The Girls Are Missing

by Caroline Crane

Before her marriage to Carl Gilwood, life for Joyce, a widow, was filled with hardship. Now she can make a new beginning for herself and her young daughter Gail. Now Gail will have a chance to grow up safe in the surburbs . . . Until two girls are reported missing. Until Gail and her friend, playing one summer afternoon in the woods, make a grisly discovery. Then another missing girl is found murdered. The crimes are hideous, the work of a maniac, an irrational killer. His victims could be anybody. So could he. Is he the local wino, or some neighbor hiding behind a fa¿¿ade of respectability? Panic rages. The heat is on Police Chief Frank D'Amico to find the killer before another girl dies. The murders go on. With Carl at work all day, Joyce is left to cope alone. And to wonder. Her life is falling apart. Her family is in danger-from more than just the murders. Then Gail and her playmate disappear . . .

Genres: Mystery

Mass Market Paperback

First published October 1, 1980

About the author

Caroline Crane spent her early years in the suburb of Croton-on-Hudson, New York. There, as a stage-struck teenager, she began her writing career, penning plays that she would produce, direct, and star in along with her siblings and friends. After receiving a college degree in drama, Caroline headed for New York City and the professional theater. From a basement apartment in Greenwich Village she made the rounds, earning a living with temporary office work and occasional modeling jobs.

At that point her love for writing took over. She began with six novels for young people, which were published by such firms as Doubleday and Random House. The first two, drawn from her own experience, dealt with stage-struck teenagers. After that came adult novels of suspense - seventeen at last count - and numerous short stories. Most of the suspense novels are now available in reprint from iUniverse.com .

Caroline has taught novel writing and worked as a freelance editor. She has a grown son and daughter and lives in the Catskill Mountain area, where she continues writing.

- from her website

Reviews

[jimtown · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really don't like books like this tense 1980's tale of murder and yet it was instantly riveting and I finished it in one night. It was apparent early on to the reader who the killer was. It seems a life in the country would be an idyllic place to raise her daughter after nine years of city life. Carl and Joyce each get a second chance at happiness and move to a remote house to raise their new baby. That first summer there is hectic enough with new baby Adam, and then Carl's daughter comes for the summer, the little neighbor girl, Anita continuously shows up at their house to play and make a pest of herself and the girls make a grisly discovery.

I hated the ending of this tense book. The last line was especially unbelievable to me. This is the kind of book you say a prayer for your kids after reading.

[Misty · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a little slow for me not alot of action or suspence.It pretty much told you at the middle of the book who the killer was.And the ending was just kinda plain..