The Missing Years

By: Lexie Elliott

Narrated by: Elizabeth Knowelden

When Ailsa returns to her childhood home, an eerie sense of danger overwhelms her. Her unease only grows when she notices small things out of place and the odd fact that no animals will step foot on the grounds of the house....

Ailsa Calder has inherited half of a house. The other half belongs to a man who disappeared without a trace 27 years ago - her father.

Leaving London behind to settle the inheritance, Ailsa returns to the manor, nestled amongst the craggy peaks of the Scottish Highlands, joined by the half-sister who's practically a stranger to her. Ailsa can't escape the claustrophobic feeling that the house itself watches her - as if her dramatic past hungers to consume her. When the first nighttime intruder shows up and the locals in the isolated community pry into her plans for the manor, Ailsa grows terrified that escaping the beautiful old home will cost her everything.

©2019 Lexie Elliott (P)2019 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Elliott follows up her well-reviewed debut, The French Girl (2018), with an equally atmospheric novel that keeps the reader intrigued and off-balance all the way through.” (Booklist)

“Begins with a Gothic hint that rapidly segues into a suspenseful thriller with a breathless twist of denouement.” (New York Journal of Books)

"Uncannily creepy.” (The Guardian)

bland

One good twist but not enough to keep interests up. Not horrible but long from great.

Engaging moments but easy to zone out

I enjoyed the story but it didn’t always keep my attention. I found myself zoning out and suddenly the story caught my attention when something interesting happened. I liked the last part the best when things finally came together.

The story felt suspenseful but enjoyable

The reader of this audible is great! The story kept me guessing till the very end.

Loved it!!

I listen to mostly mysteries and thrillers and am always searching for one with more depth - this fit the bill. It was such a refreshingly different story. Creepy but not cheesy, relatable characters, keeps you guessing type of plot. I’m not a critic but I can appreciate good writing and this was a good one. Loved every bit!! That said, the end left me with a few questions but did not take away from the overall awesomeness. Definitely worth a credit!!! 🙂👏

Loved

WOW! What a great book! It had just the right amount of suspense and supernatural. It was one of those books that I thought wow what a great use of my audible credit! I would highly recommend this to anyone who likes suspense genre. The narration was incredible.

Scottish mystery

I really enjoyed this book. Totally kept you guessing until the end. I highly recommend it. Good character development

Whisper

Was a good story but to me the reader whispered almost thru the hold story at times I couldn't catch what was being said

Thoroughly enjoyable

Great listen and the narrator makes you feel as though you’re there sharing the story with all of the characters.

Long Winded Production of a Short Story

Narration was acceptable to outstanding. Voice characterization for a 'cast of thousands' was really admirable. The story was long and involved many minor characters that provided only small nuances to the overall storyline. The store progressed like like an episode of Midsummer Murders rather than an Agatha Christie murder mystery play.

Really good, but more a thriller than a haunting

I was really looking for a haunting book and that's what it is advertised as. I mean, don't get me wrong, solid story, but it's not really what I was hoping for.
Also, the writing style is a bit more extravagant than needed.