Missing, Presumed

For readers of Kate Atkinson and Tana French comes a page-turning literary mystery that brings to life the complex and wholly relatable Manon Bradshaw, a strong-willed detective assigned to a high-risk missing persons case.

“An extraordinarily assured police procedural in the tradition of Ruth Rendell and Elizabeth George.”—Joseph Finder, author of The Fixer

At thirty-nine, Manon Bradshaw is a devoted and respected member of the Cambridgeshire police force, and though she loves her job, what she longs for is a personal life. Single and distant from her family, she wants a husband and children of her own. One night, after yet another disastrous Internet date, she turns on her police radio to help herself fall asleep—and receives an alert that sends her to a puzzling crime scene.

Edith Hind—a beautiful graduate student at Cambridge University and daughter of the surgeon to the Royal Family—has been missing for nearly twenty-four hours. Her home offers few clues: a smattering of blood in the kitchen, her keys and phone left behind, the front door ajar but showing no signs of forced entry. Manon instantly knows that this case will be big—and that every second is crucial to finding Edith alive.

The investigation starts with Edith’s loved ones: her attentive boyfriend, her reserved best friend, her patrician parents. As the search widens and press coverage reaches a frenzied pitch, secrets begin to emerge about Edith’s tangled love life and her erratic behavior leading up to her disappearance. With no clear leads, Manon summons every last bit of her skill and intuition to close the case, and what she discovers will have shocking consequences not just for Edith’s family but for Manon herself.

Suspenseful and keenly observed, Missing, Presumed is a brilliantly twisting novel of how we seek connection, grant forgiveness, and reveal the truth about who we are.

Praise for Missing, Presumed

“A vein of dark humor pulses beneath this compelling whodunit with an appealing, complicated heroine at its center.”—Publishers Weekly
 
“A highly charismatic and engaging story . . . This novel stands out from the pack.”—Kirkus Reviews
 
“Where Steiner excels is in the depth and clarity with which she depicts her characters. . . . It all adds up to a world that feels much bigger than the novel in which it is contained.”—The Guardian

“Detective Sergeant Manon Bradshaw is appealing, multifaceted, and unforgettable. She charges through Missing, Presumed with twin goals—to find the body, and to find durable love. The resolution of this gripping novel astonishes, and leaves a long afterglow.”—Amity Gaige, author of Schroder

“Manon Bradshaw is a messed-up, big-hearted detective in the best tradition.”—Harriet Lane, author of Her

“Gripping, authentic, funny, and moving, Missing, Presumed hits the sweet spot between literary and crime fiction.”—Erin Kelly, author of Broadchurch

“Missing, Presumed is a gripping, suspenseful, gratifyingly unpredictable detective novel, with enough plot twists to satisfy fans of the genre.”—Maggie Mitchell, author of Pretty Is

“Within a chapter, DS Manon Bradshaw announces herself as a detective to follow through books and books to come.”—Lucie Whitehouse, author of Before We Met

“Complex, gripping . . . a page-turning literary crime novel.”—Suzanne Rindell, author of The Other Typist


From the Hardcover edition.