Having enjoyed the author’s work in the past, I jumped at the chance to read her latest novel, 🎧︎Woman Last Seen. Parks delivered a tale that will stun readers with its twists and many turns.
Happy. Married. Missing. I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.
Title: Woman Last Seen
Author(s): Adele Parks
Narrator(s): Laura Aikman
Published by Harlequin Audio on February 1, 2022
Pages: 360
Length: 11 hours and 37 minutes
Genre(s): Mystery, Thriller
Source: Any Play, Netgalley
Format: Audiobook, eArc 
Purchase: Amazon|Audible
Rating: 
Heat Level: 
Leigh Fletcher: happily married stepmom to two gorgeous boys goes missing on Monday. Her husband, Mark, says he knows nothing of her whereabouts. She went to work and just never came home. Their family is shattered.
Kai Janssen: married to wealthy Dutch businessman Daan and vanishes the same week. Kai left their luxurious penthouse and glamorous world without a backward glance. She seemingly evaporated into thin air. Daan is distraught.
Detective Clements knows that people disappear all the time—far too frequently. Most run away from things, some run toward, others are taken but find their way back. A sad few never return. These two women are from very different worlds. Their disappearances are unlikely to be connected. And yet, at a gut level, the detective believes they might be.
How could these women walk away from their families, husbands and homes willingly? Clements is determined to unearth the truth, no matter how shocking and devastating it may be.
©2022 Adele Parks (P)2022 Harlequin Enterprises, Limited
Ok! What did I just read? I can’t believe I actually sat and read Woman Last Seen, gave up precious hours only to receive an ending that has me wanting to throw things. After all the jaw dropping twists, to deliver an ending that leaves the reader high and dry, is just plain cruel. I like closure in the books I read, especially thrillers. Well, this one left me trying to create my version of the outcome.
If that wasn’t bad enough, the book started out slow. When I say slow, I mean at a snail’s pace. I was subjected to a lengthy, boring introspection by Leigh, one of two women whose husband reported her missing. I considered throwing in the towel, then the author dropped a bomb, which made me reconsider giving up. The story started developing nicely after that, despite moments of tiresome introspection by each of the characters. I tried to figure who was behind the women’s’ disappearance and I narrowed it down to one person. My conclusion was spot on.
Now as for the characters. Goodness gracious, they were all abhorrent, well, except for twelve-year-old Seb. Their judgemental attitude and their constant justification of their actions made me hopping mad. Despite my dislike of them, I had some empathy for them. Regardless of their questionable actions, they were all victims.
Secrets, lies and deceit were the cornerstone of this story. Secrets and the truth have a strange way of coming to light and when it does, the domino effect can be far-reaching as the 🎧︎Woman Last Seen so aptly demonstrates.
It had the potential to be a five star read, but the start and especially the anti- climatic end took led to the deduction of stars.
Overall, 🎧︎Woman Last Seen was interesting and twisted tale.
NARRATION
The book was narrated by new to me narrator, Laura Aikman. I enjoyed her performance, which I credit to getting me through the first part of the book. She gave life to the characters. I would definitely listen to her again.
| Story Evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Plot | |
| Characters | |
| World Building | |
| Writing Style | |
| Pacing | |
| Cover | |
| Narrator (Audio) | |
| Enjoyment | |
| Ending | |
| Overall: | |
About Adele Parks
Adele Parks is the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of twenty novels, including Lies Lies Lies and Just My Luck, as well as I Invited Her In. Just My Luck is currently in development to be made into a movie. Her novels have sold 4 million copies in the UK alone, and her work has also been translated into thirty-one languages.
- Her Forgotten Shadow: Pamela Fagan Hutchins - October 13, 2024
- Second Chance Husband: Carrie Ann Ryan - October 10, 2024
- My Husband’s Past: Shari J Ryan - October 8, 2024
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
Oh my, sounds like you showed great patience waiting for it to get going and then to get a frustrating ending.
Ack! I’m sorry that happened to you and I appreciate the warning! I would be swearing a blue streak!
Sorry the start and the end were not that great. I think both should be better than the middle as you need a hook at the beginning and a big finish to make the book been a worthwhile read.
Ouch. I don’t mind an opening ending but this sounds like it fell apart on both ends.
Yes it did. So disappointing.