Has anyone seen Charlotte Salter? by Nicci French

The author duo Nicci Gerrard and Sean French have written a memorable thriller that not only describes the investigation into the disappearance of Charlotte Salter but the effects that the disappearance has on her family and friends. When Charlotte Salter does not turn up for her husband’s 50th birthday party, her children, especially fifteen-year-old Etty, become increasingly worried. It is not like her to be late, but when Etty contacts the police, her fears are brushed aside. When Charlotte’s coat is found by the river and the body of her friend Duncan Ackerley is found in the river the police conclude that the pair were having an affair and that Duncan murdered her and then committed suicide. Thirty years later Morgan Ackerley, now a successful documentary maker, comes back and persuades his brother Greg to join him in making a podcast about the disappearance. This stirs up trouble with a suspicious fire turning to murder. Detective Inspector Maud O’Connor is sent to Glensted to take over the investigation and uncovers secrets from the past.

The novel is divided into three parts: Part 1 1990 events around the disappearance, Part 2 2022 the podcast, and Part 3 the investigation by O’Connor. French writes sympathetically of the Salter family, each member coming alive, with their characters, with flaws and strengths, giving a vivid picture of the family dynamics. Charlotte Salter is beautiful and loved by all, while Alec Salter is shown as a faithless husband. I was most drawn to Etty a strong and determined teen.

One of the highlights of the novel for me was the portrayal of the damage that never knowing what happened to Charlotte had on the whole family. Etty at 15 is bold and strong, living a life of a teenager with friends and parties. Thirty years later, she is tightly controlled and mourning the loss on one brother. Meanwhile Morgan Ackerly, an unpopular young teen, has achieved international success and is confident and sure of his ability to uncover some of the secrets surrounding Charlotte and his father.

The third section of the novel is given over to police procedure as Detective Inspector Maud O’Connor casts fresh eyes not just on the death by arson, but on the missing woman and dead man from thirty years ago. She is intelligent and intuitive and comes to a stunning conclusion that was a complete surprise for me.

Has Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter? is a gripping story with enough twists and turns to make it hard to put down.

Themes: Crime, Missing persons, Murder, Psychological mystery.

Pat Pledger