Overview

We return to the coastal village of Burrowhead, where an archaeological dig brings long hidden truths to the surface. Human remains are uncovered, alongside signs of ritual and violence that the village would rather forget. DI Georgie Strachan is drawn back into a place that does not welcome questions, while the past presses in from every direction. What unfolds is a slow unpicking of secrets that the community has worked hard to keep buried.

Writing & Voice

We found Sedgwick’s writing clear and controlled, letting the setting do much of the work. The tone is calm on the surface, but unease runs underneath every scene. The story moves at a steady pace, allowing details of place, memory, and routine to build tension. The result is unsettling without being sensational.

Characters

Georgie Strachan carries the weight of being both connected to Burrowhead and shut out from it. Her husband Fergus struggles with loyalty to his home and the knowledge of what it hides. The villagers feel tightly bound by shared history and shared silence, making the community itself feel like an active force in the story.

Themes

This novel looks closely at how communities protect themselves through silence. We see how history can be shaped by what is ignored as much as by what is remembered. The book also explores who gets to belong, who is pushed aside, and how the so called missing continue to shape the present.

What Worked

• Strong sense of place: The coastal setting and dig site feel bleak and convincing.
• Community focus: The tension grows from shared secrets rather than a single villain.
• Genre balance: Crime and folk horror elements sit comfortably together.

Minor Quibbles

• The slow pace may not suit readers looking for fast moving crime fiction.
• Some academic aspects of the dig feel more distant than the central mystery.

Final Thoughts

We found Where the Missing Gather quietly unsettling and deeply rooted in place. It is a crime novel that cares as much about memory and belonging as it does about answers.

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)