Hey everyone!
Today is my stop on the blog tour for the new action-packed crime-thriller novel Missing Pieces by well-known writer Tim Weaver. Whilst I haven't read any of Tim's other stories, I do love a suspenseful chase and a character who is in danger from the offset, and from reading the blurb of this one it sounded right up my street.
I was kindly gifted this book by the lovely team at Michael J Books, and without further ado, here are my thoughts...
THE REVIEW
Rebekah is stranded on Crow Island, miles from the US mainland in a place ravaged by a hurricane with few facilities. The island is typically only operating and functional for a set season of the year, but otherwise remains barren and desolate. Over the course of the novel and through some heated and fast-paced chapters we soon uncover why she's stranded there, and why someone tried to kill her- something which she herself is not yet aware of.
We flit between present-day Rebekah and her struggles, to past happenings in her life that gives us context to her current circumstances. We also see chapters from the perspective of Detective Travis searching for a missing artist. With two seemingly disparate protagonists, Missing Pieces had me intrigued from the offset, and I wanted to read on to find out how the pair's lives would converge and why.
The premise intrigued me especially as Rebekah's panic, puzzlement and confinement feel isolating, confusing and almost claustrophobic and eerie. The island and the adverse weather conditions lend themselves well to her struggles to create an environment that is difficult to survive in. Wrought with tension, intrigue and clues, the missing pieces of the plot are uncovered and leave us with even more unanswered questions. This atmospheric and riveting story had me tearing through chapters trying to find out what happened next, and whilst some descriptions of the island and its landscape felt repetitive at times, the often jaw-dropping reveal of information and panic-charged situations made up for these lesser moments.
With the reveal of information being almost tantalising, Weaver does an excellent job at forming an immersive and compelling narrative. The almost dystopian setting and lack of food and resources Rebekah has, plus an imminent threat of being hunted that you learn about in later chapters, means there is a fast-paced mission to survive element. This was one of my first of Weaver's books but if like me, you're a fan of a supercharged, almost dark and gritty crime thriller this one won't disappoint.
There are moments of bleakness as Rebekah struggles with communicating with those off the island including her two young daughters, and also the abandoned landscape offers little respite or hope for her. I was equally intrigued by Detective Travis' chapters as he uncovers more about the missing woman he is investigating in the last few weeks before his retirement. However, for me, the ending did feel a little rushed and there is a certain level of disbelief to some motives that are uncovered which bordered on being too unrealistic after some rather gratifying and intriguing twists earlier on.
Ultimately I’d give this one ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and look forward to reading more of his work! The novel is out later this month and can be purchased from all good book retailers.
Kisses
Chlo x
