
"I want my mummy..."
The whisper seems to echo through the rooms of the abandoned house. DI Kayli Bright and her partner, DS Dave Chaplin, aren't strangers to dealing with bad cases, but no one can prepare for the emotional and mental anguish caused by the discovery of a child's remains.
Determined to find the responsible culprit, several of the dead child's family members surface on their radar of suspects...until they learn of another child's abduction.
The investigation leads Kayli to the shocking conclusion that even more children in the area have been abducted. A race against time ensues to find the children before they get lost in a sinister, evil world.
Being a huge fan of author Mel Comley, I was thrilled when she recently announced the publication of a brand new trilogy. I was curious to see what this mini-series would be like and to tell the truth a bit apprehensive about whether I would enjoy it or not. But in the end I needn't have worried. The Missing Children, the first book, is a corker, but I must warn readers that it's a much darker read than the author's previous books.
A couple of youngsters make a gruesome discovery in the basement of an old derelict house. It's the decomposing body of a young girl. Who was this child? How did she end up there? What happened to her?
DI Kyli Bright of the Avon and Somerset Constabulary, together with her partner, DS Dave Chaplin, rush to the scene. From the body's condition it's evident that the victim was brutally murdered and dumped in the basement. What monster would do such a horrible thing to a young child? Why? With no time to lose, Kyli kicks off an investigation which leads her and her team to a trail of missing girls. When another girl is snatched from a park and another body turns up, Kyli and her team become desperate to catch the monster responsible. Where are the other missing children? Is it too late for them? How can Kyli solve this case with no leads or trace evidence? Will she be able to stop the killer before more girls are kidnapped and killed?
Well I really enjoyed reading this fast-paced book, following - no, more like, trying to keep up with - Kayli and her team through twists and turns to solve the case. Like the author's previous books, the plot is quite intriguing and well thought out, keeping me pinned to my kindle, rushing through the pages, desperate to find out if and how Kayli would bring the perpetrator to justice.
Kyli is a fabulous character. She's feisty, determined and audacious, and won't leave one stone unturned to get the answers she needs. Some readers might be put off by the main theme of the book, but rest assured the author tackles this delicate subject sensitively and without being too graphic.
Finally, one must not forget that this is book one in a trilogy, and the ending indicates a continuation of some of the secondary storylines leaving the reader yearning for more. Now I can't wait to meet Kayli Bright again in book 2.
The Missing Children is a brilliant start to a fab new mini-series and I highly recommend it. With thanks to the author for an ARC of the book which I voluntarily accepted to read and review.
New York Times, USA Today, Amazon Top 20 bestselling author, iBooks top 5 bestselling and #2 bestselling author on Barnes and Noble. Over one and a half million copies sold worldwide. I am a British author who moved to France in 2002, and that's when I turned my hobby into a career. When I'm not writing crime novels I'm either reading them or going on long walks with my rescue Labrador, Dex. I hope you enjoy reading my books, especially the Justice series.