The Missing Wives

 

The Missing Wives by Morgan Greene
10/29/26; 348 pages
Bookouture
Detective Alexandra Marshall #2

 The Missing Wives by Morgan Greene is a very highly recommended investigative thriller. This is the second novel in the series featuring Detective Alexandra (Alex) Marshall from the Washington state special investigations department. While this could be read as a standalone novel, I would recommend reading the first novel in the series, The Girl Who Lived, for the background information on Alex. 

On her way home from an investigation Detective Alex Marshall is called by Captain Thomas (Tom) Doyle to the small town of Dunning, Washington to investigate a murder. Kevin Hsu and Dana Garcia are on their way, but Alex will be the first to arrive. What she discovers is a woman, Rebecca Cook, has been found strapped down to a chair and drowned in a stock tank in an abandoned barn. The chair contraption was built to dunk her repeatedly and clearly the murder was premeditated. The Sheriff, Lacey Mitchell is on site, but the situation is completely out of her depth and she has no control over the crime scene or her deputies. 

Then an envelope is sent to the police with the name April Gallagher on it, clearly indicating she is the next target. When Alex and Lacey go to the house to suggest that April accompany them to the police department for her safety, what they find is a group of belligerent, angry men: Grant Walker, Scott Cook, Brian Gallagher and David Harper. Even when they get April to the police department, a lawyer is sent to take her back home. Then she is missing the next day. What Kevin discovers is that they are all business partners who run a property development company called Dunning Real Estate Company (DREC) and they control the town. Their ethically questionable practices have included buying up land, closing water sources, pushing people out of town, and destroying lives.

The writing is excellent as it creates an sinister, suspicious, and dangerous atmosphere while keeping the tension high. It will be clear to readers early that the death of the women is due to the actions of their husbands. The perpetrator definitely has an agenda and is seeking retribution. As the action moves at a fast pace, the novel quickly becomes un-put-downable. It is clearly up to Alex to discover the reason for the murders and her investigation proceeds in a logical manner with clues followed up on and plausible discoveries made. 

Alex is an intelligent, insightful investigator and a fighter for justice, but she is also a very troubled, damaged woman, both physically and mentally. Her character receives more development in this second novel. She is running on very little sleep and she takes another beating. Lacey, the ineffectual sheriff, is a very frustrating character, along with her deputies who are out of control. Kevin and Dana are taken out of the action in the plot and have a reduced role.

The Missing Wives is an excellent choice for anyone who enjoys murder investigations and especially those who read the first novel in the series, The Girl Who Lived. Thanks to Bookouture for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.