Missing by Kelley Armstrong

Reeve's End is a small town that is content to be a small town, but every year teenagers leave in search of an education, a job, or a new life - and a good number of them never return.  Winter Crane is one of those planning to leave, she has her sights set firmly on medical school and works hard to get where she needs to be.  Getting good grades, working for the local doctor, and earning money tutoring are all part of the plan - finding a young man in the woods is definitely not part of the plan.  Lennon got himself in a spot of bother in the woods, and thanks to Winters quick thinking and medical skills he is on the mend - at least until he vanishes on her, leaving her with the knowledge that her friend is missing. 

Determined to find out what is happening in sleepy little Reeve's End, Winter starts investigating the kids that have left and never returned and makes a startling discovery along the way.  When Lennon's brother Jude arrives in town things get even more complicated - he is keeping secrets from Winter, and despite wanting her to share everything she knows, he is keeping secrets close to his chest.  When it appears that her sister may be one of the missing kids it gets really personal for Winter, and she is determined to discover what happened to her friend and to Lennon because it may lead her to what happened to Cady.  It won't be easy though, because someone is playing a deadly game with Winter and they are not afraid to make her permanently disappear to keep their secrets.  

I have read a lot of teen thrillers over the years and it takes a very skilled author to keep you hooked on the story while challenging you to figure out what is really happening - and Armstrong was a very skilled author indeed with Missing.  There are hints and clues through the story that point to different ideas and different suspects, and when you finally reach the very satisfying ending the clues all make sense and reward you for paying attention throughout the story.  That well crafted story is matched with characters that you really care about - Winter and Jude are a perfect balance for each other, and the other characters that come in and out of the story add their own parts without distracting or straying too far into the path of being a walking cliché.  

If you are looking for a solid thriller to read that is well crafted and well written then you pretty much can't go wrong with Missing.  I read this as an adult reader and thoroughly enjoyed it, so this is not one that only teens get to read and enjoy!  

If you like this book then try:

• I hunt killers by Barry Lyga
• Holding smoke by Elle Cosimano
• What waits in the woods by Kieran Scott
• Dead to you by Lisa McMann
• Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco
• Pretty fierce by Kieran Scott
• Burning blue by Paul Griffin
• The stranger game by Cylin Busby
• Killer instinct by S.E. Green
• The naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Reviewed by Brilla