Persons Unknown: A Novel (Manon Bradshaw)

I thoroughly enjoyed the second installment of the DS Manon series. Manon is a delightful mess, as always, and I can't help loving her supreme *humanness.* The mystery in *Persons Unknown* is more immediate than the one in *Missing, Presumed,* and I enjoyed it more because of that. Manon and Davy are both back (yay!) along with a new perspective character, Birdie (who is fantastic and hilarious). This is a steadily paced mystery - it's not urgent, but it definitely kept me turning the pages. I highly recommend the series, it's just so solid and funny, with characters who are so authentic and believable. Also, the way Steiner writes about motherhood is so achingly accurate that you KNOW that she's been there. I'm excited to see what Steiner puts out next!

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for the eARC. This tense psychological thriller is interspersed with thoughtful musings about racism, class and murder in the upper echelons of the London financial area. Plus, there are some hilarious one liners. I loved the first book in the series, loved the 2nd second even more and sincerely hope there will a 3rd! Highly recommenced.

I was suitably impressed with Steiner's first novel and eve. More impressed with this one. The crime is clear but complicated but even more complicated is a pregnant police detective saddled with an adopted son, a new love life and a sibling who is not all she seems. This is a police procedural and a dip into a personal life that fulfills the reader

Massive fan of Missing, Presumed so I was disappointed in this second novel in the series. Where was the wonderful, feisty detective Manon? Sidelined by her pregnancy, about which too much of the book focused on. Really left me with a sad feeling, for Fly and Davy, but hoping the old Manon will be back in the third.

Interesting characters, good mystery storyline, but uneven writing. I typically enjoy multiple points of view, but they must be deftly handled and these are not always. One chapter in roughly the middle was so dull I almost quit reading. Because it was my night time Kindle read I kept going and was pleased enough with the outcome. I wouldn’t recommend it.

I long for books like this - thoughtful interesting characters with increasingly complex lives in Susie Steiner's 2 books so far of this slice of the world. Laugh out-loud funny in parts - geez, what great descriptions of new motherhood, old motherhood, dating and the truth in our heads. Took me out of myself every time I had a chance to read, a big plus these crazy days especially.

Manon Bradshaw figures it out early in this one, more because she's a pregnant single mother than anything. Her ramblings to herself are still some of the most true-to-life, that is to say, the best I have read in recent popular fiction.

Manon Bradshaw figures it out early in this one, more because she's a pregnant single mother than anything. Her ramblings to herself are still some of the most true-to-life, that is to say, the best I have read in recent popular fiction.