Researching missing persons for my crime novels

I often feature a missing person in my crime novels, particularly in the DI Andy Horton, Solent Murder Mystery series, where Andy Horton's mother, Jennifer, disappeared when he was a child.  I'm also researching it now for DI Andy Horton number 19, which I am currently writing.

The study of missing persons is both fascinating and heart-breaking. When someone goes missing, and is not found, it leaves a massive chasm in the lives of those left behind, always wondering and hoping.

These are the resources that I use to help me with my research.

The Missing Persons Research Group at the University of Portsmouth works with researchers and other interested parties - students, academics, charities, police and relatives to communicate, research and exchange information about missing persons. I can glean a lot of information from them, their work and the links from their website.

I mention the research group in DI Andy Horton, Solent Murder Mystery, THE THORNEY ISLAND MURDERS, (previously published as Fatal Catch) when Dr Carolyn Grantham shows up claiming to be attached to the University of Portsmouth Centre for the Study of Missing Persons (as it was then called when I wrote this novel) researching into missing persons cases. She wants background information about Jennifer from Horton. He is reluctant to give it, not only because he finds it hard to talk about his feelings surrounding Jennifer’s disappearance and his time spent in care, but because he's not sure who he can trust.

The Missing Persons Research Group also supports the Missing Persons Information Hub — a single point of reference with information about all aspects of missing persons. It is aimed at everyone who may be involved or needs help, including persons who are missing, those connected to them, professionals and academics.

Then there is the National Crime Agency Missing Persons Unit. It is the UK national and international point of contact for all missing person and unidentified body cases. They are the only UK agency focused exclusively on missing people. They serve all UK police forces as well as overseas police agencies and Andy and his coleagues would call on their resources.

Police and members of the public can review a central national database of unidentified people and bodies cases and submit details regarding the potential identity via their online reporting form.  Not so easy in Inspector Ryga's days of 1950 and 1951 where nothing was centralised with information held on card index files at Scotland Yard for London or otherwise with the local force.  But Art Marvik's boss, Detective Superintendent Crowder of the National Intelligence Marine Unit, could and would utlise these resources in the present day.

Not all missing people are 'missing' though.  There is a difference between a missing person and a lost contact.

There are a number of reasons why people lose touch with each other, such as moving house or family conflict. If there is no indication of vulnerability or concern then it will be considered a lost contact case and police will not become involved. Instead, there are a number of tracing agencies who may be able to provide a service.

Missing People Lost Contact Tracing Service can assist with locating and contacting relatives.

The British Red Cross International Tracing and Message Service provides advice on finding family members separated by conflict, disaster or migration overseas.

The Salvation Army might also be able to help trace relatives who have lost contact with each other, either recently or in the past.

Solent Murder Mysteries and Missing Persons

Andy Horton's mother, Jennifer, abandoned him when he was ten years old. He was told  that she had run off with a lover. Traumatized by her desertion, and the callous comments from those who looked after him in care along with taunts from the kids at school, he has tried to put his hurt and anger behind him.  He finally succeeds with the help of  his last and loving foster parents and his marriage to Catherine and the birth of their daughter, Emma. But all that changes.

In the first in the series, THE PORTSMOUTH MURDERS, (previously published as Tide of Death) Andy Horton is back in CID after an eight month suspension following a charge of gross misconduct, falsely as it turns out but the damage has been done.  His marriage is over and Catherine refuses to let him see their daughter. But Andy has a point to prove, he's still a good cop and innocent of all accusations.

Then in number 3 THE HORSEA MARINA MURDERS, (previously published as The Suffocating Sea) Horton discovers that there is a lot more to Jennifer's disappearance than he's been told and that over the years many people have lied to him. Her disappearance was cursorily investigated, quickly forgotten and buried and many clearly want it to remain that way. This sets Horton off on the search for the truth.

Sergeant Canteli's nephew, Johnnie, also goes missing in THE COWES WEEK MURDERS number ten in the series (previously published as Death Surge). Johnnie was due to take part in the Cowes Week yacht races on the Isle of Wight, but he never turned up. Horton’s boss thinks Johnnie must have gone off with a woman. There is a reluctance and delay reporting him missing, which could cost him his life. Horton out sailing, quickly returns to assist Cantelli, knowing that Johnnie would not willingly abandon his passion for yacht racing.

Then the charred remains of a body are discovered in a disused tunnel at the old Hilsea Lines ruins in Portsmouth. Is it Cantelli’s nephew? Soon the search for a missing person becomes a hunt for a ruthless killer. And this killer is just getting started.

In each novel Horton unearths clues which edge him closer to finding out what really happened to Jennifer after she vanished on a foggy November night. He succeeds in THE LUCCOMBE BAY MURDERS no. 15 in the series.

Horton’s CID patch is Portsmouth, where he also lives on board a small boat in a marina, since his estrangement from his wife, Catherine.

All my crime novels  are available on Amazon Kindle, Kindle Unlimited and in paperback.