MISSING PRESUMED by Susie Steiner (fic)

Edith Hind is the missing person of the title. She is considered high-risk because she comes from a wealthy socially prominent family London family.  Her father is physician to the Royal Family. It is a priority of the powers that be, that this case is solved quickly.  Edith is a post-grad Cambridge University student who has all the attributes for a successful future.  She is gorgeous, bright and seemingly has an equally perfect boyfriend.  On the night she went missing, her flat was left unlocked and open. Two wine glasses and blood were found in the kitchen.  Nothing appeared to be missing, her purse and coat were left behind, and other possessions were left undisturbed.

In contrast to Edith is Manon Bradshaw, the Cambridgeshire detective assigned to the case. Manon at 39 is single, morose and angry. (Why are all detectives in crime books flawed?)  Luckily for the reader, Manon is more interesting than any other character in the book.  I became as much engrossed in her story as in that of the spoiled missing Edith.  Manon meets men online, has one-night stands and trouble sleeping.  Lonely, she is unable to make meaningful connections with colleagues or any of the men she dates.  Then in what appears to be an unrelated case, the body of a young man, a murder victim, is washed up along the river, Cam.  During the investigation Manon meets the appealing, but prickly, young brother of the dead man.  This young boy tugs at her dormant heart strings, and he eventually leads Manon to reconnect with her estranged sister.

As the two cases converge, Edith's secrets are gradually revealed. First the reader must work his/her way through a number of red herrings and blind alleys.  Steiner is an excellent writer.  Her characters are real and sympathetic. I found the book more satisfying than some of the current crop of best sellers with "Girl" in their title.  While I found Manon's story interesting,  the final resolution and ending of the book disappointed. It was a tad too tidy.  Nevertheless I recommend it as another satisfying British mystery novel.