About the Book
A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice • A page-turning mystery that brings to life a complex and strong-willed detective assigned to a high-risk missing persons case
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR • NAMED ONE OF THE 10 BEST MYSTERIES OF THE YEAR BY THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
“An extraordinarily assured police procedural in the tradition of Ruth Rendell and Elizabeth George.”—Joseph Finder, author of The Fixer
“Surprise-filled . . . one of the most ambitious police procedurals of the year. Detective Bradshaw’s biting wit is a bonus.”—The Wall Street Journal
“Missing, Presumed has future BBC miniseries written all over it.”—Redbook
“A highly charismatic and engaging story.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“This combination of police procedural and an unfolding family drama that continuously twists and turns will work well for fans of Kate Atkinson and Tana French.”—Booklist
At thirty-nine, Manon Bradshaw is a devoted and respected member of the Cambridgeshire police force, and though she loves her job, what she longs for is a personal life. Single and distant from her family, she wants a husband and children of her own. One night, after yet another disastrous Internet date, she turns on her police radio to help herself fall asleep—and receives an alert that sends her to a puzzling crime scene.
Edith Hind—a beautiful graduate student at Cambridge University and daughter of the surgeon to the Royal Family—has been missing for nearly twenty-four hours. Her home offers few clues: a smattering of blood in the kitchen, her keys and phone left behind, the front door ajar but showing no signs of forced entry. Manon instantly knows that this case will be big—and that every second is crucial to finding Edith alive.
The investigation starts with Edith’s loved ones: her attentive boyfriend, her reserved best friend, her patrician parents. As the search widens and press coverage reaches a frenzied pitch, secrets begin to emerge about Edith’s tangled love life and her erratic behavior leading up to her disappearance. With no clear leads, Manon summons every last bit of her skill and intuition to close the case, and what she discovers will have shocking consequences not just for Edith’s family but for Manon herself.
Suspenseful and keenly observed, Missing, Presumed is a brilliantly twisting novel of how we seek connection, grant forgiveness, and reveal the truth about who we are.
Praise for Missing, Presumed
“Smart, stylish . . . Manon is portrayed with an irresistible blend of sympathy and snark. By the time she hits bottom, professionally and privately, we’re entirely caught up in her story.”—The New York Times Book Review
“Nuanced suspense that’s perfect for Kate Atkinson fans.”—People
“Drenched in character and setting, with pinpoint detail that breathes life and color into every sentence.”—The News & Observer
“You might come to Missing, Presumed for the police procedural; you’ll stay for the layered, authentic characters that Steiner brings to life.”—Bethanne Patrick, NPR
“Where [Susie] Steiner excels is in the depth and clarity with which she depicts her characters. . . . It all adds up to a world that feels much bigger than the novel in which it is contained.”—The Guardian
About the Author :
Susie Steiner is a former Guardian journalist. She was a commissioning editor for that paper for eleven years and prior to that worked for The Times, The Daily Telegraph, and the Evening Standard. She lives in London with her husband and two children.
Review :
“Smart, stylish . . . Manon is portrayed with an irresistible blend of sympathy and snark. By the time she hits bottom, professionally and privately, we’re entirely caught up in her story.”—The New York Times Book Review
“Nuanced suspense that’s perfect for Kate Atkinson fans.”—People
“[A] wonderfully written novel . . . [Susie] Steiner tells her well-populated and surprise-filled story in the present tense and from five different points of view, including that of the missing student’s mother. The author gets inside the minds and lives of her book’s socially disparate personalities with the grace of a novelist of manners, even as she pulls tight the strands of one of the most ambitious police procedurals of the year. Detective Bradshaw’s biting wit is a bonus.”—The Wall Street Journal
“You might come to Missing, Presumed for the police procedural; you’ll stay for the layered, authentic characters that Steiner brings to life.”—Bethanne Patrick, NPR
“Missing, Presumed has future BBC miniseries written all over it.”—Redbook
“Drenched in character and setting, with pinpoint detail that breathes life and color into every sentence.”—The News & Observer
“A new and complex police heroine . . . a highly charismatic and engaging story.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“This combination of police procedural and an unfolding family drama that continuously twists and turns will work well for fans of Kate Atkinson and Tana French.”—Booklist
“Dazzling . . . Missing, Presumed is an extraordinarily assured police procedural in the tradition of Ruth Rendell and Elizabeth George—the surprises continue to the last page as Susie Steiner blasts expectations and assumptions to dig deep into questions of trust, betrayal, class, and family bonds.”—Joseph Finder, author of The Fixer
“A vein of dark humor pulses beneath this compelling whodunit with an appealing, complicated heroine at its center.”—Publishers Weekly
“Where Steiner excels is in the depth and clarity with which she depicts her characters. . . . It all adds up to a world that feels much bigger than the novel in which it is contained.”—The Guardian
“Missing, Presumed is fast-paced, twisty and full of realistic characters and scenarios. With any luck Detective Bradshaw will be back in future instalments, since she is a quirky, likable character, capable of carrying a series.”—Vancouver Sun
“Detective Sergeant Manon Bradshaw is appealing, multifaceted, and unforgettable. She charges through Missing, Presumed with twin goals—to find the body, and to find durable love. The resolution of this gripping novel astonishes, and leaves a long afterglow.”—Amity Gaige, author of Schroder
“Manon Bradshaw is a messed-up, big-hearted detective in the best tradition.”—Harriet Lane, author of Her
“Missing, Presumed hits the sweet spot between literary and crime fiction. The plot is thrilling, with a twist that knocked me sideways, swiftly followed by another one that knocked me back in the other direction. More than that, the characters became dear friends of mine over the course of the book. I’m already looking forward to the next one.”—Erin Kelly, author of Broadchurch
“Missing, Presumed is a gripping, suspenseful, gratifyingly unpredictable detective novel, with enough plot twists to satisfy fans of the genre. But it’s also a beautifully written reflection on loneliness, and that’s what will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page. I hope we’ll see more of Susie Steiner’s prickly, all-too-human DS Manon Bradshaw!”—Maggie Mitchell, author of Pretty Is
“Within a chapter, DS Manon Bradshaw announces herself as a detective to follow through books and books to come. Here’s a treat for those who love their crime fiction rich in psychology, beautifully written, and laced with dark humor. Dive in.”—Lucie Whitehouse, author of Before We Met
“A complex, gripping read . . . The mystery behind Edith Hind’s disappearance is filled to the hilt with provocative breadcrumbs, making for a page-turning literary crime novel that is nicely balanced by the all-too-relatable human foibles of lonely DS Manon Bradshaw.”—Suzanne Rindell, author of The Other Typist
“There is a secret pulsing at the heart of this police procedural–slash–family thriller, and it isn’t only the truth about where beautiful young Edith Hind has gone. In heroine Manon Bradshaw, readers will find a character so real she bleeds. As Manon exposes the mystery behind Edith’s disappearance, she also reveals the truth about her own loneliness and life. Best of all, perhaps, in both women’s redemption, we discover the potential for our own.”—Jenny Milchman, author of Cover of Snow
