The Night She Went Missing

by Kristen Bird

[Quirky Cat]

You guys know I can't resist a debut novel, especially not when it's a thriller. I love finding new authors, and this time I spotted The Night She Went Missing by Kristen Bird. The pitch promised it would be perfect for fans who loved Big Little Lies, and that's good enough for me.

What happens to a small town when something as horrific as a missing person's case occurs? For this one town, the answer is clear: to find the truth, they will have to take a closer look at those around them, regardless of how uncomfortable it makes them feel.

When a senior in high school, Emily, goes missing, the town is shaken. Three moms, in particular, take the news poorly, as it turns their lives upside down. Could their families have had something to do with it? They don't know – and they're not entirely prepared for the answer either.

I nabbed The Night She Went Missing when it came across my shelves because the description sounded interesting. I love the classic mystery trope of people refusing to look the other way when a crime/mystery pops up. It's a weakness!

Unfortunately, I feel like this novel's introduction is stronger than the conclusion. Now, this may be on me. This happens a lot when I dive into thrillers with high expectations. So it could be an issue with me instead of the ending. Or it could be the other way around.

I think part of the problem might be that at least part of the ending is ruined by how the story is told/described. We know Emily's status from a fairly early point, which naturally changes the suspense levels. I would have preferred that this part be kept a mystery for at least a little bit longer, even if that would have made me more anxious! (That's a good thing with thrillers, right?).

Thanks to MIRA and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks