Dedicated: Woman Last Seen by Adele Parks (Review by Valerie Bennett)

Woman Last Seen investigates the disappearance of two women in the same week and opens with the chilling scene of a woman waking in an undescript and unfamiliar room to realize that she is chained to a radiator, taken and held against her will. Crying out for help, she is met with a type-written note slipped under the door which immediately sets the stage for the reader that all might not be as it seems.

Leigh Fletcher, a married stepmother of two tweenage boys, has gone missing after heading out of town for work. Her husband, Mark, alarmed and edgy, says he knows nothing about where she may be; after all, he hasn’t spoken to her in days following a silly row the night before she left. 

Kai Janssen, the wife of a wealthy Dutch businessman disappears the same week, leaving no trace behind in their luxurious penthouse to indicate where she may be. Her husband, Daan, is beside himself with worry. 

The disappearances are seemingly unrelated, as both women are from two very different worlds, and sadly as DC Clements – the detective assigned to both cases – knows, people go missing far too frequently. Yet there is something about these two cases that niggles at DC Clements as she investigates; in her gut she believes that there is a connection. She must parse out the underlying connection to understand if these women were taken or if they left their homes and their families willingly.

This dark and domestic novel is told from multiple points of view; a storytelling technique that bestselling author Adele Parks uses intentionally and skillfully as a means of giving great power to the reader. Through reading from the different perspectives, we receive extra snippets of information that allow us a glimpse into each character’s life while weaving the story together to draw a more complete picture for the reader. 

While there are hints throughout to storyline that make you think you’ve guessed what’s happening, Parks throws in twists and turns to flip what you think you know on your head. You may even be left with more questions than answers. If you’re a fan of dark and gritty thrillers, this is a gripping read you’ll quickly devour.