Tortured by the disappearance of her sister, Lauren, eight years ago, Rene never leaves her basement flat. She would rather stay there, surrounded by Lauren's collection of photos and objects. She is trying to write Lauren's story, so the world can know what happened.

I could hardly put this book down. I just had to know how it ended. I had my suspicions, and I was right.
Written in past and present and by Rene and Lauren POV's, also Jane's, who found Rene, it wholly grabbed my attention.
Tense, tragic and suspenseful, I am sure that psychological thriller fans will devour this book.

The confusion this creates adds a claustrophobic, uncomfortable feeling exactly what you would expect if someone is missing and you're desperately looking for answers. This is not a relaxing read it's high tension and unexpected twists but it is good.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for providing me with this eARC. All opinions are my own honest opinions.

This book had a quite interesting premise and reading the blurb really made me interested. It started off strong with a plot where we see Rene who is mostly in her basement on med. One day she receives a letter which is supposed to be from her sister Lauren but the twist is Lauren is missing.

It had nice twist and turns but was bit predictable if you read thrillers bd mysteries a lot. It was an okay read and tied up nicely at the end.

The cover is beautiful and gives off a sunny, cheerful vibe. Unfortunately, behind this cover lies a dark story.

The author takes us on a journey that alternates between the present and the past. This is meant to give the reader as much insight as possible into the events and to draw them deeper into the story. I also thought the idea behind the book was good.

I have to honestly admit that I was confused almost the entire time. I never quite knew what to think, and I don’t like that. I prefer things to be called what they are.

I understand that the perfect way to portray someone struggling with themselves is often through repetition, but sometimes less is more. This slowed down the pace of the book, which is exactly what I don’t like in a thriller.

I really want to shout from the rooftops how fantastic I thought every book was, and I’m convinced this story will have many fans, but I must say with a heavy heart that I’m not one of them.  Sorry. 3 stars

Thank you

If you're looking for a book that will twist you up in knots and mess with your mind, then you need to pick up this novel.
Its a story of betrayal, perceived or real, a tale that is as confusing as it is riveting. Its well written and shows vulnerability and realism of relationships between mother's and daughters.
Its a real page turner and i couldn't put it down

Lauren is Missing presents an intriguing premise that drew me in with the mystery of a sister’s disappearance. The story revolves around Rene, who is depicted as a somewhat quirky character with her collection of objects and her routine life. The story is told in “before” and “after” from three characters: Jane, Rene, and Lauren. Sometimes, this format was hard to follow. I did like the Jane portions.

At times, the tension builds nicely, but there were moments when the plot dragged, and I found myself losing some interest.

The arrival of the letter certainly adds a twist, and while it’s meant to send chills down the spine, it didn’t quite deliver the punch I was hoping for.

Overall, Lauren is Missing was an okay read for me, but it fell short of being gripping, though there were some good, twisty parts and revelations. I would recommend this book. I would also check out more books by this author.

#LaurenisMissing #NetGalley @Stormbooks_co

Told from three POV - Jane, a mother who loves her children dearly and is sad that they have flown the nest; Lauren, a wayward teen who has been abducted and misssing for eight years, and Rene, Lauren’s sister who has severe mental problems.

When Jane discovers a young woman digging something up in her back garden, she has no idea just what mysteries and horrors are about to unfold.

Well that was a dark one!! 😱. I have read this author before and liked her work, but this book is in a different league altogether. Tragic, suspicious and suspenseful, who does the reader trust is telling the truth? Unreliable narratives, with a fair few twists and turns. What I thought was obvious from quite early on was not how it turned out at all, it’s certainly a book that messes with the mind 🤯.

Although the different POV took some getting use to, it’s well worth the perseverance, with a great plot, good characters and a well done ending.

Not for the faint hearted, but definitely 100% recommendation.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing.

My first SJ King novel but definitely not my last! This was dark and gritty from beginning to end. It was impossible to know who to trust. Fantastic characters that kept me flipping pages long past my bedtime.
Thank you NetGalley, SJ King and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I really enjoyed this book. This book, for me, had me losing my mind, in all the best possible ways. The mystery, the gaslighting, the hope, the trauma. Told by multiple points of view: Jane the empty nester, Rene the sister who didn't disappear and Lauren herself. Brilliantly written. 10/10 would recommend to a friend.

3⭐️

This was certainly an interesting and unique read! I couldn’t put this down as I was desperate to know what was really going on. I did predict some of the twist very early on in the story but still was satisfied with the details of it! I will say that 90% of this book was me just being confused as the reader. Janes perspective was the only one where you are getting actual answers and story until the very end of the book. Being in Rene’s POV felt like watching the movie “Momento” I genuinely didn’t know what to feel and who to believe or trust.

The overall concept of this book was very interesting but I wish there was a little more direction and conciseness moving from chapter to chapter. Overall a good thriller that keeps you engaged and certainly messes with your head!

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an advanced copy of this book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of Lauren is Missing by S.J. King due to be published July 2, 2025.
Rene isolates herself in her apartment, rearranging everything just so. When a letter arrives, she realizes her sister Lauren is alive and she is waiting to find Rene before it is too late.

This book was a little confusing at first going back and forth between Rene, Lauren, past and present, and other characters. I thought I had figured the plot out, and I did somewhat, but the outcome was still good. It was a very haunting book and psychologically gripping. It was a perfect blend of mystery and suspense.

Also recommended by S.J. King: Where You Belong.

#NetGalley #SJKing #LaurenIsMissing #StormPublishing

Review of ‘Lauren is Missing’ by S. J. King due to be published on 2 July 2025 by Storm Publishing.

Lauren has been missing for 8 years, ever since she walked out of her family home on her mums birthday.

The story is told over parts that are ‘before’ and ‘after’ - told from multiple points of view of Lauren herself, Rene (her sister) and Jane the lady who now occupies Lauren’s former family home.

I thought I had the twist worked out really early on, but I was wrong, and in fact it was much better than I had imagined.

Recommended read.

I'm really struggling with how to rate Lauren is Missing. It was definitely well written and exciting; the mystery kept me hooked, and I read it really quickly because I really wanted to know what was going on. The ultimate twist was a great ending, and I loved that the story kept going into the aftermath of what had happened. However, the story was very bleak, and so I wouldn't say I enjoyed reading the book, exactly. A good book, but be prepared--it's kind of a tough read.