Known for her supernatural Otherworld and Cainsville series this is a different proposition from Kelley Armstrong. This standalone thriller is aimed at Young Adults but is enjoyable for adults too.
Winter Crane lives in a small town in the middle of nowhere, Reeves End. Her sister Cam has already left town – like most of the teenagers her age – and has left Winter in a trailer park home with their near alcoholic father. She is smart and has her heart set on university and medical school. Winter works tirelessly tutoring other students, working part time at the local doctor’s practice and hunting in the woods to put food on their table.
While in the woods checking her snares and traps she finds the body of a badly beaten boy being tormented by feral dogs. Dragging the injured boy back to her shack she tends him back to health. Lennon had been searching for a girl that he’d met at a concert last year. Edie had phoned him and needed his help and was now missing. Winter’s friend Edie.
Even though I knew that this wasn’t a supernatural book I kept second guessing myself. Everytime Armstrong references “humans” I was metaphorically punching the air as if to say “Yes – I told you so!” As the feral dogs continue to play a large part in the story I was convinced it was going all “Bitten” and that the feral dogs would turn out to actually be the missing teenagers.
Missing is a real breath of fresh air. Armstrong has created a smart and sassy leading lady who isn’t afraid to go after what she wants or to protect those that she loves. I was completely engrossed in the story and didn’t see the ending coming at all.
Supplied by Net Galley and Random House Children’s in exchange for an honest review.
UK Publication Date: Apr 18 2017. 384 pages.
Categories: 4 Stars Book Review
angelnet69
Prolific reader, enthusiastic theatre and movie-goer and ex-Olivier Awards judge who spent twenty years working in the music industry in London. Sharing my house with a gorgeous cockapoo called Harry who has taken over completely.
I love sharing my favourite books with friends - nearly always spoiler-free as I hate reading a synopsis of the whole book in other reviews.
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