When Elspeth returns from New York to her hometown of Geelong, it’s not for a holiday – it’s because her mother has vanished.
While her sister, Aoife, and Elspeth wait for news, they circle around their father’s death years earlier, reopening old wounds. But Elspeth’s own behaviour soon unsettles those around her, and the police begin to wonder if she’s hiding something.
Elspeth teams up with a local crime reporter to search for the truth, leading to the discovery of her mother’s unfinished memoir. It includes letters that expose long-buried betrayals and shocking secrets. As the investigation tightens, so does the net around Elspeth. Is she an investigator, a grieving daughter, or someone more dangerous?
In a family built on lies, digging too deep can be deadly.
‘Richly observed and deliciously dark. I defy you not to fall for this damaged narrator who sees what other people don’t. This is a story of trying (and failing) to leave your past behind, delivered with a stylish and sly malevolence that lingers long after the last page. Mali Cornish is a gift from the writing gods.’ – Hayley Scrivenor, author of Dirt Town and Girl Falling
‘Like her enigmatic, troubled narrator Elspeth, Mali Cornish toys with the reader until you’re not sure what or who to believe. The Missing Mother is a nuanced exploration of the legacy of unresolved childhood trauma, wrapped up in a suspenseful narrative which comes to a cracking conclusion. You’ll be second guessing yourself until the very last, delicious sentence!’ – Kate Horan, author of On the Edge
Format: Paperback
Pages: 416
Imprint: Atlantic Books Australia
Publication date: 28/04/2026
