Having now read and loved All The Missing Girls by Megan Miranda, the author’s first novel for adult readers, it’s safe to say that I already can’t wait for the second book in the series. All The Missing Girls was an incredibly powerful psychological thriller, told to us in a way that really makes it stand out from other books of its genre. I was well and truly hooked from beginning to end!
When the book opens we meet Nicolette Farrell who, after ten years away, returns home to Cooley Ridge, North Carolina, in order to help care for her ailing father. In the space of ten years, Nicolette has been desperately trying to put the past behind her and rebuild her life after her best friend, Corinne, mysteriously disappeared from Cooley Ridge. However, as we all know, you can never escape your past and it’s not long after Nicolette arrives back in her hometown that Annaleise Carter goes missing. The question is just what has happened to her and can any light be shed on what happened to Corinne all those years ago?
Once the scene has been set, the rest of the story is told in a truly unique and special way. As Nicolette tries to figure out what’s happened to Annaleise recently and also come to terms with what occurred to Corinne, the story is told backwards from Day 15 to Day 1. Whilst this may seem slightly confusing, which I have to admit it was for me at first, when you realise what is going on and what Megan Miranda is trying to achieve you really appreciate just how clever it was - I’ve certainly never read a story told in this way before.
Although there isn’t a shocking reveal at the end of this novel, one thing that has to be said is that All The Missing Girls is one tension-filled book from the very start. It was a book that pulled me in and gripped me from the first page to the point that I genuinely never wanted to put it down. As I was reading it there were many times when I found myself not knowing what to believe - on several occasions I tried to guess what had happened only to be proven completely and utterly wrong. Flying along at a good pace, the book introduced us to many characters who were all well developed but who we didn’t learn too much about. This is something that I feel worked perfectly, added to the tension and helped to get me thinking.
What more can I say apart from the fact that I feel that this was an incredible start to what promises to be a fabulous series. I for one can’t wait for more and can see why All The Missing Girls has already received so much praise and attention - it deserves it. A book that’s guaranteed to keep you awake until the early hours as you frantically turn the pages to find out exactly what’s happened, my only advice is that you read this book.
