The Missing by Tim Gautreaux - ★★★★★ and ❤

[John]

Sam "Lucky" Simoneaux has only been recently been released from the U.S. Army after returning from WWI. His life epitomizes his nickname since the war ended the moment he debarked from the transport ship into France. Upon his return to the United States, he marries and is employed for two years as a floorwalker with a New Orleans department store. However, while on duty one day, a 3-year-old is abducted within the store from her family. Accused by the owner of not following protocol in securing the store, Sam is fired but is promised re-employment if he finds the girl. Determined to find the girl, he obtains employment on a riverboat, which provides excursions with gambling, music and dance up the Mississippi River. Sam hopes that this venue might enable him to better search for the girl and return her to her grieving parents.

Although this novel is essentially about Sam's life on a riverboat while searching for the girl, it also provides an opportunity for Sam to reconcile the fact that he was orphaned as a baby when his entire family was murdered by a mountain clan. Should he seek revenge or let the event go?

The two threads were seamlessly intertwined without problem. The author clearly portrays life on the river with the fellow employees on the riverboat, characters that Sam meets, and the towns visited. The story captured my attention as I accompanied Sam up and down the river as the paddle wheel beating the water.

After I read this book a second time, I continue to consider to marvel at the epic-like read of this book even if it is only 375 pages long. I believe that this book will be considered a classic one day.

[Joy D]

I am so glad to see someone else reading Tim Gautreaux. I read The Clearing last year and loved it. He should be better known! I'll put this one on my TBR. Thanks for your review!