Missing

Missing is a gripping crime thriller and the first book in Adam Nicholls' Mason Black series. Set against the dark streets of San Francisco, it pulls readers into a race against time that never lets up from the very first page.

Former detective Mason Black has traded his badge for the quieter life of a private investigator. But when the bodies of two children are discovered with chilling messages written in blood, the shadow of a monster he once hunted falls over him once more. The Carter twins are missing, and Mason may be the only one who can stop the Lullaby Killer from striking again.

What makes this thriller stand out is the relentless pacing and the deeply human cost at its center. Mason is not a flawless hero but a man torn apart by his crumbling marriage and the weight of knowing that every hour he hesitates, innocent lives hang in the balance. Nicholls writes in short, punchy chapters that hit like body blows, keeping readers up well past midnight.

Adam Nicholls draws inspiration from masters like Stephen King and Gillian Flynn, and it shows. Missing is raw, suspenseful, and emotionally gut-wrenching. It is the kind of detective thriller that turns you into a page-turner who cannot stop until the last shocking twist is revealed.