Just Another Missing Person by Gillian McAllister

A young woman goes into a blocked off alley and is never seen again. So starts a very unusual missing persons case where nothing is straightforward in this novel. Set in Portishead, a coastal town in Somerset. 

A tense, complex and often confusing tale told from three perspectives. One is a police Inspector who investigates this unusual case. The other two both talk to "you" and it takes a while to realise who these people are and who the "you" is. Even once that had been figured out, all the assumptions made are probably wrong.

The story looks at what it means to be a parent and the lengths mothers and fathers will go to for their children. The characters' turmoil is relatable and their moral dilemmas are heart wrenching; and towards the end it seems that there is nothing more than suffering. They all have their own isolation, not sure who to trust despite having strong loyalty. They all want to do the right thing by their children.

The book makes great use of its seaside geography. Key scenes and plot milestones map directly to real locations like Portishead open-air pool and Sugar Loaf Beach. The coastal town setting feels eerie, empty, and claustrophobic as the community and police scan CCTV footage trying to trace the woman who vanished into thin air down a dead-end alleyway. 

Slow start that appears to be leading to another police procedural, this story changes with each new revelation, most of which is totally unexpected. Cleverly knitted, sometimes knotty, but an enthralling thriller.

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Published by Penguin on 3 August 2023.
Advance review copy supplied by the publisher.

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