2008 book 98

Catherine O'Flynn's What Was Lost
A little girl--a wannabe detective--goes missing in the 1980s, and twenty years later the sister of the main suspect in the disappearance and a security guard--both employees of a local mall--get caught up in the mystery. It's not a serious thriller, but there's some good narrative tension and all the characters--especially the little girl--are great. This book won the Costa award and was on the Booker and Orange longlists--very deservedly. A.