WOWWWWW. This novel was so intense! Very suspenseful and mysterious. The writing style was fantastic and the storyline was one that really made you think and gave you a shock at the end. Excellent!!

A solid 3.5⭐ but I've rounded down to a 3 for a few reasons.

Blair and Cam are best friends. Blair is kind and empathetic. She has dreams of being a writer, but her insecurities have kept her from sharing this dream with anyone, even Cam. Cam is brash and arrogant. We are told that she is highly intelligent but we do not directly see this in the writing. She is impulsive and judgmental. The characters mention that while Cam isnt a nice person she is a good person which is hopeful for her character. She does seem to grow and mellow out a little when she begins to date.

The girls have a project for their Journalism class. They have decided, or well Cam decided, that their project would be a podcast about a local girl who went missing twenty years ago. Clarissa was the popular cheerleader who had a wild streak. Everyone who knew her said she was a kind person, a great artist. The night she disappeared she had been fighting with her boyfriend, Brad, which made him suspect number one to the authorities. There were also rumors swirling about a teacher who was too close to some of the girls, Clarissa included. Clarissa was at a party in the woods, did I mention that this novel is set in the PNW with all the gloomy forests and winding roads? I digress, the party in the woods, a place where the kids still party twenty years later, was well attended. She was seen by a great number of people and then she wasn't. All of a sudden she disappeared right in front of everyone's eyes.

Cam and Blair, twenty years after Clarissa's disappearance, embark on their podcast. At first for a grade, but as they get deeper they begin to want to find Clarissa for justice, to help heal those affected most by her disappearance. Sticking their noses into the lives of the people left isn't the safest endeavor the girls find.

I like the plot, it's engaging and kept me engaged through all 500+ pages (!) in the Next Galley app. I did feel that the descriptions were long winded and could have been cut short, which would help with the length a little. Cam's character is very abrasive. I'm not sure if that was intended but she's much more likable towards the end of the novel. I also wish that the podcast scenes were more fleshed out. Half the time I don't even realize that the girls are recording a podcast episode until they've put it up. I just feel like high school seniors doing a project would be taking this more seriously. They put the same thought into their podcast episodes that I put into an IG story post and less than I put into my book reviews.

I would recommend this to thriller lovers and those that enjoy the PNW setting.

A huge thanks to Net Galley, St. Martin's / Wednesday Books and of course the author for providing an e-ARC for my review purposes. This did not influence my review in any way.

This is a fun, easy to read YA mystery/thriller with likable main characters. If you liked "The Good Girls Guide to Murder", you'll probably enjoy this one too. The central story is pretty much the same--teenagers start a podcast to try and solve a local disappearance. The mystery is more simplistic, but it gives more time to commentary on why certain murdered women gain more media attention, and I thought it made some interesting points. It's a very fast read and the story could have benefitted from more fleshing-out, but it's fun.

This was an amazing debut that both young adults and adults will love. I enjoyed the mystery of Clarissa and how the two best friends were seeking the truth that no one else had found. I especially loved the layout of the book with each chapter being an episode of the podcast they were creating.

I liked both of the MCs, Blair and Cameron, and how different they were but still were best friends. This is a pretty fast-paced book and will have you speed reading to try to figure out the mystery. There were a lot of suspects and small-town secrets in this that kept the book interesting. The writing was also very good and reminded me a little of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder.

The one thing that took the book down from a 5-star rating to a 4-star was how obvious the ending was - but maybe that was just me. A non-seasoned mystery/thriller reader might never have seen it coming. But as a true crime lover, criminal justice degree-holder, and mystery aficionado - the obvious suspect stuck out to me immediately. I still did enjoy the twists at the ending and how the girl's wrapped everything up. The author includes a lot of other current event issues in the book as well which seemed a little preachy at times but they were well-made statements that could get the younger generation more involved.

Overall, I highly recommend this book if you are a fan of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder and other similar YA mystery/thrillers. It is a quick read and will keep you entertained throughout the entire story! I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more books by this author.

I'm an adult who reads a great many mystery/thrillers. What's unique about this one, MISSING CLARISSA, is that it appeals to both YA and adults. In fact, this would be a good one for my 13yo granddaughter.
The book also brings the craze for podcasts about everything into the plot, with two teens, working on a a school journalism project, decide a podcast would be the perfect form of media.
They latch on to a mystery in the town from years back, when a popular cheerleader goes missing during a party in the woods.
I also like that many of the townspeople still remain in the town, which gave the girls a lot to investigate.
They learn, along the way, that danger can come with any age.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC of this title.

Missing Clarissa is about a cold case from 1999 that involves a missing girl from a small town. The case is enough to capture national attention when it happened, but now over 20 years later it is still town talk but nothing more. Two students needing to find a subject for a journalism assignment decide to create a podcast to figure out what happened.

Overall, the store read pretty fast, but it was a bit on the uneven side. This story handled the podcast aspect a bit differently from books such as Sadie or A Good Girl's Guide to Murder and because it was handled differently it didn't create the same spark in the storytelling. Also, some of the chapters had randomly placed interludes about secondary characters that I felt created a disjointed reading experience.

To me it's a solid three stars, not one to bowl me over, but not terrible either.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books for this ARC.

I first heard about "Missing Clarissa" by Ripley Jones on a website while looking for upcoming released books. I read the synopsis and I was hooked. When I found it on NetGalley I was elated. There are many books that bring podcasts into the forefront, but "Missing Clarissa" puts a refreshing take on it. The characters are loveable and relatable. Set to be for a YA demographic, "Missing Clarissa" will be one adults will enjoy as well. With many twists and turns it is a book to devour in one sitting. "Missing Clarissa" is a book that will stay with me for awhile.

Super fun mystery - more than a YA Thriller, really interesting and fun plot.
Missing Clarissa introduces us to some strong high school aged characters. Blair and Cameron are still finding themselves in their small high school in. Oreville, Washington and as best friends, naturally team up to work together on a Journalism project. Brilliant Cameron always wants to go big, and plans a podcast that covers the disappearance of Clarissa Campbell in 1999 - a popular and beautiful caucasian cheerleader.

As Clarissa was never found, the disappearance is not labeled a kidnapping nor a murder. Blair and Cameron begin questioning all the locals still around and connected to that fateful night. There is a lot of interesting personal information about the two as they begin to grow into themselves but it's not done with a heavy hand and I enjoyed their journey. The whole story was fun and thrilling ! If you like a podcast based thriller, love the small town mystery, or want to read a new up and coming author, Missing Clarissa is for you! #MissingClarissa #RipleyJones #STMartins

Missing Clarissa was SO. SO. SO. good. It had me on the edge of my seat from the beginning until the very end!

Missing Clarissa starts off in 1999 when high school student Clarissa goes missing. The case was never solved because Clarissa is never found. Flash forward to present day two high school students Blair and Cameron want to know what happened to Clarissa. So they start a true crime podcast called Missing Clarissa. And soon dirty secrets are exposed.

Overall I thought this was a really good YA mystery/thriller book. I keep reading because I wanted to find out what happened and I thought the plot was interesting enough. But here is where I think it went wrong...it is way to similar to A Good Girls Guide to Murder. A Good Girls Guide to Murder is one of my favorite YA mystery/thriller books. Essentially these books have the same vibes just different characters. So if I were to pick one I would have to choose A Girls Guide to Murder becuase, that book was just better. But by no means am I saying this book was bad, I do think it is worth the read. However, it was just too similar for me. 
Thank you Netgalley, Wednesday Books, and Ripley Jones for the ARC of this book.

Do you love True Crime? Are you addicted to True Crime Podcasts? Do you consider yourself a true crime sleuth. ? If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, this book is for you!

It was 1999, the school year was coming to an end, students were graduating and that meant a party in the woods. What was supposed to be a fun night turned into tragedy.

Beautiful, talented, Clarissa went into the woods and was never seen again. It's as though she disappeared into thin air. She was never heard from again nor was her body found.

It's been 20 years since Clarissa went missing and the little rural town of Oreville, Washington hasn't forgotten. A new generation knows the story of the popular cheerleader who went missing. A school assignment leads Blair and Cameron into producing a True Crime Podcast about Clarissa. The slowly uncover secrets the town holds but will it be enough to find justice?

The story is told from different point of views. It's fast paced and a great addition to YA books.

This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. This book is a teenage thriller with secrets…missing teen…lies…red herrings…guessing…friendship…the story moves slowly…I did not get into it totally…the two main characters were distracting with their making a podcast and their sleuthing…no real linear story.

Totally A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder vibes with the main character trying to figure out where Clarissa is while also making a podcast about it. This book touches on some social issues which adds to the storyline in my opinion. At first I didn’t understand Cam and the way she reacted to certain characters but you soon find out. However, she is very spontaneous and sometimes it was too much and didn’t always think her plans through!

I couldn’t put this one down. I love a good mystery and this book had several twists.

Clarissa Campbell vanished without a trace in 1999. She was last seen at a party in the woods in rural Washington state. Clarissa was a beautiful and popular cheerleader and her disappearance made national news.

Blair and Cameron are high school students who decide to do a podcast looking into Clarissas disappearance for their journalism class twenty years later. They decide to question the police and her friends and teachers to get a look at her life.

They will discover that people in their small town are keeping secrets. Someone doesn’t want the truth about Clarissa to come out and will go to great lengths to keep their secrets hidden.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Fun mystery that was a pretty realistic representation of being a teenager! I enjoyed both main characters and think that my students will enjoy this too.

Missing Clarissa by Ripley Jones was easy-to-read and engaging. The podcast storyline was deftly crafted into a fun mystery with some refreshing twists. The heroes of the book are teenage girls dealing with relationships, school assignments, and a decades old unsolved murder. Their activities to create an A+ journalism assignment are simultaneously fun, scary, and heartbreaking to follow as the villains in the story are revealed. An entertaining read!

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this intriguing ARC.

I am a true crime podcast lover through and through so when I saw the description of this book I was all in. Two best friends who have a podcast unknowingly helping a killer…sign me up!

Clarissa is a popular, beautiful cheerleader living her best life. However her life takes a tragic turn when she disappears during a party. Despite best efforts to solve the mystery, she is never found and no valid leads come up and the case goes cold. Fast forward 20+ years later when 2 best friends bring the case on their podcast. However, it turns into much more than they bargained for. They center their focus on a teacher at the high school. Is he the killer or are they helping the real killer escape without consequence?

This story had such promise but for me, it didn’t live up to my expectations. The narrative was hard to follow at times and the plot was pretty predictable. Character development was shallow at best and I was unable to feel connected with any of them. Based on the reviews, many people did enjoy this, so if it sounds intriguing to you it might be worth a try.

Thank you to NetGalley + Wednesday Books for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

"Almost everybody loves a dead pretty white girl."

Clarissa has been gone for years, but nobody knows for sure what happened to her. Cam and Blair decide to create an investigative podcast for their journalism class analyzing the case, but then there's a problem: they become invested. At what lengths will people go to keep them quiet?

This gave strong "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder" vibes, but even with that connection, I really enjoyed it! Cam and Blair are realistic main characters who aren't perfect but you end up rooting for. Worth a read!

CW: death, murder, gun violence, missing person, sexual assault/grooming

I received a free copy of, Missing Clarissa, by Ripley Jones, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. In the summer of August 1999, high school student Clarissa is murdered. Twenty years later two of her classmates start a podcast about her murder. Can and Blair think they are doing the right thing, but are they. A great read, kept me on the edge of my seat.

"A gripping novel about two best friends start a true crime podcast—only to realize they may have helped a killer in the process."

Definitely similar vibes to AGGGTM which I absolutely loved. The plot was super predictable but I enjoyed the book nonetheless. I enjoyed the focus on white women syndrome, the complicated ethics of true crime podcasts and the rampant epidemic of predator teachers. I struggled with some of the writing as there was a lot of run on sentences and I felt the plot was a knock off of Holly Jackson's.

Thank you to NetGalley & Wednesday Books for the ARC.