‘Missing Persons’ by Nicci Gerrard

From one half of the bestselling duo Nicci French, a novel about how a family is affected by a son’s disappearance. Feelings and relationships are explored as if under a microscope. When Johnny disappears from his university dorm room with no explanation and no clue as to where he has gone, each family member responds in their own personal way. Like books by Anne Tyler, the story is well described and examines how people react when the unthinkable happens. It is a story of coping, hope, but especially of love.

The plot intrigue is of course about whether Johnny will be found and what happens if he does return. The re-entry is often more fraught than the original crisis! The story line reminded me of  The Deep End of the Ocean by Jacqueline Mitchard and The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold, both excellent novels. This is my first Nicci Gerrard (thanks for the tip Bertien!) and I am looking forward to trying a Nicci French next, to see how the duo compares to the solo.