SOLVED. Children getting kidnapped (by clowns?), detective smokes. [s]

[Amber]

All I remember about this book is that the front cover is of a girl on a tricycle with her back towards the camera, and that the storyline includes a child (nearly) getting kidnapped by a man in a clown mask, but her mum successfully grabs her before the clown could take the child. I'm pretty sure the detective smokes, and I'm also pretty sure that the big finale is that the child is found in a sewer in the end? I read this probably 6 years ago.

[Amber]

I'm not quite sure but I would say it had quite mature themes (for someone who read it at age 10), so I would guess adult fiction? Something with Gone Girl vibes.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Where is it set? (Country, city, region, etc.)
Series?
Author's gender?

[Mai]

Funny you mentioned Gone Girl because the title is almost the same!
Gone by Mo Hayder


At least I hope this is the book you're looking for! It came up searching "novel" "kidnap" "a clown mask" "detective"

[Amber]

I think you've found it! Thank you so much for your help – this has plagued my mind for 6 or 7 years and now I can finally sleep!