Since discovering the books of Gillian McAllister at the Tasting Notes Live Event of 2022, I have become a huge fan. So, when there was the chance to hear her speak again with Steve Cavanagh, I jumped at the chance (and, this time, actually took the chance to meet her as I had a book to be signed – I have to confess, I had not read any before the Tasting Notes Live event).
Gillian has brought us another fantastic thriller in ‘Just Another Missing Person’. I could not put this book down. Gillian creates twisty thrillers that really tap into human relationships – especially those of the family. The big question in this novel is ‘how far would you go for your child?’ – and this question is a constant theme throughout the book from start to finish, for every single character that we encounter. And that is a great thing about Gillian’s books; she always asks and tackles questions that thread throughout the story, and allows you to understand some of the actions of the characters, even if you do not agree with them.
The main twist in this book is one that will make you gasp (probably), but I would highly recommend you read the acknowledgements to bring even more to that very twist, and make you appreciate it even more. Although, let’s be honest, all the twists are pretty fantastic.
One joy for me is that I still have some of Gillian McAllister’s backlist to catch up on (and there is one on my shelf), but one sadness for me is that we have to wait until next year for another book.
And a little additional comment, I think Steve Cavanagh and Gillian McAllister being in conversation with each other about their books and their writing processes has been one of the highlights of the summer for me. (It has also added to my book wishlist, as they mentioned titles that they enjoyed, too.)