Local Gone Missing

Barton’s (“Kate Waters” series) new mystery features DI Elise King, the senior detective on the local major crime team of Ebbing, a small (fictional) coastal British town that is trying to attract weekenders down from the city. As Elise recovers from breast cancer surgery, she gets word of the disappearance of well-known local Charlie Perry, whom Elise had just seen at a music festival. The search for Charlie soon turns into a murder investigation. The timeline is laid out in alternating chapters told from the points of view of longtime vs. newer Ebbing residents; this includes Elise’s POV as she changes from a witness in the case to its lead investigator. There are also a few well-signaled flashbacks that give historical context. Readers learn details of the case along with Elise’s team as they question a variety of people, including Dee Eastwood, the cleaner employed by both Elise and Charlie, who works unnoticed by many of her clients, allowing her to know more about the villagers than they realize. Ebbing’s secrets are eventually exposed, revealing darkness and guilt.