The Missing Years

Lexie Elliott’s gripping psychological thriller The French Girl attracted international attention last year, begging readers to question how well they really know their best friends.

In her newest novel, THE MISSING YEARS (Berkley Hardcover; April 23, 2019) Lexie once again explores the subjective nature of our memory, perception – and even reality – calling readers to consider how easily our thoughts and recollections can shift, impacting our everyday truth and the way that we see the world.   

Step inside the Manse, a grand manor looming high in the foggy hills of the chilly Scottish Highlands that holds the ghosts of one woman’s past. Lexie’s chilling prose will lure you in to this haunting locale complete with creaky floorboards and shadowy corners.

When Ailsa Calder, a thirty-something journalist who seems to live nowhere and everywhere, inherits the Scottish manor where she was born, she can’t fathom settling into a place haunted by so many memories. The years have provided much-needed distance, allowing her to leave her tangled family roots – and the devastating mystery of her father’s disappearance that has plagued her since childhood – behind.

          But when Ailsa’s mother dies, she learns that she has inherited only half of the estate. The other half belongs to her missing father.

          Upon returning to the Manse, an encounter with some of the locals tells Ailsa that something sinister is at play. Her family – and this house – have been the talk of the town since her father vanished. When Ailsa begins receiving threatening notes and dead animals appear on her doorstep, no one believes her.  And she’s getting the distinct feeling that she’s being watched. Can she be sure that her memories are true? What really happened so long ago?

Now for those of you who aren’t familiar with the author, here’s a bit of background on her.

Author Lexie Elliott

Lexie Elliott has been writing for as long as she can remember, but she began to focus on it more seriously after she lost her banking job in 2009 due to the Global Financial Crisis. After some success in short story competitions, she began planning a novel. With two kids and a (new) job, it took some time for that novel to move from her head to the page, but the result was The French Girl, which will be published by Berkley in February 2018 - available to pre-order on Amazon now!

When she's not writing, Lexie can be found running, swimming or cycling whilst thinking about writing. In 2007 she swam the English Channel solo. She won't be doing that again. In 2015 she ran 100km, raising money for Alzheimer Scotland. She won't be doing that again either. But the odd triathlon or marathon isn't out of the question.

For more on Lexie and her writing, visit her website and connect with her on Facebook.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have you ever thought about what it would be like to inherit a manor anywhere in the world? Have you ever inherited a house or property?