Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher for a book tour. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: The Night She Went Missing

Author: Kristen Bird

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 3/5

Recommended For...: thriller, mystery

Publication Date: February 8, 2022

Genre: Thriller Mystery

Age Relevance: 17+ (kidnapping, violence, gore, sexual content, missing children)

Explanation of Above: The book mentions and runs under the proposition that the children in the book are either kidnapped or are just missing and their disappearance is the central plot point. There is also violence and gore and mentions of sexual content.

Publisher: MIRA

Pages: 352

Synopsis: An intriguing and twisty domestic suspense about loyalty and deceit in a tight-knit Texas community where parents are known to behave badly and people are not always who they appear to be.

Emily, a popular but bookish prep school senior, goes missing after a night out with friends. She was last seen leaving a party with Alex, a football player with a dubious reputation. But no one is talking.

Now three mothers, Catherine, Leslie and Morgan, friends turned frenemies, have their lives turned upside down as they are forced to look to their own children—and each other’s—for answers to questions they don’t want to ask.

Review: For the most part this was an okay book. The book had a decent premise and the story was pretty well done. The book had well developed characters and decent world building as well. Overall, I liked the story well enough.

However, I thought the book wasn’t suspenseful enough. The beginning gives away the ending and takes the suspense off the table. The book had a lot of moments where there was just useless information thrown around. And I didn’t really understand the issue with the parents, who were badly written and fighting constantly.

Verdict: It was ok, just wouldn’t read again.

It’s been quite a while since I’ve leapt head first into a thriller, and I’m happy to say that The Night She Went Missing caught my attention right at the beginning. This book starts out really strong, with the kind of tension that makes you want to keep on reading. I thought it was such a creative decision to have Emily as a narrator, despite the fact that she is the one missing in the story. I felt like it really leant itself to the idea of slowly uncovering the truth. As Emily struggles to remember what happened to her, the reader is right there along with her. It was pretty fantastic.

Now that being said, this is a multiple POV book. If you’ve read my previous reviews you know that these can be tough for me. As was the case with this story. While I loved getting little puzzle pieces to put together about what happened to Emily, I also felt like the characters were different enough to really tell apart. I found myself constantly double checking the beginning of chapters to remember who I was currently following along with. If I had to choose a favorite character though, it would definitely be Catherine. Emily’s mother has that mama bear energy, and her chapters were the most intriguing to me because she fought so hard for her daughter.

Despite the multiple POVs though, the story does a pretty great job of slowly ramping up. As things progress, more about Emily’s family comes to light and dark secrets are brought to the surface. One of the things I especially appreciated was the fact that there was a question, through the entire book, who might be at fault. Every character had their own motivations to possibly be involved in Emily’s disappearance. There were well done twists that successfully caused me to second guess myself, and that ending threw me for a total loop. I love when I can’t figure out a book immediately! And this did that for me.

This reads very much like a Lifetime movie, if I’m being honest. You need a to suspend a bit of disbelief in order to full immerse yourself in this story of riches and rumors. It is true that a lot of characters make monumentally poor decisions in this story. There were points where I honestly had to stop and shake my head, because I kept wondering what on Earth some of these people were thinking. But that’s part of the draw of this story. The people are all suspects. They are all flawed, and selfish. There’s so much family drama in this story that it’s hard to look away. If that’s your jam, you’re going to love this book.

I’m happy to give this an easy three star rating! It’s a quick read, and one that’s just the right amount of soap opera vibes. If you’re looking for something that will keep you reading well into the night, The Night She Went Missing is for you.

The Night She Went Missing by Kristen Bird is the sort of roller coaster ride of a thriller that slowly builds the story through anticipation before swooping into a lot of revelations.
In other words, the buildup is slow and steady. It draws the reader in. And then when things start to happen and the truth comes out, it all speeds really fast to the end.
That analogy sort of stinks, but it’s as close as I can get.
The story is told in three parts. Each one does its part to advance the narrative. It is methodical but never boring. The author does a great job of highlighting the insular nature of a small town, how it treats outsiders (even if they are insiders), and the patronage of important branches of government.
That last one is important because the action focuses on the Callahan family: why they moved from Oregon to Texas and what ties they have to others in town. It is effective.
There are some parts that appear superfluous. The reason the family left Oregon is made out to be bigger than it actually is, and the connections that are referred to in the present time don’t really go anywhere.
I also wish there had been more follow-through on Catherine’s music. I thought at one point that the author was going to do something unique with Catherine’s tendency to turn toward music to calm herself, but it didn’t materialize.
Pity, because that would have made a neat section in the last chapter when the summary/epilogue occurs.
Another strong part of the story is the perspective that even though a person may have everything together on the surface, there is always the real possibility of turmoil beneath.
A shiny cover can hide a multitude of sins and omissions.
I really liked how everything came to light and the “mystery” was solved. It was natural and nothing was forced. Well, a scene towards the end involving the matriarch of the community and the three main women characters felt awkward, like an afterthought.
And Catherine has an attitude about a particular plot point that seems out of character. I don’t want to give away what it is, because it would be a major spoiler. Let’s just say that her perspective on Emily’s situation seems presumptuous and frankly out-of-character.
But that does not take away from the story. The Night She Went Missing had me turning pages to find out what really happened. It is not often I get that engrossed in a novel. Great debut novel from Kristen Bird. I look forward to reading future stories.

I'm so on the fence about this book. It has all the necessary things to be a wonderful book. Some of the twists blew my freaking mind. Part 1 was long and hard to get through. I read part one in over a week and the rest of the book in 2 days. It was good I'm glad I read it.

A strong start, an over the top ending, and a bit of a lag in the middle. This story had a lot going on and at points the main plot got lost in the shuffle. For some that is a good thing. Lots of interesting well developed characters, but if they kept the story from moving forward, is that a negative? I would have preferred a more streamlined story with fewer subplots and even a few characters that stayed a bit more in the background. Because the result was a frantic ending with a bunch of different resolutions piling on top of each other. It felt a bit messy to me. Again as though the subplots were overtaking the main story. But, it was a really good main story and, if you can keep your eye on it, a very good read.

This is an interesting and twisty tale told in multiple POVs, which I really enjoy. This is a story where not everything is as it seems, particularly in a small town. Everyone has secrets, and secrets always come out in the end! Bird's writing leaves readers turning the pages to find out what happened to Emily! A few plot points were a bit over the top, but this was an engaging read overall.
3.5 stars rounded up

I really loved the story till the 60%: it was gripping, fast paced and highly entertaining. It was going to be a top reated novel but somehow lost steams, dialogues and characters became a bit stilted, and my attention dropped.
I enjoyed it on the whole but it could have a great story.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Night She Went Missing is reminiscent of the Desperate Housewives meets true crime. The Callahans are a prominent family in the socialite town of Galveston, yet Catherine and her daughter Emily don’t quite fit the mold of the elite. And then Emily goes missing and the town’s most influential people start to unravel. Soon protective mothers begin to do outlandish things to hide the truth and protect their children.

This novel is a slow build that really goes deep into the lives and relationships of the women living in Galveston. The housewife drama is real and quite interesting to watch unfold. I liked the multiple viewpoints from characters, including from Emily herself recounting the events which led her to the present.

I found myself getting into the novel right away because the character development was strong. I especially enjoyed the snippets of Emily’s perspective and was eager to learn more from her about what happened to her. As the story moved along, I found it to be quite slow and struggled to like the mother’s and their pretentious nature. It was definitely a slow burn, and seemed to be a bit redundant, but I still enjoyed the ride.

Thank you to the publisher, Harlequin, Kristen Bird, and NetGalley for providing me with this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Favorite Quotes:

… they also looked literally hungry. They all had that fresh scrub of a facial and the sallow cheeks of the carb-less.

I think that’s everything, ladies. The truth as we know it. Now, we must decide how much to tell everyone else.

My Review:

This was cleverly written, maddeningly paced, shrewdly plotted, and brilliantly laced together with an original cast of characters who were fatally flawed and varying degrees of abhorrent, yet also compelling and authentic. I was loath to put my beloved Kindle down as I was itching to discover the culprit and unearth the chain of events. I developed, modified, morphed, and cast off multiple theories but was only partially correct in my conclusions – while guile! Kristen Bird is a sly and devious trickster and I was stunned when I noticed this was her debut publication. She is definitely one to watch and going on my list of favorites.

Haunted by a costly career mistake, Catherine Callahan agrees to move to Galveston, her husband Carter’s hometown, with their young twins and older daughter Emily, a high school senior. Emily is enrolled in Callahan Prep, the exclusive school run by Carter’s mother Rosalyn. All social life seems to center around school activities and Catherine becomes an unwilling participant. New likely friends Morgan and Leslie have children in the same class and perhaps more secrets than Catherine herself. Then one night, Emily doesn’t come home after a party. Where is she and more importantly, who is responsible?

Narrated by Emily, Catherine, Morgan and Leslie, this domestic thriller is a quick read. Galveston, with its islands, beaches and wildlife, is an atmospheric setting, the characters are well described and the plot is fast paced. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Kristen Bird for this ARC.

The Night She Went Missing by Kristen has a super interesting premise. After being missing for over two months, Emily is found but can’t remember why she disappeared or what has happened to her. As three mothers try to figure out what has happened, more secrets are exposed. This was a slow burn, eventually leading to a conclusion that I figured out. I enjoyed the ride there and getting to know the foibles of these characters. This is Bird’s debut novel and I’m eager to see what she writes about next.

How is it possible that THE NIGHT SHE WENT MISSING by Kristen Bird is a debut novel? This story blew me away! Lies and secrets like nobody’s business! This was such a crazy ride! I was sitting there trying to figure out what was a lie and who was telling the truth!

Kristen Bird has a talent for creating gripping plot lines and a book that practically demands to be read in one sitting and THE NIGHT SHE WENT MISSING is no exception. I took my time with this amazing and mind blowing story as I wanted to make it last. Bird reels in her readers with quite a hook.

Kristen Bird starts by putting the reader on a crazy roller coaster ride of emotions! Emily is missing. She was last seen leaving a party with Alex, the boy with a player reputation. What started out as a night out with friends is left with everyone wondering, what happened to Emily? Three mothers in the community are forced to look at their children and ask the most difficult questions. Once Emily is found, her mother Catherine, works with Alex’s mother, Morgan, and another classmates mother, Leslie to try and piece it all together. What happened that night? You are going to have to read THE NIGHT SHE WENT MISSING to find out!

I was quickly caught up in the story-line and found it difficult to put down. This book just flew by! THE NIGHT SHE WENT MISSING was such a thrilling ride for me! THE NIGHT SHE WENT MISSING is a real page-turner. I couldn’t put it down until I knew what had happened. Fans of psychological mysteries will enjoy this one. This story is so well written, that even though it jumps back and forth between the present and the past, it is still easy to follow. THE NIGHT SHE WENT MISSING is a suspenseful tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from MIRA through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A missing girl. Suspect Kids. Suspect Parents. Makes for an interesting thriller. I was excited to check out this new writer in the suspense world that was making headlines about this novel. The story follows a few paths, but centers on a missing teenage girl and the secrets this small, exclusive island has hiding.

The ideas that flow in this novel were intriguing to me. The idea of fugue states, and missing time is always intriguing to me and I’ve read a few of the stories referred to in this book. Small town intrigue is also such a fun thriller to read because small towns usually hold the biggest secrets. Kristen Bird definitely led us down a twisty, dark lane of lies, betrayal and suspense.

I really enjoyed a lot of the characters. Emily’s perspective was definitely my favorite. I love her innocence and her open mindedness about the world and nature. I loved her ties between religion and science that she wove together in her stories. I disliked most of the mothers, which was funny because I could relate to that level in this story being a parent myself. These moms were another level, though. I’d probably relate to Morgan the most as she is trying to protect her son and do what’s best for him and doesn’t really blur any ethical lines. However, you then have Catherine, Leslie and grandmother Rosalyn who I just could not stand most of the time. Catherine was a helicopter mom, Leslie was controlling and a bit crazy, and Rosalyn was just too much. I would never be able to live on this island. That’s what it comes down to. I really enjoyed the twisting tales and how these people really didn’t want to be like any of the others, but they were so similar in how they handle things. It was almost comical at times. However, all these characters had interesting tidbits about themselves and their histories that made them unique, which I love in a book. I don’t want to read the same types of characters all the time.

I have one reason that kept me from giving this book a higher rating, and that is the ending. While the ending was definitely an “aha” moment, it was a bit crazy. People’s behavior got to an almost unbelievable level. I could see why some villains in the end (not naming names so I don’t give anything away) did what they did, but it was almost extreme. As a reader my question was, how are they even considering they will get away with this at this point now? As secretive and sly they seemed to be throughout, I was a little disappointed in how messy things got towards the end. It’s a good story, and even a good ending, but I just expected more organization, more thinking things through like they had done the rest of the book. I know in the heat of a moment people can do unexpected things, but this was just really fast and really crazy. We went from a nice steady speed to the last two chapters feeling extremely rushed to the end.

Overall this is a good story and I am definitely interested in reading more from Kristen Bird. She definitely has what it takes to rise up in the thriller writing world and I will be picking up more books from her as she releases them to see what other interesting and unique characters she brings to the table. Pick up your own copy if you want a twisty, suspenseful, domestic thriller that keeps you peeking around corners to see what is next.

This book is one of the reasons I rarely DNF. Sometimes, I have just picked up what will turn out to be a good read, at the wrong time. This was the case for me with The Night She Went Missing. It didn't initially pass my treadmill test (reading for 60 minutes without checking the clock), and I put it aside. Then after finishing a few other books, I went back to it and wound up enjoying all the drama.
Seventeen-year-old Emily goes missing one night. Her family has recently relocated to Galveston from Oregon after an incident involving her mother, Catherine. Emily's car is found with no signs of a struggle and no clues to her whereabouts. Ten agonizing weeks pass and Emily is found, alive but in no condition to shed any light on what happened.
The story is primarily told from the perspectives of the mothers, whose darling children may or may not know something about what happened to Emily. Catherine, Leslie, and Morgan each have questions and all of them want answers. Be careful what you wish for though, because these women may not like what they learn.
The adults may have come across as a bit much at times, but I think that is sort of the point of a domestic drama. Emily's chapters were more grounded, though make no mistake, the teenagers in this town cannot be trusted! I grew up in a small town and the secrets that were hiding behind closed doors were unbelievable, so I can relate to the many “what” moments in this story. A debut full of people behaving badly. To me, I would choose this as a beach read versus a treadmill read.3.5 stars.

The Night She Went Missing
Kristen Bird

A missing person in a thriller is nothing new, but I liked this one due to the chapters told from Emily’s, the missing girl, point of view. They aren’t dated so you are left to wonder when her chapters are unfolding. There were a lot of characters at the beginning and I had a little trouble keeping track of which parents belonged to which kids, but I’m glad I kept going, because until the story led me to the culprit, I had no real lock on one suspect.

There is small town drama and how the rich folk live thrown into this one. I was sucked in from the start and definitely connected with some of the characters, but the pace slows a little as you reach the end.

It’s a great debut and I’d definitely pick up her next book.

What I like about this book is that it doesn't take long for the main action (the girl go missing, and then be found) to take place. What takes long is to understand what actually happened on the night she went missing. I like that this is a suspense that gets you hooked from start to finish. You get involved with all the family intricacies and you want to know what happened with Emily on the night she went missing. There are so many gaps that I was unsure what happened for at least half of the book. Then you can start to figure things out a little, but it is still an interesting read - there's romance, there's elite, there's school, there's teenagers - the book is full of different ingredients that make it a compelling read.

This was a great debut suspense novel. What happened to Emily. What will happen to the families when this girl goes missing. These questions are answered wonderfully by this author. This keeps you wondering till the end as to what happened to Emily and how each person takes it. This will keep you wondering so you will not want to put it down. I received a copy of this book from Harlequin for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

The women at the heart of this story really make this book incredibly interesting as you try and work out what happened leading up to and then following Emily’s disappearance following a Mardi Gras party. And there’s plenty of intrigue to go around, both between the high schoolers and the adults themselves. Red herrings abound and I did not guess the solution until its reveal, though looking back, there were clues, I suppose.

Emily herself is a very present character, even though she spends much of the novel in a coma, which proves what a good writer Kristen Bird is. She has Emily narrate chapters in a semi-awake state and does so in a believable way, which gives us a glimpse into events and thoughts leading up to her disappearance and gives us a chance to get to know her and get invested in her. I liked that because it made her so much more than some random victim.

But the real stars were the moms of the novel, who were all flawed in their own ways and resilient and worthy of cheering for in others. That dichotomy was very interesting and played very well throughout the book.

Overall, this book was a truly suspenseful read that kept me hooked from the beginning, as I became firmly invested in figuring out what was happening and uncovering the mysteries of Galveston’s high society. And it did not disappoint.

When Emily goes missing after a party one night, she leaves no trace of what happened to her. Her family used their wealth to try their best and get the answers, but to no avail-Emily is simply just gone.

Alex, Emily’s only friend, is unofficially accused of doing something to her, solely because of his past. But he, and his mom, know that he’s innocent-with no way to prove it, unlike last time.

But when Emily is found 10 weeks later, floating in the water, will she be able to tell her story of what happened to her? Not only does her family have to figure out where she’s been, but what happened to her, and who the father of her child is.

This book was good, but I had a hard time reading it. It wasn’t the books fault, I’m also watching Safe by Harlan Coben on Netflix and the stories are just so similar in my head. I kept getting them confused!!

Title: The Night She Went Missing
Author: Kristen Bird
Genre: mystery/thriller
Rating: 4 out of 5

Emily, a popular but bookish prep school senior, goes missing after a night out with friends. She was last seen leaving a party with Alex, a football player with a dubious reputation. But no one is talking.

Now three mothers, Catherine, Leslie and Morgan, friends turned frenemies, have their lives turned upside down as they are forced to look to their own children—and each other’s—for answers to questions they don’t want to ask.

Each mother is sure she knows who is responsible, but they all have their own secrets to keep and reputations to protect. And the lies they tell themselves and each other may just have the potential to be lethal.

I really enjoyed the first half of this book. The second half…got a little bit far-fetched, but I was invested in the characters at that point, so I continued reading. I thought the close-knit, wealthy community if Galveston was portrayed well. I liked the younger characters the best. The adults were a bit too much for me. This is a solid debut novel, and I’d read more from this author.

Kristen Bird lives in Texas. The Night She Went Missing is her debut novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/MIRA in exchange for an honest review.)

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