The Search is On: 8 Mysteries with Missing Characters

The Searcher by Tana French

The Searcher
by Tana French

After settling down in a quaint Irish town, Cal Hooper is expecting to live out his years in the serenity of the quiet village. That is, until he is roped into the investigation of a local boy’s disappearance and dark details about his new locale come to the surface. Beneath the lush lawns and cobblestone streets lay some of the scariest secrets a town could possibly hold. This missing person mystery has been described as “unputdownable!” Read our review here.

And So It Begins by Rachel Abbott

A move to a new home brings plenty of challenges, but none that this new homeowner was expecting. Amidst a sprawling beachside property where a murder once occurred, sudden injuries begin to plague the main character’s life. A broken hand and black eye are just the tip of the iceberg as her life and body begin to crumble. The twists and turns in this thriller are enough to give the reader whiplash.

The Girl with No Name by Lisa Regan

Detective Josie Quinn arrives at a crime scene littered with splintered furniture, shattered glass and a broken family to open the second novel in this eponymous series. A mother is struggling to survive and her child has gone missing. Josie’s only source of information is a woman found running from the scene, who is deeply emotionally disturbed and suffering from amnesia. The story follows the search for a missing child, with the added twist that Josie may be the next character to vanish — a must-read for thriller fans! Read our review here.

Her Last Summer by Melinda Woodhall

When the body of a celebrity author is found floating in the bathtub of a luxury hotel penthouse, Veronica Lee steps in to investigate. The killer is the most cunning Veronica has ever encountered, making the case a race against the clock before he snags his next victim. With only one very coy witness, Veronica has to tiptoe around the crime scene before she finds herself face to face with the killer and no way out of his grasp.

You by Caroline Kepnes

When a crush turns into an unhealthy infatuation, Joe Goldberg is willing to go to any lengths necessary to win over Guinevere Beck — even murder. Using the name on her credit card alone, Joe is able to manipulate his love interest’s every move, ultimately leading her to him. This spine-chilling novel reveals how vulnerable the average person is to manipulation and will probably make you want to use cash from now on.

Don’t Tell a Soul by D.K. Hood

To kick off the Detectives Kane and Alton series, Detectives Kane and Alton are called to the case when a body is found severed and stuffed in a barrel. Following the disappearance of two citizens of Black Rock Park, this discovery points to the whereabouts of the missing people. This gripping thriller brings readers along on the quest to find the second missing person and figure out who is behind the gruesome murder.

Our Stolen Pieces by James Hunt

When a slumber party goes awry, two detectives embark on the mission of a lifetime. The lives of two young girls are at risk and their whereabouts are completely unknown. This unlikely pair of sleuths bring their own personal baggage to the investigation, leading to more drama than the reader could have predicted. Our Stolen Pieces is the first novel in the North and Martin Abduction Mystery series, which features similarly spooky stories from James Hunt.

Silo Boys by Amy-Brooke Odell

The mysterious death of Addy Marks’ boyfriend Beau shakes their sleepy South Carolina town to its core. Beau’s body was discovered following three boys’ visit to a local silo, suggesting that something sinister is lurking near the massive storage container. When a second of the three boys vanishes, the third insists that he was never at the silo in the first place. Is the town lurking with criminals or are these friends out to get each other?