Best Missing Person Audiobooks

The highest-rated audiobooks featuring the Missing Person trope, ranked by listeners and readers. Browse 50 titles across Mystery, Thriller.

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When someone goes missing, the world fractures. A disappearance forces investigators—and readers—into obsessive searching, where every detail matters and nothing can be trusted. You're hunting for answers alongside detectives, families, and amateur sleuths who refuse to let the mystery die. The tension comes from not knowing: Is the missing person alive? Guilty? A victim? What really happened that day? This trope delivers the dread of uncertainty paired with the pull of unsolvable puzzles.

You'll find this heavily in thrillers and mysteries, though it crosses into literary fiction too. The 232 books here range from cold cases reopened decades later to disappearances unfolding in real-time. Some focus on the investigation itself; others explore the psychological aftermath for those left behind. What they share: the central absence that drives everything forward, making readers desperate to fill in the blanks.

  1. 1
    The Running Grave cover

    The Running Grave

    Cormoran Strike • Book 7

    by Robert Galbraith, J.K. Rowling

    Narrated by Robert Glenister

    4.89 ABR Score (119.3K ratings)
    ★ 4.59 Goodreads (113.0K) ★ 4.83 Audible (6.2K)
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    Robert Glenister returns to voice Strike and Robin's most dangerous case yet as they infiltrate a Norfolk cult to rescue a young man trapped by the Universal Humanitarian Church's sinister agenda.

  2. 2
    Forgotten in Death cover

    Forgotten in Death

    In Death • Book 53

    by J.D. Robb

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.74 ABR Score (32.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.47 Goodreads (27.5K) ★ 4.79 Audible (4.9K)
  3. 3
    The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo cover

    The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

    Millennium Series • Book 1

    by Stieg Larsson

    Narrated by Simon Vance

    4.67 ABR Score (3.5M ratings)
    ★ 4.18 Goodreads (3.5M) ★ 4.56 Audible (42.2K)
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    A disgraced journalist teams with a punk hacker to solve a decades-old disappearance on a remote Swedish island. Simon Vance navigates the intricate mystery with perfect pacing and distinct character voices.

  4. 4
    Lethal White cover

    Lethal White

    A Cormoran Strike Novel • Book 4

    by Robert Galbraith

    Narrated by Robert Glenister

    4.66 ABR Score (203.1K ratings)
    ★ 4.25 Goodreads (188.1K) ★ 4.69 Audible (15.0K)
  5. 5
    The Last Man cover

    The Last Man

    Mitch Rapp • Book 13

    by Vince Flynn

    Narrated by George Guidall

    4.65 ABR Score (53.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.37 Goodreads (41.7K) ★ 4.67 Audible (12.0K)
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    CIA operative Joe Rickman vanishes from Afghanistan along with eight years of classified intelligence, forcing Mitch Rapp into a deadly manhunt. George Guidall's gravelly delivery matches Rapp's relentless pursuit perfectly.

  6. 6
    Then She Was Gone cover

    Then She Was Gone

    by Lisa Jewell

    Narrated by Helen Duff

    4.61 ABR Score (1.1M ratings)
    ★ 4.04 Goodreads (1.0M) ★ 4.56 Audible (84.7K)
    More about this pick

    When fifteen-year-old Ellie vanishes without a trace, her mother Laurel spends ten years searching until a chance encounter reveals horrifying secrets. This psychological thriller twists through family obsession and revenge.

  7. 7
    We Are All Guilty Here cover

    We Are All Guilty Here

    North Falls • Book 1

    by Karin Slaughter

    Narrated by Kathleen Early

    4.59 ABR Score (144.1K ratings)
    ★ 4.21 Goodreads (133.0K) ★ 4.67 Audible (11.1K)
    More about this pick

    Two teenage girls vanish during a small-town fireworks celebration, igniting secrets in North Falls where everyone knows everyone. Early's narration captures officer Emmy Clifton's desperation as her past collides with the investigation.

  8. 8
    As The Crow Flies cover

    As The Crow Flies

    Walt Longmire • Book 8

    by Craig Johnson

    Narrated by George Guidall

    4.59 ABR Score (26.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.29 Goodreads (19.1K) ★ 4.71 Audible (7.1K)
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    Sheriff Walt Longmire faces his toughest case while planning his daughter's wedding, with George Guidall capturing both the family stress and mounting danger perfectly.

  9. 9
    Daughter of the Morning Star cover

    Daughter of the Morning Star

    Walt Longmire • Book 17

    by Craig Johnson

    Narrated by George Guidall

    4.59 ABR Score (15.6K ratings)
    ★ 4.39 Goodreads (12.1K) ★ 4.72 Audible (3.5K)
  10. 10
    Junkyard Dogs cover

    Junkyard Dogs

    Walt Longmire • Book 6

    by Craig Johnson

    Narrated by George Guidall

    4.57 ABR Score (28.1K ratings)
    ★ 4.26 Goodreads (21.0K) ★ 4.7 Audible (7.1K)
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    A severed thumb in a junkyard sparks warfare between developers and scrapyard owners in Durant, Wyoming. Guidall's weathered voice perfectly embodies Sheriff Longmire's dry wit.

  11. 11
    Land of Wolves cover

    Land of Wolves

    Walt Longmire • Book 15

    by Craig Johnson

    Narrated by George Guidall

    4.56 ABR Score (17.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.32 Goodreads (12.6K) ★ 4.7 Audible (4.8K)
  12. 12
    An Obvious Fact cover

    An Obvious Fact

    Walt Longmire • Book 12

    by Craig Johnson

    Narrated by George Guidall

    4.52 ABR Score (20.6K ratings)
    ★ 4.26 Goodreads (14.6K) ★ 4.67 Audible (6.0K)
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    Sheriff Walt Longmire investigates a suspicious motorcycle accident during the massive Sturgis rally. Guidall's weathered voice perfectly embodies Wyoming's laconic lawman navigating biker culture and small-town politics.

  13. 13
    Good Girl, Bad Blood cover

    Good Girl, Bad Blood

    A Good Girl's Guide to Murder • Book 2

    by Holly Jackson

    Narrated by Bailey Carr, MacLeod Andrews, Donte Bonner, James Fouhey, Neil Hellegers, Cary Hite, Amy Landon, Raymond J. Lee, Keylor Leigh, Maggi-Meg Reed, Shezi Sardar

    4.51 ABR Score (799.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.25 Goodreads (796.0K) ★ 4.58 Audible (3.8K)
  14. 14
    The Forgotten cover

    The Forgotten

    John Puller • Book 2

    by David Baldacci

    Narrated by Ron McLarty, Orlagh Cassidy

    4.50 ABR Score (81.3K ratings)
    ★ 4.16 Goodreads (70.2K) ★ 4.56 Audible (11.0K)
    More about this pick

    John Puller's personal case in paradise turns into his deadliest investigation yet, with Ron McLarty and Orlagh Cassidy building tension in every chapter.

  15. 15
    Sharp Objects cover

    Sharp Objects

    by Gillian Flynn

    Narrated by Ann Marie Lee

    4.49 ABR Score (1.3M ratings)
    ★ 4 Goodreads (1.2M) ★ 4.44 Audible (41.9K)
    More about this pick

    Ann Marie Lee's controlled performance mirrors Camille's own emotional restraint as she investigates child murders in her toxic hometown.

  16. 16
    The Big Empty cover

    The Big Empty

    Elvis Cole and Joe Pike • Book 20

    by Robert Crais

    Narrated by Luke Daniels

    4.48 ABR Score (16.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.52 Goodreads (15.3K) ★ 4.56 Audible (907)
    More about this pick

    Elvis Cole investigates a father's disappearance in a small town where nothing is what it seems. Luke Daniels captures both Cole's humor and the growing tension as the case turns dangerous.

  17. 17
    Along Came a Spider cover

    Along Came a Spider

    Alex Cross Adventures • Book 1

    by James Patterson

    Narrated by Taye Diggs

    4.46 ABR Score (496.6K ratings)
    ★ 4.13 Goodreads (491.9K) ★ 4.5 Audible (4.7K)
  18. 18
    The Deep, Deep Snow cover

    The Deep, Deep Snow

    Shelby Lake • Book 1

    by Brian Freeman

    Narrated by January LaVoy

    4.44 ABR Score (35.0K ratings)
    ★ 4.21 Goodreads (11.3K) ★ 4.55 Audible (23.7K)
    More about this pick

    Deputy Shelby Lake, abandoned as a baby in freezing cold, now searches for a missing boy. Freeman creates an emotionally intense mystery spanning a decade in small-town life.

  19. 19
    The Crossroads cover

    The Crossroads

    Joe Pickett • Book 26

    by C.J. Box

    Narrated by David Chandler

    4.42 ABR Score (5.3K ratings)
    ★ 4.52 Goodreads (5.0K) ★ 4.72 Audible (338)
    More about this pick

    Joe Pickett lies in critical condition with a head wound while his daughters hunt for answers at a remote junction connecting three suspicious ranches.

  20. 20
    When Maidens Mourn cover

    When Maidens Mourn

    Sebastian St. Cyr • Book 7

    by C.S. Harris

    Narrated by Davina Porter

    4.42 ABR Score (10.0K ratings)
    ★ 4.24 Goodreads (8.8K) ★ 4.7 Audible (1.2K)
    More about this pick

    The murdered antiquarian was researching Camelot when her body turned up in the legendary moat. Davina Porter handles the historical details with precision.

  21. 21
    All Good People Here cover

    All Good People Here

    by Ashley Flowers, Alex Kiester

    Narrated by Brittany Pressley, Karissa Vacker, Ashley Flowers

    4.40 ABR Score (371.5K ratings)
    ★ 3.82 Goodreads (342.8K) ★ 4.5 Audible (28.8K)
    More about this pick

    Crime Junkie host Ashley Flowers crafts a journalist's obsession with two unsolved murders twenty years apart in small-town Indiana, with multiple narrators heightening the investigation's intensity.

  22. 22
    Cross and Sampson cover

    Cross and Sampson

    Alex Cross • Book 35

    by James Patterson, Brian Sitts

    Narrated by Isaiah Mustafa, Dion Graham

    4.40 ABR Score (6.6K ratings)
    ★ 4.5 Goodreads (6.2K) ★ 4.62 Audible (404)
    More about this pick

    Alex Cross and John Sampson investigate separate crimes simultaneously - a bombing in DC and murder in North Carolina. Isaiah Mustafa and Dion Graham split narrative duties as the partners work apart for once.

  23. 23
    The Silkworm cover

    The Silkworm

    Cormoran Strike • Book 2

    by Robert Galbraith, J.K. Rowling

    Narrated by Robert Glenister

    4.40 ABR Score (319.6K ratings)
    ★ 4.05 Goodreads (296.4K) ★ 4.49 Audible (23.2K)
    More about this pick

    Private detective Cormoran Strike hunts for a missing novelist whose latest manuscript viciously attacks everyone he knows. Robert Glenister's gruff voice perfectly suits Strike's methodical investigation through London's bitter literary world.

  24. 24
    21st Birthday cover

    21st Birthday

    Women's Murder Club • Book 21

    by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro

    Narrated by January LaVoy

    4.39 ABR Score (45.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.18 Goodreads (42.3K) ★ 4.58 Audible (3.4K)
  25. 25
    Love You More cover

    Love You More

    Tessa Leoni • Book 1

    by Lisa Gardner

    Narrated by Kirsten Potter, Katie MacNichol

    4.39 ABR Score (65.3K ratings)
    ★ 4.18 Goodreads (58.0K) ★ 4.42 Audible (7.3K)
    More about this pick

    State trooper shoots husband, daughter vanishes—Gardner hooks you with this impossible scenario then twists until you question everything. Potter and MacNichol's dual narration amplifies the mounting paranoia perfectly.

  26. 26
    Damage Control cover

    Damage Control

    by Robert Dugoni

    Narrated by Christopher Lane

    4.39 ABR Score (11.9K ratings)
    ★ 4.36 Goodreads (10.7K) ★ 4.51 Audible (1.1K)
    More about this pick

    Lawyer Dana Hill battles breast cancer while investigating her twin brother's suspicious murder. Christopher Lane captures both the legal thriller elements and emotional weight without oversentimental delivery.

  27. 27
    Guess Again cover

    Guess Again

    by Charlie Donlea

    Narrated by Vivienne Leheny

    4.38 ABR Score (44.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.16 Goodreads (42.4K) ★ 4.53 Audible (2.0K)
    More about this pick

    Ten years after a teenager vanished, her cold case explodes back to life, threatening to destroy the small Wisconsin town that never recovered from her disappearance.

  28. 28
    Tom Clancy Executive Power cover

    Tom Clancy Executive Power

    Jack Ryan • Book 21

    by Jeffrey Wilson, Brian Andrews, Tom Clancy

    Narrated by Scott Brick

    4.38 ABR Score (3.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.49 Goodreads (3.0K) ★ 4.65 Audible (557)
    More about this pick

    Kyle Ryan goes missing during an African coup, forcing his family to confront their political differences while searching for answers. Scott Brick handles the family drama alongside international intrigue expertly.

  29. 29
    The Narrows cover

    The Narrows

    Harry Bosch • Book 10

    by Michael Connelly

    Narrated by Len Cariou

    4.37 ABR Score (71.6K ratings)
    ★ 4.2 Goodreads (66.6K) ★ 4.51 Audible (5.0K)
    More about this pick

    Retired detective Harry Bosch is pulled back into the hunt for the serial killer who's haunted his career. Cariou's weathered delivery captures Bosch's obsessive pursuit and the desert setting's harsh beauty.

  30. 30
    The Neighbor cover

    The Neighbor

    Detective D.D. Warren • Book 3

    by Lisa Gardner

    Narrated by Emily Janice Card, Kirby Heyborne, Kirsten Potter

    4.37 ABR Score (57.9K ratings)
    ★ 4.09 Goodreads (52.7K) ★ 4.47 Audible (5.3K)
    More about this pick

    When a young mother vanishes from suburban Boston with only her four-year-old as witness, Detective D.D. Warren uncovers secrets that will make you question everything about perfect families.

  31. 31
    The Broken Girls cover

    The Broken Girls

    by Simone St. James

    Narrated by Rebecca Lowman

    4.35 ABR Score (139.9K ratings)
    ★ 4.05 Goodreads (130.7K) ★ 4.51 Audible (9.2K)
    More about this pick

    Idlewild Hall housed unwanted girls in 1950s Vermont—the illegitimate, the troublemakers—and decades later, a journalist discovers the boarding school's haunted secrets.

  32. 32
    The Secret of Secrets cover

    The Secret of Secrets

    Robert Langdon Series • Book 6

    by Dan Brown

    Narrated by Paul Michael

    4.35 ABR Score (150.3K ratings)
    ★ 3.94 Goodreads (140.2K) ★ 4.45 Audible (10.0K)
    More about this pick

    Langdon races through Prague to rescue Katherine Solomon from kidnappers in Brown's return to the symbologist's globe-trotting adventures filled with historical puzzles and ancient mysteries.

  33. 33
    Darkness Falls cover

    Darkness Falls

    Kate Marshall • Book 3

    by Robert Bryndza

    Narrated by Kristin Atherton

    4.34 ABR Score (12.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.26 Goodreads (11.6K) ★ 4.59 Audible (542)
    More about this pick

    Kate Marshall investigates a journalist's disappearance from thirteen years ago, following leads through Britain's criminal underworld. Kristin Atherton captures Kate's determined professionalism.

  34. 34
    The Lake House cover

    The Lake House

    by Kate Morton, Unknown Author

    Narrated by Caroline Lee

    4.34 ABR Score (152.9K ratings)
    ★ 4.08 Goodreads (131.8K) ★ 4.45 Audible (21.1K)
    More about this pick

    A child vanishes during a 1933 midsummer party, and seventy years later a detective discovers the abandoned estate where the Edevane family's tragedy began.

  35. 35
    Sadie cover

    Sadie

    by Courtney Summers

    Narrated by Dan Bittner, Fred Berman, Gabra Zackman, Rebecca Soler

    4.34 ABR Score (135.0K ratings)
    ★ 4.03 Goodreads (131.4K) ★ 4.45 Audible (3.6K)
    More about this pick

    Sadie disappears after her younger sister's murder, leaving behind clues that become the focus of a Serial-style podcast, with multiple narrators creating the dual format.

  36. 36
    Fatal Witness cover

    Fatal Witness

    Detective Erika Foster • Book 7

    by Robert Bryndza

    Narrated by Jan Cramer

    4.33 ABR Score (13.9K ratings)
    ★ 4.35 Goodreads (13.3K) ★ 4.59 Audible (588)
    More about this pick

    Detective Erika Foster investigates a true-crime podcaster's murder that connects to a serial predator case. Jan Cramer handles the procedural elements and personal stakes with equal skill.

  37. 37
    The Cuckoo's Calling cover

    The Cuckoo's Calling

    Cormoran Strike • Book 1

    by Robert Galbraith

    Narrated by Robert Glenister

    4.32 ABR Score (668.5K ratings)
    ★ 3.89 Goodreads (630.7K) ★ 4.45 Audible (37.8K)
    More about this pick

    One-legged Afghanistan veteran Cormoran Strike investigates the supposed suicide of supermodel Lula Landry when her brother insists she was murdered. Robert Glenister captures Strike's gruff determination.

  38. 38
    Collared cover

    Collared

    Andy Carpenter • Book 16

    by David Rosenfelt

    Narrated by Grover Gardner

    4.32 ABR Score (6.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.15 Goodreads (5.2K) ★ 4.65 Audible (1.5K)
    More about this pick

    Grover Gardner captures defense attorney Andy Carpenter's wit as a routine dog rescue at the Tara Foundation becomes a murder investigation when the abandoned pup's microchip reveals shocking connections.

  39. 39
    Dream Town cover

    Dream Town

    Archer • Book 3

    by David Baldacci

    Narrated by Edoardo Ballerini, Brittany Pressley

    4.31 ABR Score (44.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.09 Goodreads (38.7K) ★ 4.51 Audible (5.7K)
    More about this pick

    Private investigator Archer protects screenwriter Eleanor Lamb from escalating threats in 1953 Hollywood, where glamour masks deadly secrets.

  40. 40
    When You Find Me cover

    When You Find Me

    by P.J. Vernon

    Narrated by Amy McFadden, Bahni Turpin

    4.31 ABR Score (54.3K ratings)
    ★ 3.77 Goodreads (19.9K) ★ 4.49 Audible (34.3K)
    More about this pick

    Socialite Gray Godfrey wakes up hungover with no memory and no husband, then discovers blood in their South Carolina mansion — dual narrators amplify the psychological tension perfectly.

  41. 41
    Faithful Place cover

    Faithful Place

    Dublin Murder Squad • Book 3

    by Tana French

    Narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds

    4.31 ABR Score (137.7K ratings)
    ★ 4 Goodreads (133.4K) ★ 4.53 Audible (4.3K)
    More about this pick

    Detective Frank Mackey returns to his childhood Dublin neighborhood when his teenage love's suitcase surfaces, reopening a 22-year-old mystery. Reynolds captures both Frank's working-class roots and detective instincts in this atmospheric thriller.

  42. 42
    Missing You cover

    Missing You

    by Harlan Coben

    Narrated by January LaVoy

    4.31 ABR Score (83.9K ratings)
    ★ 4.01 Goodreads (69.6K) ★ 4.35 Audible (14.3K)
    More about this pick

    NYPD Detective Kat discovers her ex-fiancé's profile on a dating site, reopening wounds from 18 years ago. January LaVoy navigates the emotional minefield with precision.

  43. 43
    7th Heaven cover

    7th Heaven

    Women's Murder Club • Book 7

    by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro

    Narrated by Carolyn McCormick

    4.30 ABR Score (75.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.12 Goodreads (73.1K) ★ 4.51 Audible (2.7K)
    More about this pick

    Arsonist-murderers target wealthy couples while Michael Campion's disappearance takes a devastating turn. McCormick handles Patterson's rapid-fire plot twists and the Women's Murder Club's collaborative investigation with crisp efficiency.

  44. 44
    Tell No One cover

    Tell No One

    by Harlan Coben

    Narrated by Ed Sala

    4.30 ABR Score (197.3K ratings)
    ★ 4.05 Goodreads (192.7K) ★ 4.35 Audible (4.6K)
    More about this pick

    Eight years after his wife's murder, Dr. David Beck receives an email that suggests she might still be alive. Sala builds suspense methodically as Beck follows increasingly dangerous clues that challenge everything he believed about that terrible night.

  45. 45
    Make Me cover

    Make Me

    Jack Reacher • Book 20

    by Lee Child

    Narrated by Dick Hill

    4.30 ABR Score (96.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.02 Goodreads (84.8K) ★ 4.34 Audible (11.4K)
    More about this pick

    Reacher investigates the mysterious name 'Mother's Rest' and uncovers a digital-age conspiracy involving suicide websites and exploitation. Dick Hill's familiar growl anchors this darker entry in the series with appropriate menace.

  46. 46
    Look For Me cover

    Look For Me

    Detective D.D. Warren • Book 10

    by Lisa Gardner

    Narrated by Kirsten Potter

    4.30 ABR Score (42.9K ratings)
    ★ 3.98 Goodreads (38.7K) ★ 4.46 Audible (4.2K)
    More about this pick

    Four family members lie murdered while their sixteen-year-old daughter remains missing, forcing Detective Warren to determine if she's victim or perpetrator.

  47. 47
    Say Goodbye cover

    Say Goodbye

    FBI Profiler • Book 6

    by Lisa Gardner

    Narrated by Ann Marie Lee, Lincoln Hoppe

    4.29 ABR Score (31.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.12 Goodreads (28.6K) ★ 4.41 Audible (2.7K)
    More about this pick

    Ann Marie Lee and Lincoln Hoppe handle the dual narration as FBI profiler Kimberly Quincy investigates vanishing prostitutes in Gardner's darkest thriller yet.

  48. 48
    Vanished cover

    Vanished

    Callahan & McLane • Book 1

    by Kendra Elliot

    Narrated by Nick Podehl, Amy McFadden

    4.29 ABR Score (37.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.21 Goodreads (34.1K) ★ 4.32 Audible (3.7K)
    More about this pick

    FBI agent Ava McLane and detective Mason Callahan investigate a child abduction that hits too close to home for both of them. Nick Podehl and Amy McFadden balance the procedural elements with the personal stakes driving both investigators.

  49. 49
    Sudden Death cover

    Sudden Death

    Andy Carpenter • Book 4

    by David Rosenfelt

    Narrated by Grover Gardner

    4.29 ABR Score (9.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.14 Goodreads (8.0K) ★ 4.59 Audible (1.5K)
    More about this pick

    Defense attorney Andy Carpenter represents an NFL running back accused of murdering a rival team's wide receiver. The sports world backdrop adds fresh stakes to the legal maneuvering.

  50. 50
    Bark of Night cover

    Bark of Night

    An Andy Carpenter Novel • Book 19

    by David Rosenfelt

    Narrated by Grover Gardner

    4.28 ABR Score (5.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.11 Goodreads (4.6K) ★ 4.65 Audible (1.2K)
    More about this pick

    Grover Gardner's warm, conversational delivery makes this cozy mystery feel like a chat with a friend who happens to solve crimes and rescue dogs on the side.

How We Rank Audiobooks

Rankings are driven by listener ratings and review counts from Audible and Goodreads. Books with high ratings across a large number of listeners rank higher — a 4.5 with 50,000 ratings says more than a 4.8 with 200.

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