Bonnie Hunter in my life!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bolinda Audio for the audiobook in exchange of my honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the audiobook version of this story. It kept me completely hooked and I really enjoyed all the twists and turns.
Loved the characters and especially Bonnie and look forward to the next instalment!
Thank you to NetGalley and Bolinda Audio for letting me review this ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

There are some really fantastic crime novels coming out of Australia at the moment and Missing by Catherine Lee is right up there with the best of them. With a dual timeline which worked incredibly well; a well executed missing person mystery; and a really strong female detective lead, The Missing is a truly phenomenal start to a new series. With domestic violence at the heart of the story it was never going to be the easiest of listens, but with excellent narration and the obvious thoroughness of research done by the author, it came across as an extremely well written gripping drama. I was fully invested in finding out what happened to Juliet and cannot wait to read the next book in the Detective Bonnie Hunter series.

Once again, the Bolinda Audio recording is outstanding; they really are head and shoulders above the rest for the quality of their recordings.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bolinda Audio for the audio ARC of this book.

Couldn't get on with the audio version however I will read the ebook version as I think the plot was good and I could see it going far

This book is a well researched tale of domestic abuse. A nice twist in the tale of the missing girl and another bit of drama just as you thought it was all going so well.
I look forward to reading another book by Catherine Lee

A gritty and gripping new detective emerges in the shape of Bonnie Hunter. She’s tough, independent and determined to see justice done. Based in Sydney, she’s currently assigned to domestic abuse, having previously been a homicide detective.
Her old boss and good friend, Cooper, wants her to return to his homicide team, but she’s not sure that’s what she wants.
When a woman goes missing and Cooper is called, he ropes Bonnie in as his driver, and she’s swiftly caught up in the case.
Sam has swept Juliet off her feet from the moment he met her. He’s charming, good looking, rich and generous; her knight in shining armour. After a whirlwind romance she agrees to be his wife.
So what if she’s young? And he likes to choose her outfits for her. And her friends. And insists they move to the city, away from her family…
I guessed the ‘twist’ pretty early on but that didn’t spoil my enjoyment. Five stars from me for this first book in Catherine Lee’s new series, read by Eva Seymour. The audiobook from Bolinda publishes on 1 June.
With thanks to NetGalley and BolindaAudio for the chance to read an ARC.