i love the way this book is set out. it was something all on its own which id never read the like before. i got stuck right in. its one of those books where you want to fold down pages and highlight certain bits to remember. there is a more personal touch with this book. and i was rooting for our character so much not least because i know of course what woman like her we meant to our history and woman as a whole. it was historical fiction sure, but the characters leapt off the pages with how Susan writes them. each moment comes to life so i could picture their places in the old pictures of the time. it packs an authentic telling of the time as well as creating a story to get involved in to lead us through both the fact and fictional elements.
when i learn of books like this i sometimes wonder how people survived in this time? it sounds weak of me to say that and i feel a little ashamed to admit it. but i do often think it was such a tricky time especially for woman. but i suppose you can only be witness to time you are at so maybe like now for our society it just is.

An emotionally immersive, epistolary treasure. Dear Missing Friend will engross you, render your heart, and leave you heartbroken. Undoubtedly, Susan McGuirk presents a thoroughly enjoyable & memorable read with sympathetic & relatable characters that will endear you. This novel will not soon escape you. Another notable read to be recommended!

Thanks to NetGalley, Sea Crow Press, and Susan McGuirk for the pleasure of reading and reviewing this eARC.

I do love a good epistolary novel. Congratulations to Susan McGuirk for creating an excellent one! Now I need to go see what else she's written. (And to subscribe to her "Storied Sisters Society" on Substack.)

Susan McGuirk’s Dear Missing Friend is a quietly powerful novel that stays with you long after the final page, not because of dramatic twists, but because of its emotional precision. At its core, the book is less about disappearance in a literal sense and more about the subtle, aching ways people drift apart and the unanswered questions that remain.

This author writes with a restrained elegance that suits the story’s themes. The prose is clean and unembellished, yet deeply evocative. Rather than telling the reader how to feel, she creates space for reflection, allowing moments of silence and absence to carry as much weight as dialogue. This makes the narrative feel intimate, almost like reading someone’s private letters or thoughts.

The novel’s strength lies in its emotional authenticity. The narrator’s voice feels real imperfect, searching, sometimes uncertain. As memories unfold, the past and present blur in a way that mirrors how we actually process loss and nostalgia. There’s no neat resolution, and that’s precisely the point. The author resists the urge to provide easy answers, instead honoring the complexity of relationships that end without closure.

If there’s any drawback, it’s that the pacing may feel slow to those expecting a plot-driven story. This is very much a reflective, character-focused work. But for readers willing to settle into its rhythm, the payoff is emotional rather than narrative and it’s a meaningful one.