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The Missing
In this harrowing psychological thriller about a missing teenage boy whose mother must expose the secrets within their own family if she wants to find her son—perfect for fans of Reconstructing Amelia.
You love your family. They make you feel safe. You trust them. Or do you…?
When fifteen-year-old Billy Wilkinson goes missing in the middle of the night, his mother, Claire Wilkinson, blames herself. She’s not the only one. There isn’t a single member of Billy’s family that doesn’t feel guilty. But the Wilkinsons are so used to keeping secrets from one another that it isn’t until six months later, after an appeal for information goes horribly wrong, that the truth begins to surface.
Claire is sure of two things—that Billy is still alive and that her friends and family had nothing to do with his disappearance.
A mother’s instinct is never wrong. Or is it…?
Combining an unreliable narrator and fast-paced storytelling, The Missing is a chilling novel of psychological suspense that will thoroughly captivate and obsess readers.
“The Missing has a delicious sense of foreboding from the first page, luring us into the heart of a family with terrible secrets and making us wait, with pounding hearts for the final, agonizing twist. Loved it.”—Fiona Barton, author of The Widow
You love your family. They make you feel safe. You trust them. Or do you…?
When fifteen-year-old Billy Wilkinson goes missing in the middle of the night, his mother, Claire Wilkinson, blames herself. She’s not the only one. There isn’t a single member of Billy’s family that doesn’t feel guilty. But the Wilkinsons are so used to keeping secrets from one another that it isn’t until six months later, after an appeal for information goes horribly wrong, that the truth begins to surface.
Claire is sure of two things—that Billy is still alive and that her friends and family had nothing to do with his disappearance.
A mother’s instinct is never wrong. Or is it…?
Combining an unreliable narrator and fast-paced storytelling, The Missing is a chilling novel of psychological suspense that will thoroughly captivate and obsess readers.
“The Missing has a delicious sense of foreboding from the first page, luring us into the heart of a family with terrible secrets and making us wait, with pounding hearts for the final, agonizing twist. Loved it.”—Fiona Barton, author of The Widow
482 pages, Paperback
First published April 21, 2016
About the author
C.L. Taylor
25 books2,698 followersC.L. Taylor is an award winning Sunday Times bestselling author of nine gripping psychological thrillers including SLEEP, a Richard and Judy Book Club pick for autumn 2019. Her books are not a series and can be read in any order:
2014 - THE ACCIDENT / Before I Wake (U.S.)
2015 - THE LIE
2016 - THE MISSING
2017 - THE ESCAPE
2018 - THE FEAR
2019 - SLEEP
2020 - STRANGERS
2021 - HER LAST HOLIDAY
2022 - THE GUILTY COUPLE
She has also written two Young Adult thrillers, THE TREATMENT and THE ISLAND.
C.L. Taylor's books have sold in excess of a million copies, been number one on Amazon Kindle, Kobo, iBooks and Google Play and have been translated into over 25 languages and optioned for TV.
Cally Taylor was born in Worcester and spent her early years living in various army camps in the UK and Germany. She studied Psychology at the University of Northumbria and went on forge a career in instructional design and e-Learning before leaving to write full time in 2014. She lives in Bristol with her partner and son.
Sign up to join the CL Taylor Readers' Club for access to news, updates and information that isn't available on the web, as well as exclusive newsletter-only competitions and giveaways and the books that CL Taylor thinks will be the next big thing. You will also receive THE LODGER for free when you join:
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2014 - THE ACCIDENT / Before I Wake (U.S.)
2015 - THE LIE
2016 - THE MISSING
2017 - THE ESCAPE
2018 - THE FEAR
2019 - SLEEP
2020 - STRANGERS
2021 - HER LAST HOLIDAY
2022 - THE GUILTY COUPLE
She has also written two Young Adult thrillers, THE TREATMENT and THE ISLAND.
C.L. Taylor's books have sold in excess of a million copies, been number one on Amazon Kindle, Kobo, iBooks and Google Play and have been translated into over 25 languages and optioned for TV.
Cally Taylor was born in Worcester and spent her early years living in various army camps in the UK and Germany. She studied Psychology at the University of Northumbria and went on forge a career in instructional design and e-Learning before leaving to write full time in 2014. She lives in Bristol with her partner and son.
Sign up to join the CL Taylor Readers' Club for access to news, updates and information that isn't available on the web, as well as exclusive newsletter-only competitions and giveaways and the books that CL Taylor thinks will be the next big thing. You will also receive THE LODGER for free when you join:
cltaylorauthor.com/newsletter
www.cltaylorauthor.com
www.twitter.com/callytaylor
www.Instagram.com/cltaylorauthor
www.facebook.com/callytaylorauthor
www.youtube.com/cltaylorauthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 940 reviews
September 19, 2018
This audiobook is turning into a brilliant story. I will never sleep tonight because I won't be able to turn my tablet off. 😊
Update. I am a bit tired today because I did stay awake most of the night to finish listening to this story. Sometimes a book you are reading or listening to is so good you just have to read a few more pages that somehow turn into chapters.
If you can imagine for a moment that your fifteen year old son goes missing in the middle of the night and you can't find him. This is what happened to Claire Wilkinson when her son Billy vanishes one night. Claire and the rest of the family search for Billy but he can't be found and the police have also drawn a blank. Billy has completely vanished so after he has been missing for six months the police call for an appeal in the hope that someone might come forward with fresh information. You would think this would be a great idea but on the day of the media appeal everything goes horribly wrong and the family gets unwanted newspaper coverage.
In the meantime the stress of everything that is happening is causing the family to fall apart in the wake of the media coverage. Claire's family have never been able to share problems and they all have secrets hidden away. Filled with guilt they all blame themselves for Billy's disappearance and the family starts to fracture. Will Billy ever be found or is it too late for Claire's family and Billy?
I listened to the audiobook and I enjoyed every second of this story. The narration was really good and I will be listening to more books from this author starting with The Accident. I can't wait to start listening. Well deserved five stars.
Update. I am a bit tired today because I did stay awake most of the night to finish listening to this story. Sometimes a book you are reading or listening to is so good you just have to read a few more pages that somehow turn into chapters.
If you can imagine for a moment that your fifteen year old son goes missing in the middle of the night and you can't find him. This is what happened to Claire Wilkinson when her son Billy vanishes one night. Claire and the rest of the family search for Billy but he can't be found and the police have also drawn a blank. Billy has completely vanished so after he has been missing for six months the police call for an appeal in the hope that someone might come forward with fresh information. You would think this would be a great idea but on the day of the media appeal everything goes horribly wrong and the family gets unwanted newspaper coverage.
In the meantime the stress of everything that is happening is causing the family to fall apart in the wake of the media coverage. Claire's family have never been able to share problems and they all have secrets hidden away. Filled with guilt they all blame themselves for Billy's disappearance and the family starts to fracture. Will Billy ever be found or is it too late for Claire's family and Billy?
I listened to the audiobook and I enjoyed every second of this story. The narration was really good and I will be listening to more books from this author starting with The Accident. I can't wait to start listening. Well deserved five stars.
January 7, 2021
My first review of 2021. Last year saw a spike in my reading of crime & suspense novels, and I expect this will continue into 2021. I picked this up based on the story and a few reviews. The story is interesting, the characters complex and well developed, but the book suffers from a serious lack of pace.
The narration is centered around Claire Wilkinson. Her 15-year-old son, Billy is missing since a few months and she, her husband Mark, her elder son Jake are struggling to cope. Jake’s girlfriend Kira also stays with them and the events impact her as well. The family puts out an appeal and yet there is no progress. Claire uncovers secrets which the others in the family have hidden from her, and yet she is unsure if any of it could have been the trigger for Billy’s sudden disappearance one night. Claire also has fugues – periods during which she can remember nothing later. She leans on her neighbour Liz for support increasingly, more than even her own family.
While, I am quite comfortable with slow burners, yet there are several sections in the book which add practically nothing to the story. The story and the revelations at the end are good, and for that it is worth a read.
The narration is centered around Claire Wilkinson. Her 15-year-old son, Billy is missing since a few months and she, her husband Mark, her elder son Jake are struggling to cope. Jake’s girlfriend Kira also stays with them and the events impact her as well. The family puts out an appeal and yet there is no progress. Claire uncovers secrets which the others in the family have hidden from her, and yet she is unsure if any of it could have been the trigger for Billy’s sudden disappearance one night. Claire also has fugues – periods during which she can remember nothing later. She leans on her neighbour Liz for support increasingly, more than even her own family.
While, I am quite comfortable with slow burners, yet there are several sections in the book which add practically nothing to the story. The story and the revelations at the end are good, and for that it is worth a read.
April 1, 2016
I had previously read 'The Lie' by the same author and thoroughly enjoyed it so I was always going to read more from this talented author. CL Taylor is a relatively new author who writes hugely entertaining psychological thrillers and I have already obtained another one of her books to continue making my way through her work.
Fifteen year old Billy Wilkinson goes missing in the middle of the night leaving his family distraught. His mother Clare blames herself for his disappearance but is convinced that he is still alive. The rest of his family also feel guilt and each one of them is keeping secrets. Six month's have passed since Billy's disappearance and the truth is now starting to unfold as Clare tries to unravel the truth.
This is an excellent novel that had me reading it at every opportunity in an effort to find out the truth as quick as possible. Great characters that the author brings to life and the pace of the story is spot on. There are twists and turn as CL Taylor leads the reader down cul-de-sac's as the accusing finger moves from person to person.
I would like to thank both Net Galley and Harper Collins for supplying me with a copy of this novel in exchange for a honest review.
Fifteen year old Billy Wilkinson goes missing in the middle of the night leaving his family distraught. His mother Clare blames herself for his disappearance but is convinced that he is still alive. The rest of his family also feel guilt and each one of them is keeping secrets. Six month's have passed since Billy's disappearance and the truth is now starting to unfold as Clare tries to unravel the truth.
This is an excellent novel that had me reading it at every opportunity in an effort to find out the truth as quick as possible. Great characters that the author brings to life and the pace of the story is spot on. There are twists and turn as CL Taylor leads the reader down cul-de-sac's as the accusing finger moves from person to person.
I would like to thank both Net Galley and Harper Collins for supplying me with a copy of this novel in exchange for a honest review.
February 21, 2016
I was grabbed by this book from the first page. Although I have no children I completely empathised with Claire's plight and desperation to know what had happened to 15 year old Billy. There was mystery and secrecy throughout the book which touched every character mentioned. As each revelation unfolded I had to rethink my suspicions and re-evaluate what I'd read. Although none of my scenarios prepared me for the end which I read with an open mouth. The pace of the book swept me along even though I wanted to make it last. The writing is impeccable and the characters are realistically drawn so that you feel the pain of everyone concerned. I wish I could unknow the ending so that I could go back and discover it again. Brilliant!!
May 6, 2016
When fifteen-year-old Billy Wilkinson goes missing in the middle of the night, his mother, Claire, blames herself. She's not the only one. There isn't a single member of Billy's family that doesn't feel guilty. But the Wilkinsons are so used to keeping secrets from one another that it isn't until six months later, after an appeal for information goes horribly wrong, that the truth begins to surface.
Claire is sure of two things – that Billy is still alive and that her friends and family had nothing to do with his disappearance.
A mother's instinct is never wrong. Or is it?
Sometimes those closest to us are the ones with the most to hide…
Well. I've been reading a few psychological thrillers recently, and some brilliant ones. This is a much mature, C.L. Taylor writing prowess. I didn't find it predictable, although It had all the oomph of a classic, you can never change the suspense a novel like this gives you without a few common laws.
Just highly enjoyable. And after the great book, The Lie, this brought everything back home.
The book had a real tense feel to it and every page keeps you wondering... what is actually going on here. Only the last few pages reveal the secret.
A difficult subject matter, but written superbly. Plot, characters, all very strong and very well researched. I've always loved Cally's writing, but this sets the mark.
Easy 5* - Totally recommended!
Claire is sure of two things – that Billy is still alive and that her friends and family had nothing to do with his disappearance.
A mother's instinct is never wrong. Or is it?
Sometimes those closest to us are the ones with the most to hide…
Well. I've been reading a few psychological thrillers recently, and some brilliant ones. This is a much mature, C.L. Taylor writing prowess. I didn't find it predictable, although It had all the oomph of a classic, you can never change the suspense a novel like this gives you without a few common laws.
Just highly enjoyable. And after the great book, The Lie, this brought everything back home.
The book had a real tense feel to it and every page keeps you wondering... what is actually going on here. Only the last few pages reveal the secret.
A difficult subject matter, but written superbly. Plot, characters, all very strong and very well researched. I've always loved Cally's writing, but this sets the mark.
Easy 5* - Totally recommended!
July 4, 2018
The Missing was another enjoyable mystery thriller.
This book focuses on the trauma of dealing with a missing teenage son/brother, family dynamics, lies, secrets and all sorts of shenanigans. Great mix of characters. It felt a little drawn-out in places, but was overall quite a fast paced read, despite being quite long. Definitely one I’d recommend to fans of character led mystery thrillers.
This is the forth book I’ve read by this author. The very first one I read still remains my favourite. I absolutely loved The Lie, so do check that one out too.
This book focuses on the trauma of dealing with a missing teenage son/brother, family dynamics, lies, secrets and all sorts of shenanigans. Great mix of characters. It felt a little drawn-out in places, but was overall quite a fast paced read, despite being quite long. Definitely one I’d recommend to fans of character led mystery thrillers.
This is the forth book I’ve read by this author. The very first one I read still remains my favourite. I absolutely loved The Lie, so do check that one out too.
June 5, 2016
Claire and Mark Wilkinson are living every parent's nightmare. Their 15 year old son Billy went missing 6 months ago and so far there have been no clues as to what happened to him. Claire is convinced that he ran away following a family argument and is hiding out somewhere and she continues to try to unravel the truth. But there are secrets being kept by family and friends that might help to uncover the true events leading up to Billy's disappearance.
The story is told through Claire's eyes interspersed with a chatroom conversation between two people. She is badly stressed, feeling she has failed to protect her youngest son and suffers periods of memory loss making her an unreliable narrator. Gradually Claire does start to piece the puzzle together, but the mystery only deepens. The story will suck you in and keep you reading until the unexpected events that actually led to Billy's disappearance are revealed.
With thanks to Netgalley and the published Harper Collins for a digital copy of the book to read and review
The story is told through Claire's eyes interspersed with a chatroom conversation between two people. She is badly stressed, feeling she has failed to protect her youngest son and suffers periods of memory loss making her an unreliable narrator. Gradually Claire does start to piece the puzzle together, but the mystery only deepens. The story will suck you in and keep you reading until the unexpected events that actually led to Billy's disappearance are revealed.
With thanks to Netgalley and the published Harper Collins for a digital copy of the book to read and review
August 28, 2017
This is my third book my Taylor and I have detected a pattern. Not so much in actual plot, but in structure. The books are all fairly long - this was nearly 500 pages! - and all this working towards a grand unveiling has, in every one of the books, made said unveiling somewhat underwhelming. That's not to say the book was bad. Taylor has a fast-paced way of writing that certainly kept me turning the pages. While I completely felt for the protagonist's miserable situation, a missing child is undeniably a terrible, terrible thing, I did feel that there was a surprising lack of character development. I really learned only about one area of Claire's(the mother's) life, and it would have been great to have a more rounded view of her and her family. The missing child, too, didn't get a well-rounded characterization, in my view, and I rather disliked him from the start, because only one side of him was really shown. I also felt the ending was fairly predictable, and though I kept thinking the mystery figure cannot be who I think it is because it's so obvious, I was not surprised by the solution and the somewhat rushed ending. All in all, definitely a page turner with a number of twists and turns, but ultimately not terribly memorable for me as I read a lot of mysteries/crime fiction and if the book isn't really good (or really bad) the middling stories kind of start blurring together in my mind. Anyway . . . if you want to read a book by Taylor, I would recommend trying The Accident instead.
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
January 15, 2020
Family drama thriller centred around 15 year old boy Billy. Billy has been missing for 6 months now, the police still don't have any leads and no one has heard from him. Claire (Mother) is unable to let go she continues her search for her son believing he is out there and still alive.
As Claire digs deeper secrets are uncovered, betrayals, affairs, blackmail and a web of deceit. What if someone is your family had something to do with Billys disappearance? As more truths are released Claire is questioning her sanity, did she do something sinister. How well do you really know anyone.
This is a great Family drama, very well written - highly recommend if you enjoy Sally Hepworth and Liane Moriarty books.
As Claire digs deeper secrets are uncovered, betrayals, affairs, blackmail and a web of deceit. What if someone is your family had something to do with Billys disappearance? As more truths are released Claire is questioning her sanity, did she do something sinister. How well do you really know anyone.
This is a great Family drama, very well written - highly recommend if you enjoy Sally Hepworth and Liane Moriarty books.
April 13, 2018
Um livro que fala sobre como os pais pensam que conhecem os filhos mas na verdade há sempre alguma coisa que não conseguem perceber. Fala também da fase da adolescência e todos os problemas que esta acarretam e de segredos dentro da família. Um filho que uma mãe vê como carinhoso pode ter uma personalidade completamente diferente quando está rodeado de amigos ou outras pessoas. A adolescência normalmente vem com duas caras e rodeada de segredos.
Opinião completa no blog: lostinmyownworldofbooks.wordpress.com...
Opinião completa no blog: lostinmyownworldofbooks.wordpress.com...
May 19, 2016
This book didn't live up to my expectations, I mean, even though I kept turning pages to finally see what had really happened, it simply wasn't good enough. It's relativily well written, albeit somewhat simply, so it's an easy and fast read but even so it didn't even sound like it was written by a Brit, it could have perfectly beenw written by an American throwing the ocasional " bollocks". Very, very simplistic. The characters are not well developed and it's told from the POV of the mother who happens to suffer fugues, making her an extremely unreliable narrator. One thing I liked was the inclusion of the WhatsApp exchanges, and that might be the only saving grace. By the time you get to the conclusion, you don't really care about the characters one way or another.
In the same line, " What she knew" is far, far superior so I would recommend that one and you can forget the other.
In the same line, " What she knew" is far, far superior so I would recommend that one and you can forget the other.
November 17, 2017
A very good thriller!! I was completely clueless as to what happened and was surprised (yay!) by the ending. I never found a slow spot in this book, I was into it the entire time. I'm very much looking forward to reading more books by C.L. Taylor!!
November 19, 2017
Favorite Quotes:
It’s a PR trick to gain public sympathy. I read about it in a book I got out of the library, the one by the PR guru who was arrested for sex offences. Dirty bastard but he knew his stuff.
We all have secrets. Most are guilty, a few are wretched and some are too precious to share.
My Review:
The Missing was a riveting and enthralling read. I could not put my kindle down and while I wanted to savor every perfectly chosen word, I also could not read fast enough. This book was ingeniously crafted, maddeningly paced, dripping with intrigue, smartly written, and laced with compelling twists and turns. I was taut with tension, my heart was frequently in my throat, everyone was suspect, and I went back and forth in wondering whether to pity or abhor this oddly fractured and barely functional family. I want to read every word this skilled wordsmith has ever written and will ever put to paper. C.L. Taylor is diabolically talented and an evil genius.
It’s a PR trick to gain public sympathy. I read about it in a book I got out of the library, the one by the PR guru who was arrested for sex offences. Dirty bastard but he knew his stuff.
We all have secrets. Most are guilty, a few are wretched and some are too precious to share.
My Review:
The Missing was a riveting and enthralling read. I could not put my kindle down and while I wanted to savor every perfectly chosen word, I also could not read fast enough. This book was ingeniously crafted, maddeningly paced, dripping with intrigue, smartly written, and laced with compelling twists and turns. I was taut with tension, my heart was frequently in my throat, everyone was suspect, and I went back and forth in wondering whether to pity or abhor this oddly fractured and barely functional family. I want to read every word this skilled wordsmith has ever written and will ever put to paper. C.L. Taylor is diabolically talented and an evil genius.
April 3, 2016
3.5*
In The Missing, 15 year old Billy Wilkinson suddenly disappeared from home one night and his family is going through hell wondering if he is dead or alive. We don't see his disappearance, the story starts 6 months later when Claire and her husband Mark are getting ready for the second TV appeal, which doesn't quite go to plan. The story is mainly narrated by his mother, Claire and we see events from her perspective. We can't always believe her story though because she has blackouts - or fugues as they are called.
The author has captured so well the family's emotions. The strain of Billy's disappearance and the not knowing is breaking them apart. The entire family have feelings of guilt. His older brother Jake fought with him the day he disappeared and Mark, the father, also had problems with his youngest son before his disappearance. His marriage and family are falling apart and they can't seem to communicate with each other. Jake's girlfriend Kira lives with them, she has her own personal issues to deal with and seems to be struggling to cope with this family who all have secrets they are hiding from each other.
Between chapters are separate transcriptions of WhatsApp messages between two unknown people, which become increasingly graphic and unsettling. I had my suspicions from early on who these two people were and it surprised me to find out that I was correct. The more I learnt about Billy as the story progressed, the more I thought him to be a right little toerag. I'm not a parent but it must be so difficult to get right that line between disciplining your children without alienating them. Billy was at that rebellious age and didn't want to be controlled.
I think I must have suspected every family member or friend at some time, even Claire. Her blackouts made it possible for her to have done something which even she can't remember. I found the subject of dissociative amnesia fascinating. It's incredible to think that someone can go through certain actions such as driving a car and finding yourself somewhere that you have no memory of travelling to. I could understand why Claire found it so frightening.
The story doesn't so much focus on the official investigation of Billy's disappearance but more on the effect it has on the family and how they are desperate for answers.
I suspect I'm going to be a lone voice with this one as many other reviewers have raved about it. I loved this author's two previous thrillers, The Accident and The Lie and had been eagerly looking forward to this latest book, but The Missing didn't engage me as much as I had hoped for and I can't put my finger on why. I liked it but I didn't love it. It's not the writing that's at fault because that is up to the usual standard and is excellent. It may be my mood at the moment, or the fact that I simply didn't care enough about the characters - I don't know.
Although this wasn't one of my favourites by C L Taylor, its still a very good, suspenseful and well written story and I would recommend it to others. I think in this case its "me not you".
My thanks to the publisher Avon for the ARC to review.
In The Missing, 15 year old Billy Wilkinson suddenly disappeared from home one night and his family is going through hell wondering if he is dead or alive. We don't see his disappearance, the story starts 6 months later when Claire and her husband Mark are getting ready for the second TV appeal, which doesn't quite go to plan. The story is mainly narrated by his mother, Claire and we see events from her perspective. We can't always believe her story though because she has blackouts - or fugues as they are called.
The author has captured so well the family's emotions. The strain of Billy's disappearance and the not knowing is breaking them apart. The entire family have feelings of guilt. His older brother Jake fought with him the day he disappeared and Mark, the father, also had problems with his youngest son before his disappearance. His marriage and family are falling apart and they can't seem to communicate with each other. Jake's girlfriend Kira lives with them, she has her own personal issues to deal with and seems to be struggling to cope with this family who all have secrets they are hiding from each other.
Between chapters are separate transcriptions of WhatsApp messages between two unknown people, which become increasingly graphic and unsettling. I had my suspicions from early on who these two people were and it surprised me to find out that I was correct. The more I learnt about Billy as the story progressed, the more I thought him to be a right little toerag. I'm not a parent but it must be so difficult to get right that line between disciplining your children without alienating them. Billy was at that rebellious age and didn't want to be controlled.
I think I must have suspected every family member or friend at some time, even Claire. Her blackouts made it possible for her to have done something which even she can't remember. I found the subject of dissociative amnesia fascinating. It's incredible to think that someone can go through certain actions such as driving a car and finding yourself somewhere that you have no memory of travelling to. I could understand why Claire found it so frightening.
The story doesn't so much focus on the official investigation of Billy's disappearance but more on the effect it has on the family and how they are desperate for answers.
I suspect I'm going to be a lone voice with this one as many other reviewers have raved about it. I loved this author's two previous thrillers, The Accident and The Lie and had been eagerly looking forward to this latest book, but The Missing didn't engage me as much as I had hoped for and I can't put my finger on why. I liked it but I didn't love it. It's not the writing that's at fault because that is up to the usual standard and is excellent. It may be my mood at the moment, or the fact that I simply didn't care enough about the characters - I don't know.
Although this wasn't one of my favourites by C L Taylor, its still a very good, suspenseful and well written story and I would recommend it to others. I think in this case its "me not you".
My thanks to the publisher Avon for the ARC to review.
April 30, 2016
The Missing is one of those books that you know, especially as a parent, will discuss one of your worst nightmares. Fear of losing your child, in any way shape or form.
When Billy Wilkinson disappears in the middle of the night, his mother Claire and the rest of the family each blame themselves. Six months later and following a disastrous appeal, the family essentially begins to fall apart.
What follows is the harrowing account of Claire’s decent into psychological turmoil as she begins to experience fugue states. This makes for surreal reading, because it can actually happen and it’s frightening. The author has done a great job of staying true to Claire’s traumatic experiences, and they add a huge amount of tension to the story as you are in the dark as much as Claire is as regards what happens when she is in a fugue state.
Along with Claire, the rest of the family are all having difficulty with Billy’s disappearance still unsolved. C.L. Taylor deals brilliantly with each character and their reactions. The family all have secrets, and The Missing is a book that shows you just how much damage harbouring these secrets can do whether you realise it or not.
The Missing is interspersed with Whatsapp messages between chapters. These messages essentially throw the reader as you know someone is doing something they shouldn’t be, with someone they shouldn’t. The senders are only revealed towards the end of the book and I, for one, didn’t expect it. I like the way social media is portrayed in the book as it has such a massive bearing on the lives of young people today and just how dangerous it can be when it’s used unwisely.
I loved this book and hated it at the same time. As a mother my heart breaks for people who have had to endure the trauma of a missing child, in real life or in fiction. I cannot imagine what people go through, but books like this make me hug my kids a little tighter and longer when they go to bed. That is a testament to the author’s understanding of the sensitivity of subjects like this.
Astoundingly written, The Missing pulls you in from the very first page and doesn’t let you go until the final full stop. Heartbreaking, maddening, devastating and frightening in equal measure, The Missing will keep you awake for hours as you try and find out why Billy disappeared in the middle of the night and leave you in shock as to just how easy it is to misjudge the people you know.
When Billy Wilkinson disappears in the middle of the night, his mother Claire and the rest of the family each blame themselves. Six months later and following a disastrous appeal, the family essentially begins to fall apart.
What follows is the harrowing account of Claire’s decent into psychological turmoil as she begins to experience fugue states. This makes for surreal reading, because it can actually happen and it’s frightening. The author has done a great job of staying true to Claire’s traumatic experiences, and they add a huge amount of tension to the story as you are in the dark as much as Claire is as regards what happens when she is in a fugue state.
Along with Claire, the rest of the family are all having difficulty with Billy’s disappearance still unsolved. C.L. Taylor deals brilliantly with each character and their reactions. The family all have secrets, and The Missing is a book that shows you just how much damage harbouring these secrets can do whether you realise it or not.
The Missing is interspersed with Whatsapp messages between chapters. These messages essentially throw the reader as you know someone is doing something they shouldn’t be, with someone they shouldn’t. The senders are only revealed towards the end of the book and I, for one, didn’t expect it. I like the way social media is portrayed in the book as it has such a massive bearing on the lives of young people today and just how dangerous it can be when it’s used unwisely.
I loved this book and hated it at the same time. As a mother my heart breaks for people who have had to endure the trauma of a missing child, in real life or in fiction. I cannot imagine what people go through, but books like this make me hug my kids a little tighter and longer when they go to bed. That is a testament to the author’s understanding of the sensitivity of subjects like this.
Astoundingly written, The Missing pulls you in from the very first page and doesn’t let you go until the final full stop. Heartbreaking, maddening, devastating and frightening in equal measure, The Missing will keep you awake for hours as you try and find out why Billy disappeared in the middle of the night and leave you in shock as to just how easy it is to misjudge the people you know.
March 20, 2017
Thrilling, fast paced and unputdownable. Loved it.
March 24, 2016
My thanks to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book
This was my first time to read a book by C.L. Taylor. The story centers on the disappearance of fifteen year old Billy Wilkinson who went missing six months previously. It concentrates on the aftermath of Billy’s disappearance and the subsequent guilt felt by the other members of Billy’s family, his mother Claire, father Mark, his brother Jake and Jake’s girlfriend, Kira. Everyone is keeping secrets, which makes Claire wonder if her family and friends are connected in any way with Billy’s disappearance. As Claire continues in her search for Billy, everyone’s secrets are slowly revealed.
I have mixed thoughts on this book. I thought it started off well and I did keep turning the pages to get to the final conclusion. The book dealt with many issues such as online pornography, family dynamics, social media, missing children, blackmail, teenagers and how well we think we know them and family secrets. Some of the chapters are snapshots of WhatsApp conversations and I liked how this modern literary device was used. I like to see social media references or social media conversations being used in contemporary books. They are so much a part of our world today. The WhatsApp chapters made a modern story more authentic and these chapters interspersed throughout the book certainly added to the suspense in the story. Claire’s fugues episodes however, which resulted in her being an unreliable narrator, were not ones that I enjoyed. I had never heard of a ‘dissociative fugue’ and had to research exactly what they were. I guess I didn’t enjoy this aspect of the story as much, most probably through my lack of knowledge or understanding of them. I did learn that Agatha Christie experienced one of these ‘fugue’ so that I was something interesting that I never knew. I couldn’t connect with the characters as much as I wanted, I didn’t warm to them or care for them enough, although I did enjoy the character of Claire’s neighbour and friend, Liz. Liz came across as real and genuine and I think we can all relate to a character like Liz in our lives. I did enjoy the ending of the story and the conclusion wasn’t what I was expecting.
This was my first time to read a book by C.L. Taylor. The story centers on the disappearance of fifteen year old Billy Wilkinson who went missing six months previously. It concentrates on the aftermath of Billy’s disappearance and the subsequent guilt felt by the other members of Billy’s family, his mother Claire, father Mark, his brother Jake and Jake’s girlfriend, Kira. Everyone is keeping secrets, which makes Claire wonder if her family and friends are connected in any way with Billy’s disappearance. As Claire continues in her search for Billy, everyone’s secrets are slowly revealed.
I have mixed thoughts on this book. I thought it started off well and I did keep turning the pages to get to the final conclusion. The book dealt with many issues such as online pornography, family dynamics, social media, missing children, blackmail, teenagers and how well we think we know them and family secrets. Some of the chapters are snapshots of WhatsApp conversations and I liked how this modern literary device was used. I like to see social media references or social media conversations being used in contemporary books. They are so much a part of our world today. The WhatsApp chapters made a modern story more authentic and these chapters interspersed throughout the book certainly added to the suspense in the story. Claire’s fugues episodes however, which resulted in her being an unreliable narrator, were not ones that I enjoyed. I had never heard of a ‘dissociative fugue’ and had to research exactly what they were. I guess I didn’t enjoy this aspect of the story as much, most probably through my lack of knowledge or understanding of them. I did learn that Agatha Christie experienced one of these ‘fugue’ so that I was something interesting that I never knew. I couldn’t connect with the characters as much as I wanted, I didn’t warm to them or care for them enough, although I did enjoy the character of Claire’s neighbour and friend, Liz. Liz came across as real and genuine and I think we can all relate to a character like Liz in our lives. I did enjoy the ending of the story and the conclusion wasn’t what I was expecting.
January 3, 2018
A page turner but with little to make it stand out from other psychological thrillers.
April 7, 2016
Well I am totally wrung out after just finishing this book, the third by C L Taylor and in my opinion her best so far. It inspired such a mixture of emotions in me and made me realise how truly talented you have to be to even attempt a psychological suspense of this calibre! I seem to have been waiting for such a long time to get my hands on a copy of The Missing but I have to say it was worth every second. It was stunning!
Claire Wilkinson is the narrator of this story-she is a mother on the edge, due to the sudden and unexpected disappearance of her 15 year old son Billy six months ago. Her family is falling apart and events are about to escalate due to information that comes following the Wilkinson family press conference that takes place near the beginning. Claire starts to have fugues (periods of amnesia) whenever something sparks a memory and worries that maybe she knows more about Billy's disappearance than she can bare to think about!
This book is more than just a mystery. The disappearance of Billy is a catalyst really for a character driven study into the secrets and lies in a modern family. Nowadays families aren't simple anymore, they are extended due to marriage breakdowns, step families and we now have our children live at home for much longer periods as well. Claire is a typical mum of her generation, juggling work, teenagers, parents and friendships as well as making time for a marriage to work...it's tough out there!! As a mum who has been through those teenage years, I understood totally where Claire was coming from. Trying to develop that balance of guiding and disciplining your child but starting to let go and just hope you have done your best to raise a good adult.
Throughout the book I mistrusted everyone! They all seemed to have something to hide and the plot twisted more than a tin of spaghetti until the truth was finally exposed in a very emotional scene. It worked perfectly for me. The way it was told through Claire's eyes, an unreliable narrator due to her memory loses, was interspersed with What's App messages, a very modern-day way of telling a tale and you get a real sense of menace in such few words! A very topical issue was raised here with the use of social media and how our teens are at risk from that little computer they always carry in their hands-a gateway to pornography, bullying, sexting, grooming...as a parent it is terrifying that our children can have a whole life that we are no longer a part of or have any influence over. And although this is a realistically gritty plot line with some graphic language and scenes it is handled with finesse. I loved it from start to finish, it spoke to me and I know that most of us will realise how this could happen to any family...even ours.
I received a copy of this book via netgalley so many thanks to the publisher Avon Harper Collins for my ARC in return for an unbiased review.
Claire Wilkinson is the narrator of this story-she is a mother on the edge, due to the sudden and unexpected disappearance of her 15 year old son Billy six months ago. Her family is falling apart and events are about to escalate due to information that comes following the Wilkinson family press conference that takes place near the beginning. Claire starts to have fugues (periods of amnesia) whenever something sparks a memory and worries that maybe she knows more about Billy's disappearance than she can bare to think about!
This book is more than just a mystery. The disappearance of Billy is a catalyst really for a character driven study into the secrets and lies in a modern family. Nowadays families aren't simple anymore, they are extended due to marriage breakdowns, step families and we now have our children live at home for much longer periods as well. Claire is a typical mum of her generation, juggling work, teenagers, parents and friendships as well as making time for a marriage to work...it's tough out there!! As a mum who has been through those teenage years, I understood totally where Claire was coming from. Trying to develop that balance of guiding and disciplining your child but starting to let go and just hope you have done your best to raise a good adult.
Throughout the book I mistrusted everyone! They all seemed to have something to hide and the plot twisted more than a tin of spaghetti until the truth was finally exposed in a very emotional scene. It worked perfectly for me. The way it was told through Claire's eyes, an unreliable narrator due to her memory loses, was interspersed with What's App messages, a very modern-day way of telling a tale and you get a real sense of menace in such few words! A very topical issue was raised here with the use of social media and how our teens are at risk from that little computer they always carry in their hands-a gateway to pornography, bullying, sexting, grooming...as a parent it is terrifying that our children can have a whole life that we are no longer a part of or have any influence over. And although this is a realistically gritty plot line with some graphic language and scenes it is handled with finesse. I loved it from start to finish, it spoke to me and I know that most of us will realise how this could happen to any family...even ours.
I received a copy of this book via netgalley so many thanks to the publisher Avon Harper Collins for my ARC in return for an unbiased review.
April 1, 2016
The Missing is the latest psychological thriller by C. L. Taylor. It is about dysfunctional families, trauma and their hidden secrets.
Billy is fifteen years old. Six months ago, he went missing. No one knows what has happened to him. The family are desperate for news and are falling apart. Claire Wilkinson is the mother and we mostly get her perspective. Claire is struggling, with the pain of this loss. Where is Billy? And what are the secrets hidden beneath the surface of this seemingly perfect family?
This is an odd little family. There is Claire, the know-it-all mother, married long term to Mark. They have two children, Billy and nineteen year old, Jake. Jake’s teenage girlfriend also lives with them. They are a family, who don’t seem to really talk or share much. They reminded me of the Latimer family in Broadchurch. Claire develops partial amnesia. She finds herself in situations, with no recollection of how she got there. Over the course of the book, we witness two individuals messaging each other. They chat; at times explicitly and at others coercively. We do not fully understand what this all means, until the bitter end.
I think many readers will probably get on with The Missing better than I did. I thought Taylor failed to explore in enough detail some of the elements, that really held my attention. I loved the amnesia and its effect on Claire, and wanted to know more. I would have been happy if the entire book had been about memory loss. I found the whole dramatic side and the skewed family dynamics, a little too chick lit in style and lacking in reality. The resolution didn’t work at all. It was incredibly unsatisfying. I needed it to be darker, so much darker!
Anyway this is just my opinion. C. L. Taylor is an author well worth checking out. On this one occasion, the book didn’t quite hit the mark.
Billy is fifteen years old. Six months ago, he went missing. No one knows what has happened to him. The family are desperate for news and are falling apart. Claire Wilkinson is the mother and we mostly get her perspective. Claire is struggling, with the pain of this loss. Where is Billy? And what are the secrets hidden beneath the surface of this seemingly perfect family?
This is an odd little family. There is Claire, the know-it-all mother, married long term to Mark. They have two children, Billy and nineteen year old, Jake. Jake’s teenage girlfriend also lives with them. They are a family, who don’t seem to really talk or share much. They reminded me of the Latimer family in Broadchurch. Claire develops partial amnesia. She finds herself in situations, with no recollection of how she got there. Over the course of the book, we witness two individuals messaging each other. They chat; at times explicitly and at others coercively. We do not fully understand what this all means, until the bitter end.
I think many readers will probably get on with The Missing better than I did. I thought Taylor failed to explore in enough detail some of the elements, that really held my attention. I loved the amnesia and its effect on Claire, and wanted to know more. I would have been happy if the entire book had been about memory loss. I found the whole dramatic side and the skewed family dynamics, a little too chick lit in style and lacking in reality. The resolution didn’t work at all. It was incredibly unsatisfying. I needed it to be darker, so much darker!
Anyway this is just my opinion. C. L. Taylor is an author well worth checking out. On this one occasion, the book didn’t quite hit the mark.
April 18, 2018
The story opens six months after Claire and Mark's 15 year old son Billy goes missing in the middle of the night. Claire narrates the story. In between chapters, two unknown people exchange Snapchat messages prior to the disappearance. Everyone in the family has secrets. All of the family members feel guilty and the family is falling apart before our eyes. With all the twists, I suspected just about everyone of being involved in Billy's disappearance. I didn't know what to make of Claire's blackouts. Ultimately, I was wrong about the person Billy was involved with prior to his disappearance. Rated up due to all the twists that kept me guessing.
August 23, 2019
Mark and Claire Wilkinson are beyond distraught when their 15-year old son, Billy, goes missing. Now 6-months later, he still hasn’t returned home and his parents and older brother, Jake, can’t help but blame themselves—and each other—for his mysterious disappearance.
The media starts to question whether a member of his family had anything to do with Billy’s disappearance and this causes Claire to second guess the people she trusts the most. And the stress of Billy’s disappearance causes a series of amnesia spells. Claire keeps finding herself waking up, disoriented after being blacked out. And the reality of her mental state scares her beyond belief.
Claire wants to believe she knew Billy better than anyone—after all, she’s his mom. But the more she looks into his disappearance, the more she questions the tight bond she had with Billy.
The Missing by CL Taylor is a stand-alone mystery that follows the classic “missing person” trope. This book was chunky, at over 400 pages. The first third of this book was slow and I had a hard time connecting to the characters. But after that, I felt myself more invested in the story and uncovering what happened to Billy. We see two different POVs—the first is Claire in the aftermath of her son’s disappearance and the other perspective is actually online chat conversations between two anonymous people and you know they somehow relate to Billy’s disappearance. A solid mystery, but I wish it moved at a quicker pace with a more satisfying ending. 3/5 stars.
The media starts to question whether a member of his family had anything to do with Billy’s disappearance and this causes Claire to second guess the people she trusts the most. And the stress of Billy’s disappearance causes a series of amnesia spells. Claire keeps finding herself waking up, disoriented after being blacked out. And the reality of her mental state scares her beyond belief.
Claire wants to believe she knew Billy better than anyone—after all, she’s his mom. But the more she looks into his disappearance, the more she questions the tight bond she had with Billy.
The Missing by CL Taylor is a stand-alone mystery that follows the classic “missing person” trope. This book was chunky, at over 400 pages. The first third of this book was slow and I had a hard time connecting to the characters. But after that, I felt myself more invested in the story and uncovering what happened to Billy. We see two different POVs—the first is Claire in the aftermath of her son’s disappearance and the other perspective is actually online chat conversations between two anonymous people and you know they somehow relate to Billy’s disappearance. A solid mystery, but I wish it moved at a quicker pace with a more satisfying ending. 3/5 stars.
April 20, 2016
I often dread starting a book that has had a lot of rave reviews because I have a habit of not agreeing and disliking the book but this book is brilliant and worthy of many more than five stars.
Billy who is fifteen disappears during the night from the home that he shares with his mum and dad,Claire and Mark,brother Jake and Jake`s girlfriend Kira.As the story unfolds and the police investigate Mark`s disappearance secrets and lies are uncovered and it becomes obvious that one or more members of the family know more than they are saying.
The story is told from Claire's point of view and it is heartbreaking to read of her fear and confusion as she desperately tries to find out what happened to her son while secretly dreading that she might discover something that she doesn't want to know.Adding to her fear and confusion is the fact that she keeps suffering from pschological black outs and waking up in strange places with no idea how she got there or what happened during the time that she has lost.I thought this was a clever idea that added to the suspense of the story and made you have doubts about the guilt or innocence of Claire's character.I am a mother myself and I really wanted to feel sympathy for what was happening to Claire but at times some of her actions were really frustrating and hard to understand.
Interspersed throughout the book are chapters of conversation between Jackdaw44 and Ice9,I admit I thought I knew who they were but I was wrong which I was really pleased about,I hate getting twists right when I am reading a thriller.
The book is gripping,packed with twists and very well written,the ending is very believable and I enjoyed reading it so much I didn't want to put it down,I was rather disappointed when I got to the end.
Billy who is fifteen disappears during the night from the home that he shares with his mum and dad,Claire and Mark,brother Jake and Jake`s girlfriend Kira.As the story unfolds and the police investigate Mark`s disappearance secrets and lies are uncovered and it becomes obvious that one or more members of the family know more than they are saying.
The story is told from Claire's point of view and it is heartbreaking to read of her fear and confusion as she desperately tries to find out what happened to her son while secretly dreading that she might discover something that she doesn't want to know.Adding to her fear and confusion is the fact that she keeps suffering from pschological black outs and waking up in strange places with no idea how she got there or what happened during the time that she has lost.I thought this was a clever idea that added to the suspense of the story and made you have doubts about the guilt or innocence of Claire's character.I am a mother myself and I really wanted to feel sympathy for what was happening to Claire but at times some of her actions were really frustrating and hard to understand.
Interspersed throughout the book are chapters of conversation between Jackdaw44 and Ice9,I admit I thought I knew who they were but I was wrong which I was really pleased about,I hate getting twists right when I am reading a thriller.
The book is gripping,packed with twists and very well written,the ending is very believable and I enjoyed reading it so much I didn't want to put it down,I was rather disappointed when I got to the end.
August 17, 2017
I can't reasonably review this book without posting spoilers. So if you don't want to to see spoilers, don't read any more after the first paragraph. But really, it's not even about the spoilers. I'm just so angry over the ending. I was great with everything up until the end. Fun read, fast-paced, sort of cheesy with the thriller genre, nothing too horrible. I had a good time. I would have given this about 3 stars. Then the end happened.
***Again, warning you, spoilers are happening here!***
WTF kind of way is this to treat rape? Especially the imagery at the end of innocent little boys flying kites and how they represent all that's lost. They flippin' don't! I get that the parents are grieving, but their son was a RAPIST!!! HE RAPED A GIRL WHO LIVED IN HIS OWN HOME, WHO CAME FROM AN ABUSIVE BACKGROUND AND HAD NO ONE TO PROTECT HER! HE RAPED HER! There is no shades of grey, there is no "maybe they're both to blame," or "they each took it too far." A 15 year old boy raped a 19 year old girl. The author makes 0 mention of the fact that forcing someone to have sex with you when they don't want to is rape. I cannot believe this book makes no mention that this isn't OK. It sort of glosses over this fact as, "Oh, we can understand her terrible actions since he was blackmailing her." OMG, he was RAPING her! He was... goddamit... I can't talk straight after that ending, I'm so upset with this author. I hope that no one who's experienced abuse or sexual assault reads this book. My stomach turned at the treatment of assault here. I'm sure this wasn't the author's intent, but I'm too shocked to think anything else about this entire book.
***Again, warning you, spoilers are happening here!***
WTF kind of way is this to treat rape? Especially the imagery at the end of innocent little boys flying kites and how they represent all that's lost. They flippin' don't! I get that the parents are grieving, but their son was a RAPIST!!! HE RAPED A GIRL WHO LIVED IN HIS OWN HOME, WHO CAME FROM AN ABUSIVE BACKGROUND AND HAD NO ONE TO PROTECT HER! HE RAPED HER! There is no shades of grey, there is no "maybe they're both to blame," or "they each took it too far." A 15 year old boy raped a 19 year old girl. The author makes 0 mention of the fact that forcing someone to have sex with you when they don't want to is rape. I cannot believe this book makes no mention that this isn't OK. It sort of glosses over this fact as, "Oh, we can understand her terrible actions since he was blackmailing her." OMG, he was RAPING her! He was... goddamit... I can't talk straight after that ending, I'm so upset with this author. I hope that no one who's experienced abuse or sexual assault reads this book. My stomach turned at the treatment of assault here. I'm sure this wasn't the author's intent, but I'm too shocked to think anything else about this entire book.
April 1, 2016
I was given an advanced reader copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
A 15 year old boy has been missing for six months, his family are starting to believe the worst but his mum, Claire, will not give up on finding him alive.
Claire is continually looking for clues and chasing leads only for them to go nowhere, she feels she is the backbone of the family and needs to hold it all together.
Claire has amnesia episodes which worry her as she doesn't know what has happened during these episodes, could she have something to do with Billy's disappearance?
The book is read through Claire's eyes which I like, it is very simple to follow.
As the reader I was willing Claire to find the lead that will help find her son. Is he dead? Has he been kidnapped? Or is he just being a rebellious teenager wanting his independence with no thought for his family? These are all questions I was asking myself, there are a few 'suspects' but I didn't have a clue who was involved.
I thought I worked out some components of the story but found out near the end I was completely wrong, this is a brilliant thriller that keeps you guessing until the end.
Overall I loved the characters and thought the book was written very well. I will definately read other books from the Author C,L Taylor.
A 15 year old boy has been missing for six months, his family are starting to believe the worst but his mum, Claire, will not give up on finding him alive.
Claire is continually looking for clues and chasing leads only for them to go nowhere, she feels she is the backbone of the family and needs to hold it all together.
Claire has amnesia episodes which worry her as she doesn't know what has happened during these episodes, could she have something to do with Billy's disappearance?
The book is read through Claire's eyes which I like, it is very simple to follow.
As the reader I was willing Claire to find the lead that will help find her son. Is he dead? Has he been kidnapped? Or is he just being a rebellious teenager wanting his independence with no thought for his family? These are all questions I was asking myself, there are a few 'suspects' but I didn't have a clue who was involved.
I thought I worked out some components of the story but found out near the end I was completely wrong, this is a brilliant thriller that keeps you guessing until the end.
Overall I loved the characters and thought the book was written very well. I will definately read other books from the Author C,L Taylor.
March 25, 2016
Review to follow...
June 19, 2018
Fabuloso! Adorei!
July 9, 2019
3.5 stars. A little slow, not much depth to the plot and with very unlikeable characters and an unrealistic family set up, I did enjoy it but hope the authors other books are better.
January 9, 2021
Thriller razoável, com a dose certa de imprevisibilidade. No entanto, confesso que o caso não me prendeu tanto quanto os outros dois livros da autora. Ainda assim, no geral, é bom.
Conta o mistério do desaparecimento de Billy, um jovem de 15 anos, e de como isso afetou a sua família. O descortinar dos acontecimentos que precederam o desaparecimento de Billy foi interessante e pouco óbvio, mas também um pouco confuso em alguns momentos.
Conta o mistério do desaparecimento de Billy, um jovem de 15 anos, e de como isso afetou a sua família. O descortinar dos acontecimentos que precederam o desaparecimento de Billy foi interessante e pouco óbvio, mas também um pouco confuso em alguns momentos.
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