Find out what Mumsnetters thought of Missing, Presumed by Susie Steiner

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This week we're spoiling you and giving away a massive 300 copies of Missing, Presumed! Head to the giveaway page to apply - plus read the top tips on writing crime fiction from author Susie Steiner.

Missing, Presumed tells the story of a missing girl, a desperate family, and a detective at breaking point.

We ask all winners to share their thoughts about the book on this discussion thread. However, you don't have to win a free copy to take part in the discussion - anyone who has read Missing, Presumed can post their feedback here (and you can buy the book now).

Everyone who posts on this thread before 21 October will be entered into a prize draw to win a £100 Love2shop voucher.

This giveaway is sponsored by HarperCollins

Just started this and really enjoying it so far. The characters are likeable so far and I like the detail into their lives.

Just got this book and I am looking forward to sitting down with it. It's the perfect weather for getting stuck into a good book

Thanks so much for the book which I received late last week.

It's a bit of a strange one, this.
From the oddly-named, cynical, nymphomaniac, resentful, desperate and frankly not very likeable female detective Manon, (should have been called Manita) to the highly implausible, very neatly tied up ending, it all didn't quite come together for me.

Couldn't warm to the egocentric Manon, and I felt she was being portrayed as quirky to the point of irritation.
I much preferred the more sensitive and humane Davy.
Edith with her tumbling hair, fragrant beauty and gentrified family was too Jilly Cooperesque I thought.

Although the book started well, and was fine for most of the first half, it then rushed headlong into implausible subplots, needlessly titillating encounters between assorted characters, and seemed to have lost its way somewhat throughout the second half.

It was too long by far, and the ending was predictable and just far too cosy for my liking.

The book was OK and I did find some of the observations about relationships and the humdrum, tedious relentlessness of life both wry and insightful.

But overall I thought "Missing, presumed" was too long, and suffered from an insufficiently satisfying ending wrapped up in a thin veneer of cosines, which did not correlate with the undercurrent of seediness running throughout its many pages.

I was lucky enough to be sent a copy of this excellent crime fiction novel. I have not read anything by this author previously and enjoyed how it was written - with various viewpoints - like a jigsaw all having to be pieced together. The daughter of a rich family goes missing, presumed to be seriously injured or dead, and the investigation into her disappearance is led by police officers with problems of their own. It's depressing, it revolves around people doing bad things, but I enjoyed it. I hope the Detective Sergeant from this case investigates another because then I can buy a further book by this author and get to know her characters all over again. This could fast become a crime series.

Unfortunately I found the book too slow. I persevered and read it all but it just didn't make any sort of impression on me. I can imagine forgetting all about it pretty quickly.

No book for me, it sparked my interest though so I'm going to try in the library for a copy

I have just started reading Missing Presumed. I am really enjoying it and finding it hard to put down. I love the authors fantastic descriptions e.g 'the thumbprints on his glasses like petroleum purple eggs' and the light glowing behind those marvellous ears, like red quotation marks!' The characters in the stories are interesting and believable. The story line so far is making me want to know what happened next. Havent worked out the ending yet so will continue enjoying reading, will have to set my alarm earlier though as I want to read next chapter, then the next which results in me racing to get to work on time:)

thanks for the copy of this, I had a long train journey at the weekend, so had plenty of reading time

Firstly I don't like books written in the present tense, I don't like each chapter being from a different character, and "police detective with no social life outside work" is all over crime drama. But, I was surprised how much I enjoyed Missing Presumed despite all this.

I liked the personal detail about the minor characters, I wanted to find out more about them and their interactions. Manon did annoy me slightly (in the same way as you'd tell a friend to get a grip), but not enough to make me put the book down. Edith was a collection of cliches rather than an actual believable character, thankfully she didn't appear much.

I didn't like how Manon's family life resolved, it felt like the author had initially set up a subplot for a series, then suddenly decided it was standalone, so needed a "happy ever after". I did like her text conversations with Fly though, they did feel real.

So overall, a good read, I will probably look out Susie's first book as well.

I've just started this, and enjoying it so far. I do find Manon a bit irritating, and she could do with a good talking to (as my mother would say). I will read on with interest and see where it goes...

Oblimov - I'm happy to post you my copy when I'm done?

I usually never post when I've entered - I dislike all the cringey 'pick me' waffle and just post on the review threads etc .

-sorry never realised it was the done thing to post you had entered. I received my book last Saturday and have read 1st 5 chapters and am really enjoying it. Not the usual type of book I read!

Trying desperately not to read other reviews as I am still reading. So far loving the book, engrossing, engaging and well written. Whats not to like?? Back I go :D

Was drawn in immediately by the main character Manon and her colleagues Davy and Harriet. Halfway through, however my interest began to flag as the plot seemed to slow down and become secondary to the private lives of the main characters. That these private lives had no connection to the main plot left me confused. I read a lot of crime novels and usually by halfway through the red herrings are coming thick and fast but these were conspicuous by their absence.
Having said this, I would give the second one in the series a chance because of the strong characterisation and the quality of the prose.

I found the book to have strong points and weaker points. I really enjoyed some of the sub plots, particularly Fly and Manons' relationship. However, I was really disappointed in the ending and the relationship stuff all seemed very pointless in the end.

The book hooked me and kept my interest until the end, I just think the story was a bit full of cliche.

Noeuf, thank you so much for your great kind offer, but it's ok - I feel so silly for making such a song and dance about it. I think I'll give giveaways a miss for a bit!!

It's fine I always pass books on . We all have a moment anyway - I imagine it wasn't really about the book! PM me your address and I'll send it next week

I'm going to get stuck in this evening

Thankyou mumsnet i received my copy last week. After getting stuck into it im afraid this book isnt a winner for me. The first few pages were so cliche it was embarrasing. The whole plot was slow and the swop from character to character was annoying. Usually i would enjoy this play around with characters but i just didnt enjoy it and the ending was rubbish. I would not buy this author again.

I've started reading it and I was a bit thrown by the writing style: not in a bad way just it wasn't easy to get into the flow at first.
I quite like the switch between the characters, and I liked ma on listening to the radio at night to fall asleep.

Not me on Manon!

Entered, fingers crossed!

Massively enjoying this read, about a third way through, can't wait to get to bed to read it! Thanks so much for my copy.

Good beginning, I like the bits about the police investigation. Helena is a very interesting character. Twist towards the end, all in all a good book with plenty of suspects.

The first paragraph was poorly written which didn't make a good first impression.

I couldn't really get into the book - I didn't like the characters and the story just didn't get me involved.

I have read much better books with a similar them and I'm afraid this one disappointed me - sorry.

My Review:

Well I read it over a week which means it was fairly gripping, i will read a book in one or two evenings if it is really gripping :-), so it was just an ok book. Not something I would rave over but not something I would tell a friend to avoid if that makes sense.

There were too many side bits of story for me, sort of filling out in the too much and nothing to do with the main plot. I got to a point where I was thinking why is the book called missing, presumed. The subtitle of 72 hours very quickly passed so I wondered why it was the main title of the book.

Manon was portrayed in a way that made me feel she was much older than she was, possibly because i'm a similar age to her and not remotely in the same mindset, I was reading it thinking she sounded like an older woman, not sure what on earth the relationship with Alan added to the story.

The use of the term misper grated on me in the first half of the book, it seemed to be used too much.

The end wrapped up quite quickly and unrealistically so although wasn't an expected ending, it wasn't really a "gosh" type of moment. I had already guessed something about who was involved within the first 8 pages of the book.

I would probably read something by this author again but I wouldn't specifically go out of my way to follow her books and buy them on release like I do with some authors.