Notwithstanding this shortcoming, twisty plotting and unnerving characters redeem the novel to some extent. However, since she does not capitalize on it in her narrative, the setting falls a little flat. Setting her novel in the Pacific Northwest, with its iconic dark forests and gloomy rain, suggests Kent intended to evoke the kind of gothic mood that Faulkner exploited with the Deep South. Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advanced copy of this title for review.Show More central plot element is the shocking return of a character presumed to have been dead for a decade. There was a lot I liked here, and I’m really excited to see how a writing style I enjoyed translates to other plots.Įxpected publication date: February 15, 2022 You know how sometimes you’re watching a movie and it feels like the actors elevated bad material? It feels kind of like that here, where good writing bolstered a meh plot.ģ.5 Stars. I think it was something to do with the writing, which I really enjoyed. I can’t say more without getting into spoiler land, but if anyone in this book acted like they had a functional brain, it would be over after about 20 pages.

What was a bit more of an issue is the same problem I just had with Survive the Night where characters just act completely irrationally and in ways no normal person would, because otherwise the plot couldn’t happen. That said, I read 80 bajillion (hyperbole, what’s that?) thrillers, so for your average reader who does not, I imagine this wouldn’t be as much of an issue. It was a little too similar to many other books in this genre and thus was a bit predictable for me. Ultimately I didn’t love the direction the author chose to go. What an insane scenario that is just ripe with possibilities. This is one of my favorite plot setups I’ve come across in a while. Where has she been all these years? Why is she back now? And what does she want? The one that was presumed dead after going missing while hiking and vanishing without a trace 10 years ago. Standing there is her husband’s first wife Lydia. Merritt Coletto is happily married with a toddler and 8 months into another pregnancy when she gets a knock on her door.

Unmissing by Minka Kent