"Plenty of promise for an ongoing series" - review of WOMAN, MISSING

WOMAN, MISSING by Sherryl Clark (HarperCollins, 2024)

Reviewed by Craig Sisterson

Former policewoman Lou Alcott is turning over a new leaf as a private investigator. On her first day she draws two cases helping at-risk women. First there's Diane Paterson, who has apparently left her husband without a word. Who should Lou believe? The charmingly distraught husband, Diane's suspicious parents, or the freezer full of lovingly prepared food left behind?

Then a house security check for an isolated young woman who is convinced her abusive ex is stalking her again turns worrisome when she fails to show up for their meeting. With her protective radar pinging, Lou keeps digging until she unearths chilling evidence that puts her in the hot seat. Suddenly Lou is embroiled in a cat-and-mouse-game where there will only be one survivor... 

After twenty plus years writing dozens of books for children (alongside teaching creative writing at Victoria University Polytechnic in Melbourne) – which recently earned her the 2022 Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Children’s Literature – in the past few years Sherryl Clark veered to the darker side with an adult mystery trilogy starring grumpily resourceful amateur sleuth Judi Westerholme.

The first in that engaging series, Trust Me, I’m Dead, was shortlisted for the CWA Debut Dagger (unpublished books), secured Clark a publishing deal, and went on after publication to be longlisted for another CWA Dagger in the UK and the Ngaio Marsh Awards in Clark’s native New Zealand. 

Now in Woman, Missing, Clark introduces another fascinating heroine with plenty of series potential. On her first day working for a private investigations firm, former Melbourne police constable Lou Alcott is tasked with two tricky cases. Diane Paterson has vanished, leaving behind a freezer full of prepared meals for her distressed husband and kids. But her parents are suspicious. Has she run off, been abducted, or worse? Meanwhile, Melinda is a nervous young woman, new in town, who fears her abusive ex in Sydney may have tracked her down across the country. But are Lou’s past dealings with domestic abusers clouding her judgment? They did end her police career.

Then Melinda also goes missing. Is Lou too late to save her? 

At the same time, Lou’s beloved grandfather, a notorious Melbourne ‘legit businessman’ that Lou’s former police colleagues, including her high-ranking and estranged father, view rather differently (ie, a major crime boss in the city) is in grave danger. As are those he cares about, including Lou. 

Clark draws readers in with a solid setup and fascinating heroine, and keeps the pages turning with unobtrusive writing and plenty of action and intrigue alongside a memorable supporting cast. While some characters are starkly evil, many others live in the grey, on both sides of the law. Overall, Woman, Missing is a good read that shows plenty of promise for an ongoing series. Hopefully we’ll see more soon from Lou Alcott, private investigator, and the wider ensemble.

Craig Sisterson is a lawyer turned writer, editor, podcast host, awards judge, and event chair. He's the founder of the Ngaio Marsh Awards, co-founder of Rotorua Noir, author of Macavity and HRF Keating Award-shortlisted non-fiction work SOUTHERN CROSS CRIME, editor of the DARK DEEDS DOWN UNDER anthology series, and writes about books for magazines and newspapers in several countries.