In August of 1999, a high school golden girl goes missing after a "woods party" in small-town Washington State. Because she's white and beautiful, the story goes national. Her football star boyfriend suffers as the main suspect. Despite everyone's best efforts, Clarissa is never found, dead, or alive.

More than 20 years later, Grade 11 students Blair and Cam decide to try a true crime podcast about their hometown legend, not realizing how close to home things might come, and who might not want the story stirred up.

So.....echoes of Good Girl's Guide to Murder, right? I thought so, too, to the point that I may have rolled my eyes and put the book down. I am so very glad I went back to it. The characters here are drawn better. The relationships around Cam and Blair are really important, as well as the one between them. Cam's single mom, Reenie, is a firecracker of a character, and I really appreciated her gradual entrance into the modern story. There are all sorts of red herrings, but there is also some important intersectionality. One of the threads here is about the coverage that Clarissa's death gets, when there are many missing and murdered Indigenous women in the Pacific Northwest. There's a great moment when Cam asks another character exactly which tribe's spiritual practice they are appropriating at their high-end retreat. And of course, there is the presence of a First Nation with a sign indicating that no vampires are allowed on their lands. (It is the Pacific Northwest, people).
In short, this is fun, snarky and charming and a pretty good mystery to boot, but also manages to ask some important questions and make you think. My favourite kind of read.
This comes out March 7. Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the e-arc.

2.5/3 stars (rounded up to 3 on here)

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the Advanced Copy in exchange for an honest review!

The synopsis of this book really brought me in and it sounded like it was going to be such a good book! It had everything that I usually love, YA Mystery/thriller, true crime in a podcast, LGBTQ rep; however, this one was just not for me. It took me forever to read it and it was just so difficult to connect with any of the characters. Cam is an annoying character who just bulldozes ahead without thinking of any of the consequences. I understand that podcasts are a popular thing, but to go on and post a podcast without the approval of your co person and to get your family into legal trouble by posting without thinking of the consequences was just too juvenile for me. Another part that took away from the book was the long chapters. Like I’m talking 20-30 minute chapters that just felt like they dragged on. I understand how the author was trying to separate the chapters by podcast episodes; however I feel like there might have been a better way to do that instead of dragging the chapters along.

What starts as a high school class assignment becomes much more as best friends Cameron Munoz and Blair Johnson make a podcast delving into the disappearance of a popular local teen, Clarissa Campbell, over 20 years earlier.

Everyone knows everyone in small town Oreville, Washington, and the fact that Clarissa Campbell's case is still unsolved after all these years doesn't sit well with residents. Of course, there are also those happy that it's long gone cold.

I realize that I'm not part of the target audience, but I found this read lacking for several reasons:
- In general, everything is overdrawn.
- Characters are painted with a broad brush and are very stereotypical.
- It's not realistic that people would spill their souls and secrets to two teenage girls.
- The author tries to hit on too many social issues and doesn't do justice to any of them. Among those covered are race, sexuality, police bashing, and unethical/immoral educators. The author repeatedly makes the same point with each just in case you missed it the first few times.

My thanks to Wednesday Books for granting me access to a DRC via NetGalley. The novel is scheduled to be published 3/7/23. All opinions stated in this review are my own and are freely given.

Missing Clarissa by Ripley Jones

Published: March 7, 2023
Wednesday Books
Genre: YA Thriller
Pages: 249
KKECReads Rating: 5/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Ripley Jones is a person of interest.

“Everybody loves a dead girl.”

Cam and Blair are best friends and have been for years. When Cam suggests they create a podcast investigating a 20-year-old case, Blair isn’t sure but knows arguing with Cam will only waste her time. But the deeper they probe, the murkier the water gets. And now, they may find themselves alone with a killer.

This book was excellent! Very intense and fast-paced. I enjoyed the build-up and how the story was told. Ripley is a gifted storyteller.

I loved Cam. She is so endearing. I loved that she was so bright, that she was awkward, and that most people misunderstood her. Blair was a stereotypical tee aw girl. Insecure and filled with self-doubt. But together, they brought out the best in each other.

This was a powerful story about friendship, family, and overcoming being told no or you can’t. I found the themes of this book excellent and relevant.

This fast-paced story takes off and builds intensity with each page. The free fall toward the end was so beautifully executed. The way everything came together was so seamless and smooth. But the facts had all been there.

This was such a well-written book. Ripley Jones has earned herself a new fan.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader copy of Missing Clarissa by Ripley Jones in exchange for an honest review. This was a gripping cold case story. I really enjoyed the mystery and was pulled in from the very beginning.

If you're a fan of A Good Girls Guide To Murder then pick up Missing Clarissa. It's and intriguing YA murder mystery with good bones. The writting style was captivating and so was the mystery at hand. It had a few stumbles but the reveal was satidfying and worth the time invested.

I found this to be a quick, thrilling read. I love true crime podcasts and books centering around true crime podcasts. I wish that there was more of the podcast in the book but overall it was still an enjoyable read.

I have tried to read this one a few times. I finally pushed through today and this book just didn't really work for me.
I can tell the narrative stile of alternating between characters' thoughts without it being very clear will be an issue for my high school readers. I found it difficult to connect with any of the characters in depth and for the first half or more CAM is particularly annoying. I can possibly see the authors attempt at presenting her this way but in the end I don't want to spend time analyzing an author's choice instead of absorbing the other details and mysteries in the book.
Bummer - our sophomore English classes record pod casts as an assignment so I loved the hook of this one being centered on two student pod casters.
Thanks so much for the ARC!

This was adorable. Can mysteries and detective-esque stories about a girl gone missing be called adorable? Yes, because when have I ever cared about convention?

Missing Clarissa has a story centered around Clarissa Campbell, a girl missing since 1999 when she was seventeen. Because no body was ever found, no crime can be proven and no charges were ever filed — but that has not stopped the story and investigation around Clarissa's disappearance to turn into the stuff of local legend.

Cameron Muñoz and Blair Johnson are assigned a project in their Journalism class — and they've decided on creating a podcast documenting their own investigation to see what happened to missing Clarissa.

Jones has worked up a story that brought up so much nostalgia for me when I was a younger reader. Her narrative, her characters, and her mystery were all very on par with The Nancy Drew Files, the 1986 reboot of the original series, but one that came with a heightened sense of danger, bigger adventures, and more romance. I began devouring that series when I was in fourth grade and can still (decades later) remember scenes from many of those books, name or recognize the titles, and imagine the covers.

The mystery is pretty easy to solve (I named the killer from the moment that person was mentioned in the text), but like so many other mysteries . . . the enjoyment comes from following this crew of amateur detectives around as they figure it out themselves. Jones has a great cast of characters, and is especially brilliant with her two main characters, Cam and Blair. These two young woman are not only believable, but they display (along with a few others) that particular way of existing only sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds can inhabit. I loved the passion and the vibrancy injected into these teens. And likewise, the adults were well developed in their own right. I loved the hesitancy, the weariness, and the fierceness in many of the adults in Cam's and Blair's lives.

The pacing is delightfully brisk, the writing is easy but intelligent, which can be a difficult balance. The narrative took an interesting angle with point of view and distance from the narrator — who was mainly zooming in and out of the two key characters with a lively omniscience. But, as the story progressed and the mystery opened up, Jones played around even more and allowed the helicoptering POV to land on many of the people Cam and Blair met along the way. This was a brilliant angle on adding in the cinematic element without losing momentum. This was a really fun and charming YA mystery, and I hope to see more from Jones in the future.

MISSING CLARISSA was a quick and entertaining read for me! I was super invested in figuring out what happened to Clarissa.

The only thing I didn’t like was that this book is about a Podcast called Missing Clarissa but there was barely any of the podcast format in the book which was disappointing.

There was a lot about this book that I could nitpick and there were definitely some points that could have been flushed out better but I just took it how it is and I enjoyed it!

Twenty years ago while at a high school party in the woods, Clarissa Campbell disappears. No body, no blood, no sign of her or what could have happened that night.

Fast forward to the present, high schoolers Blair and Cameron decide to make a podcast called Missing Clarissa. They interview those close to Clarissa and research, attempting to solve this long cold case. But what started as a journalism project quickly escalates to more.

This was a really enjoyable book, and at less than 250 pages with a fast pace it was also a quick read.

It seems like podcast centered books are becoming more common and I’m here for it. I wish this one had been formatted a little differently but I was still happy that we got snippets of their podcast throughout the chapters. It was a pretty good balance of showing the podcast while also following the girls as they investigated.

The mystery itself was engaging and had a nice build up. Even though I had figured it out it was still well done and I enjoyed seeing it play out.

But what really made this book for me was Cam and Blair. Cam is my favorite type of lovable weirdo, she’s intelligent and loyal but socially awkward. While Blair was more the “people person” with an abundance of patience and kindness. They balanced each other while also appreciating what they each brought to the table. Their friendship and dynamic was so fun to read!

Overall this was a great debut and I can’t wait for more from Ripley!

The setting of MISSING CLARISSA, the small town of Oreville, is my favorite aspect of the book. I think it accurately captures the highs and lows of small-town life, where everyone knows your business but also cares about you.

This aspect of small-town life can occasionally be overdone in stories and turn into a bit of a caricature. However, Oreville seems familiar and plausible.

Besties Cam and Blair have teamed up to work on their high school journalism project together. Cam has the brilliant idea of creating a true crime podcast based on the disappearance of Clarissa Campbell from 20 years ago. Blair doesn't take Cam too seriously at first but as the girls start asking questions and digging deeper, they find that there are plenty of secrets buried from the past that hold clues to Clarissa's disappearance. The problem is: how far will Cam go to find the truth?

This is a YA novel with all the teenage angst of friendship, boyfriend and girlfriend problems and teenage insecurity. What was hard for me to believe (as an adult) was how 2 teenage girls were able to get adults to not only agree to speak to them but also let them interview them about the events from 20 years ago. But teens will likely enjoy this fast paced murder story.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this early review copy. The book will be available on 3/7/23.

A good, fast true crime-y read. The MCs were grating, though, yeah, they're teenage girls. Plot felt like it lacked cohesion. Still fairly gripping.

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.

Missing Clarissa
Ripley Jones
4⭐️

Blurb: In August of 1999, dazzlingly popular cheerleader Clarissa Campbell disappears from a party in the woods outside the rural town of Oreville, Washington and is never seen againOver twenty years later, Oreville high-school juniors and best friends Blair and Cameron start a true crime podcast, determined to unravel the story of what—or who—happened to this rural urban legend. In the process they uncover a nest of dirty small-town secrets.

“Everybody loves a dead girl.”

What a fun, fast paced, thrilling read this was. I don’t read a ton of YA but this definitely made me want to read more. It’s shorter (<300 pages) so it was the perfect one day binge read. Good thing, cause I didn’t want to put it down until I knew whodunnit. I loved the small town setting, and all of the secrets it held. I thought the story and the characters were well written. Everything was paced just right to keep me engaged and the pages effortlessly turning. I loved that it had me literally guessing (wrong) to the very end.

What I enjoyed;
🔎 Twisty YA Thriller/Mystery
🔎 True Crime/Podcast
🔎 Bestie Detectives
🔎 LGBTQ Rep

Pub Date: 3/7/23 - Missing Clarissa was a solid debut that I think will appeal to not only YA readers but some thriller/mystery readers as well.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press & Wednesday Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

"Perfect for fans of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, Ripley Jones's Missing Clarissa is a gripping novel about two friends who start a true crime podcast - with dangerous consequences.

In August of 1999, dazzlingly popular cheerleader Clarissa Campbell disappears from a party in the woods outside the rural town of Oreville, Washington and is never seen again. The police question her friends, teachers, and the adults who knew her - who all have something to hide. And thanks to Clarissa’s beauty, the mystery captures the attention of the nation. But with no leads and no body, the case soon grows cold. Despite the efforts of internet sleuths and true-crime aficionados, Clarissa is never found - dead or alive.

Over twenty years later, Oreville high-school juniors and best friends Blair and Cameron start a true crime podcast, determined to unravel the story of what - or who - happened to this rural urban legend. In the process they uncover a nest of dirty small-town secrets, the sordid truth of Clarissa's relationship with her charismatic boyfriend, and a high school art teacher turned small-town figurehead who had a very good reason for wanting Clarissa dead. Such a good reason, in fact, that they might have to make him the highlight of their next episode...

But does an ugly history with a missing girl make him guilty of murder? Or are two teenage girls about to destroy the life of an innocent man - and help the true killer walk free?"

Fictional true crime is my new jam because I get the true crime aspect but I am also guaranteed a solution.

Happy publication day to Ripley Jones and their debut novel, Missing Clarissa! 3/5 stars

In the summer of 1999 student, Clarissa, goes missing. She is presumed murdered, but has never been found. Twenty years later, students at her alma mater decide to start a podcast for their journalism class assignment, trying to uncover what happened to Clarissa.

Cam and Blair are opposites, but best friends. I really liked how the author put Cam and Blair into discovering what happened, but not only that, but encountering how other people were feeling about Clarissa's disappearance. For both girls the podcast becomes more than an assignment, it becomes a matter of justice and knowing what happened to give closure to everyone in Clarissa's life. I thought the author did a great job writing this. I found that both main characters read a little young. I think they were supposed to be 16 years old, and while some decisions they made seemed 16 years old, some were totally impulsive and not 16 at all.

The one thing I did struggle with in this book was the way it was laid out. The chapters are by podcast episode, but I think it could have done with perhaps sections being podcast episodes, with smaller chapters. I also think some mixed media could have been worked in, especially with the podcast aspect. I would also be interested in hearing the audiobook of this, and if there is a cast of characters.

Overall, this was a good debut novel by Ripley Jones. If you are a fan of books like A Good Girls Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson, this one would be a good choice for you! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this book. All opinions are 100% mine.

This book is about 2 friends who start a true crime podcast determined to discover who killed Clarissa 20 years ago.
The characters were believable (snotty teenagers) but annoying. I believe this book is better suited for young teenage girls. A lot of the storyline was unbelievable for someone my age.

Admittedly, I don't know how I feel about this book. It follows two high school girls Blair and Cam (are they 16 or 18? I have no idea, but one page says they're 18 the next is 16), and their podcast into the disappearance of Clarissa Campbell.
A gripping thriller that had me desperately wanting answers. However, I found myself kind of disappointed with how it unraveled? It just felt like there should've been something more. I also found Cam, really annoying, far too impulsive for her own good and then wouldn't understand why her behaviour was wrong.
Premise and the thriller aspect of this was great, execution was also great until we got to the end reveal, maybe I would've liked it more with foreshadowing, or better pacing. Anyway, 3.5, maybe a 3.


Thank you Netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.