Book Review: Without a Trace by Mari Hannah

"People don't just disappear..."

I think we all know by now how much I love a gripping detective story, and Mari Hannah does not disappoint with her latest thriller, Without A Trace. I'm so excited to have found another detective to fall in love with, and another gripping series to get stuck into.

This cracking read gets off to a super-speedy start with DCI Kate Daniels and DS Hank Gormley hurtling towards London after the news that a transatlantic flight has dropped out of the sky... and the love of Kate's life, Jo Soulsby, was on that flight. To the anger of her Chief Superintendent, heartbroken Kate blags her way onto the investigation and embarks upon a one-woman mission to disprove that Jo was on that flight... because she couldn't have been... could she? What ensues is an unimaginable rollercoaster of twists and turns that I couldn't have predicted, transforming me into a page-turning maniac. 

The characters in Without A Trace stroll right off the page and into your life, but none more so than Kate. I fell hard for her from the very start. A smart, brave and feisty detective who insists on breaking the rules to get what she needs, and also happens to be a lesbian? I am all for that. 

It's clear this book is meticulously plotted and researched but at the same time, there's no laborious detail; the balance is perfect. It felt so believable, and I was genuinely right there with those characters... often forgetting to breathe. I even cried at parts, because the pain the characters feel is so real, so intense. 

The eBook and hardback are available now, and you can pre-order the paperback which comes out in January. Without A Trace is part of a series, but you don't need to have read all the books to be able to enjoy this (although you'll be desperate to, as soon as you've turned the final page).

It's tense. It's dramatic. It's emotional. Without A Trace is a perfectly-executed and riveting piece of crime fiction that any thriller fan should be getting their hands on. 

Roxie Key

@RoxieAdelleKey