The Missing Piece of Charlie O'Reilly

Written by Rebecca K.S. Ansari

Narrated by Rebecca K.S. Ansari

Charlie O’Reilly is an only child. Which is why it makes everyone uncomfortable when he talks about his brother.

Liam. His little brother, who, up until a year ago, slept in the bunk above Charlie, took pride in being as annoying as possible, and was the only person who could make Charlie laugh until it hurt. Then came the morning when Liam disappeared
forever. No one even remembers him—not Charlie’s mother, who is lost in her own troubles; and not Charlie’s father, who is always gone on business trips. The only person who believes Charlie is his best friend, Ana; even if she has no
memory of Liam, she is as determined as Charlie to solve the mystery of his missing brother.

The search seems hopeless … until Charlie finds a mysterious note, unmistakably written in Liam’s handwriting. And if he and Ana are going to figure out what happened to Liam, they have no choice but to follow its instructions—even if
doing so could mean that they, too, might disappear, unremembered, forever.Rebecca K. S. Ansari’s debut is a stunning contemporary fantasy about love, loss, and the power to forgive that we all have inside us—even if we forget that it’s there.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Dec 14, 2021
• ISBN: 9781705047477

Rebecca K.S. Ansari

Rebecca K. S. Ansari is a former ER doctor. The Missing Piece of Charlie O’Reilly is her first book. She lives in Minnesota with her husband, four sons, and some seriously massive pets. You can visit her online at www.rebeccaansari.com.

Reviews for The Missing Piece of Charlie O'Reilly

[ewyatt_16 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Interesting premise. Charlie is the only one who insists that he had a brother, Liam, who went missing on his birthday the year before. Every trace of Liam is GONE from their house and from the minds of everyone else. Only his best friend, Ana, believes him. When Charlie sees some clues around the house he is more determined to find the truth. His mom is suffering from depression. Strange vivid dreams about a family struggling in Ireland and then in America haunt him. Charlie keeps digging to get to the truth and bring his brother home.

[inky_fingers · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Well written, well-drawn characters, many interesting, original touches. I'm not sure that a story that revolves around guilt and forgiveness will be all that riveting to middle graders. If you've read Neil Gaiman's Coraline, the plot will feel a little familiar.