Lexie Elliott | THE MISSING YEARS

Plot (via Goodreads):

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

Leaving London behind to settle the inheritance from her mother’s estate, Ailsa returns to her childhood home, nestled amongst the craggy peaks of the Scottish Highlands, joined by the half-sister who’s almost a stranger to her.

Ailsa can’t escape the claustrophobic feeling that the house itself is watching her—as if her past hungers to consume her. She also can’t ignore how the neighbourhood animals refuse to set one foot within the gates of the garden.

When the first nighttime intruder shows up, Ailsa fears that the manor’s careless rugged beauty could cost her everything.

Review:

Last year, I completely fell in love with the written world all over again when I engulfed The French Girl by Lexie Elliott. I found her characterization, pacing, and prose to be dazzling and haunting and her plot to be profoundly riveting. 

The Missing Years is all of that, and yet so different in such a glorious way. A second novel can tell a lot about an author and in my opinion, Lexie Elliott is going to skyrocket into the publishing world like a tornado. I think the plot to this one and even the relationships between the different characters were just so much more complex and extremely well controlled. The pacing is dominated brilliantly by Elliott, who plays cat and mouse with her reader throughout the protagonists different theories as to what really happened to her father and a setting that is equally eerie and dazzling. I could hear the creaks in this manor, smell the fresh air hauntingly sneaking in the windows, and feel the chills running up my spine knowing that someone or something is playing a torrid game with Ailsa.

Can I just say that I loved how realistic Ailsa an Carrie were? The secondary characters were also brilliantly delivered, but these two women just really carried this plot with every ounce of their being. I was mesmerized by Ailsa and her determination, curiosity, and brains. Smart, tough yet vulnerable, and amazingly written, she just may be my new favorite character! I loved reading about the relationship between her and Carrie just as much as I loved what was happening in the plot. As the novel progressed, I was giving Elliott major kudos for not relying on over-the-top shocks or cliches to tell this story and just relied on her talents as a wonderful storyteller. In my review for The French Girl, I had mentioned that there was one scene that just creeped me out so much because of how well it was written and don't fear - another scene like that is in this one including a creepy scene in the dark and a rock. I just loved it. I love how Elliott can creep me out with something that doesn't seem like a huge deal but with her writing skills, I just get chills each time I think of this scene. As the novel progressed and we reached the ending, I was shocked and also kicking myself for not figuring out the big reveal in the end. Bravo to you, Lexie Elliott - thank you for distracting me with a brilliant setting and some fantastic characters all the while dangling the truth right under my nose. 

Special thanks to Berkley Publishing for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 5/5 (duh!)