I enjoyed the premise of this book as podcasts are very popular right now and I liked the idea of high schoolers looking in to a local crime from years ago.

I wasn't a fan of the characters though. Cam was stubborn, narrow-minded, and rarely thought about the consequences of her actions. She just bulldozed through anything and anyone she felt was in her way.

The book was also a little slow for me. The ending was predictable and didn't have the twists and surprises I would have liked to see.

Thank you Net Galley and Wednesday books for the e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Back in August of 1999, the whole town of Oreville, Washington was shaken when Clarissa Campbell, the beloved and incredibly popular cheerleader, vanished without a trace during a party in the nearby woods. Despite extensive efforts, her disappearance remains an unsolved mystery to this day, leaving the community forever haunted by the unanswered questions surrounding her fate.

Fast forward over two decades, and we find ourselves in the present day. Blair and Cameron, inseparable best friends who attend Oreville High School, embark on an ambitious project: a true crime podcast that aims to delve deep into the enigmatic urban legend surrounding Clarissa Campbell's disappearance. Their determination leads them down a rabbit hole of dark secrets, exposing the hidden underbelly of this small town. As they peel back the layers of the past, Blair and Cameron uncover the shocking truth about Clarissa's tumultuous relationship with her charming boyfriend. More disturbingly, they stumble upon a small-town art teacher who not only holds a prominent position but also had a compelling motive for wanting Clarissa dead. The duo realize that this teacher might just become the captivating centerpiece of their next podcast episode, given the depth of his involvement and the secrets he harbors.

With each revelation, Blair and Cameron find themselves on a treacherous path, unearthing the twisted history of their community and putting themselves at risk in pursuit of the truth. The lines between justice, vengeance, and their own safety blur as they navigate the dangerous terrain of Oreville's secrets, all while aiming to bring closure to a decades-old mystery.

The characters in this book have an incredible ability to captivate you and stir your emotions. It was such a delightful, quick, and effortless read. I breezed through it within a few hours, completely engrossed in every aspect of the story. I was so deeply invested that I never paused to try and predict the ending before reaching it.

I definitely plan on reading more books by this author in the future, and I want to extend a big thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My thanks to Netgalley, Wednesday books and Ripley Jones for providing me with an e-arc for review. My apologies for being late.

I opted to do this on audio while reading the e-arc and it was a good experience, I really enjoyed the podcast element at the end of each chapter. You do have to suspend some disbelief that after years these high schoolers are able to quickly solve the murder but it plays out nicely. The MC's are slightly unlikeable but do have a little growth throughout the story. Overall it was a fun read/listen.

This was a weird read for me., wanting to love it., was hard at times to keep reading but got thru it.
The last quarter of the book was more exciting and the story was moving a lot quicker then the first 3/4.
I did enjoy it in the end!!

Missing Clarissa is a captivating novel that delves into the dangerous world of true crime podcasting. With its intriguing premise, complex characters, and a web of secrets waiting to be unraveled, this book is a thrilling ride from start to finish.

The story opens with the disappearance of Clarissa Campbell, a popular cheerleader, which quickly becomes a national sensation. Fast forward over two decades, and we meet Blair and Cameron, best friends and high-school juniors, who embark on a true crime podcast journey to uncover the truth behind Clarissa's vanishing. The author skillfully weaves together the past and the present, building suspense and leaving readers eager to uncover the hidden secrets of the small town of Oreville, Washington.

Blair and Cameron are compelling protagonists, driven by their curiosity and determination to seek justice for Clarissa. Their dynamic friendship and shared passion for true crime make them relatable and engaging. As they dig deeper into the mystery, they expose a dark underbelly of secrets, unearthing connections that lead to unexpected twists and turns.

Jones masterfully constructs a cast of characters, each with their own hidden motives and intricate relationships. From the enigmatic boyfriend to the influential high school teacher, the author creates a rich tapestry of suspects, keeping readers guessing and questioning everyone's innocence. The complexities of the characters make for a thought-provoking exploration of the blurred lines between guilt and innocence.

The writing style in Missing Clarissa is engaging and immersive, drawing readers into the heart of the investigation. The pacing is well-executed, with a perfect balance between the present-day podcasting efforts and the past events surrounding Clarissa's disappearance. The author's attention to detail and vivid descriptions paint a vivid picture of the small town, its residents, and the haunting mystery that has plagued them for years.

One of the highlights of this novel is its ability to tackle larger themes within the framework of a gripping mystery. Jones skillfully explores the impact of secrets, the power of public perception, and the consequences of unchecked curiosity. These deeper layers add depth and complexity to the story, elevating it beyond a mere whodunit.

If I were to offer any critique, it would be that at times the plot may feel slightly predictable, adhering to some of the conventions of the genre. However, this does not detract from the overall enjoyment of the book, as the execution and the characters make up for any minor predictability.

Missing Clarissa is a mystery of a girl who had went missing 20 year before this book takes place we follow Cam and Blair as they start a podcast for a class over the case. This book had me second guessing myself and has so much more going on then a missing person going on.. With that said at time this story felt like it was dragging a bit and felt like maybe we wouldn't get to know what happened to Clarissa, but that ending was tensed, but kind of felt rushed a bit. With that said it did suck me in at point and i had to force myself to put it down so I could get some sleep. so over all i give this book 4 stars

Missing Clarissa gives the same type of vibes as A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, but in the best way! Two girls, tasked to "create something" for their journalism assignment, decide they want to look into an old unsolved mystery of their town - what happened to Clarissa? Did she run away? Was she killed? If so, who killed her? Why?

This was told through both girls' point of views in (mostly) alternating chapters. In addition to researching the crime (and everything that comes with that), each girl has their own specific kind of struggles to deal with as well. Will their friendship survive? Better yet, will they?

Missing Clarissa
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Thriller
Author: Ripley Jones
GR: 3.56

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

My Thoughts: This novel is premised on two teenagers doing a podcast on a twenty-year old podcast as a project for a class grade. What develops from the podcast is so much more. This is more of a slow burn mystery with most of the action occurring in the latter half of the book.

The story is told in past (cold case crime) and the present. Cam has made some questionable decisions, even as a teenager, however, she is sociable, although immature, and envies the time Blair spends with James. Blair really wants to be a writer but she is insecure and her parents are not the most supportive of her dreams. While they are different, they work well together, with their personalities playing off one another to make a strong podcast team. This town is no different from any other town, it has secrets. The characters were developed well, mysterious, and creative. The characters, even some of the adults, were a bit immature, while this is a Young Adult novel and you expect a level of this, it just seemed to be more than the norm. The story had some twists, but mostly in the last part of the story.

Overall, this was a good story, I just wanted to see more sooner with more twists to keep the interest throughout the novel. I would like to have seen some of the past chapters told from Clarissa’s perspective, I think it would have added another layer to the story. The ending was a tad predictable. The audience this story is geared towards would be teens, and I would recommend picking up to read, or even listen to.

WOW! So, as an adult school librarian who loves YA books, I always feel like I need to give a disclaimer at the beginning of my YA reviews. This is written for teens so it's not John Grisham, nor should it be. The original disappearance is set in 1999, the year I graduated high school. How could I not read this?

That disclaimer given:

Missing Clarissa is a book that I cannot wait to get in my high school library. It has plentiful representation (which a lot of students are looking for, even though it can feel a bit obvious to an adult), an LGBTQIA+ storyline, and a solid mystery. The tagline on the front of the book is also intriguing. "Everyone loves a dead girl." Using the lens of a podcast is an innovative idea.

The main characters (Cam and Blair) are savvy and do solve the mystery through their investigation after some missteps that even my students will sigh at. Cam in particular is impulsive to a fault. Blair is more relatable in my opinion. They're fairly typical high school journalists. It has a bit of a Nancy Drew feel for those old enough to get that reference. The adults are very forthcoming, the kids are very know-it-all. Like Nancy Drew.

Overall a good book that I could see my teens checking out at the school library.

This was a fun, twisty read. I did have to keep reminding myself that the girls were in highschool though because certain things kept driving me crazy but they totally tracked with the age / mindset.

While true crime podcasts don't usually pique my interest, this story did. I felt like parts of the story dragged a little bit but the end more than made up for it. I do read a lot of young adult, but the characters in this book read a bit younger than what I expected. I would say that's the only negative though. If you like murder mysteries, true crime podcasts, then I would recommend this book.

Yo, this isn’t really usual for me. While I love thrillers, I don’t think I’ve ever read one that was funny? But it wasn’t funny because of the subject matter? It was because one of the main characters was annoying? I found myself laughing at her so I didn’t get mad. As someone who majored in Mass Communication, her whole blase’ attitude wasn’t for me.

The very best part about this was the podcast. I have such a weird relationship with podcasts lol I like them when they’re in books. Even more so when the book is a mystery or thriller. But when they’re in real life, I just don’t like them. I think it’s because the menz have ruined them for me. But anyway, when I saw there was one in this book, I needed to read it. And the podcast didn’t disappoint. I think it was the way they had no idea what they were doing. And the way people said they sounded like they recorded in a bathroom. The author just made it seem like these are everyday teens who could do this. And I love it. It lets teens know they too can start something big like this.

Buttttt I didn’t like the characters. Again, they had no idea what they were doing. They were doing all they could to figure it out. But what I didn’t like was they just went off vibes only. They just JUMPED and didn’t think about anything first. Well at least one of them. I was happy that there was two of them and they were able to bounce ideas off each other and help each other come to different realizations. They were the true definition of partners. But the one that just did the things and didn’t think about the consequences? I was glad that they showed the truth of what could really happen. And I was glad that they showed that it wasn’t them, but they were still a shitty person. Because they were shitty, but not for that. And anyone working a case like this will most definitely run into that.

As for the mystery, I think I was so into it because of the cold case aspect of it. It sounds weird and possibly morbid, but my favorite shows are Unsolved Mysteries and anything to do with like mysteries that have been unsolved for years and then something happens and they’re able to catch the person who did it. And this was basically one of those shows in book forms. I do think the way it was played out and the way the author helped them solve it was pretty bad ass tho. Definitely seemed like it was plucked off a show. But it seemed a bit advanced for some teens lol

There is a romance storyline there, but I thought it was unnecessary? Like it was just there to be sure that there was one? And I hated that because one of them was an LGBTQ relationship, and the other was a toxic relationship that gave me the ick from the first page. I just feel like they were unnecessary. Especially since they had nothing to do with the mystery. They were just there. Making them more fleshed out could have made the book longer. Or cutting them and making them just friends wouldn’t have made any difference.

The narrators for this were amazing. I don’t know, it’s just something about a full cast. No matter what the characters are, even if they annoy me like this one did, I was still enthralled because of the narrators. I know they were just the interviewee’s, but they still gave some difference to the book and it was fun to see how each of them were able to play their own individual parts.

There was some space for another book at the end tho. Hopefully since they’ve learned lessons in this one and know better, maybe things would be better. The only thing missing……… Another true crime that needs to be solved. I guess we’ll have to see what the author decides.

I dont even know where to start with this review, I wasnt expecting to love this story as much as I did. Its a wild story, full of secrets and deception.

Best friends, Cam and Blair, are making a podcast about the twenty-year-old cold case of Clarissa Campbell, who’s been missing since the night of a senior graduation party in the local woods of Oreville, Washington in 1999. Clarissa was a popular cheerleader dating a popular football player and her life seemed perfect to outsiders. Mr. Park, journalism teacher, has assigned a project to his students and that’s why Cam came up with the cold case podcast idea. Blair and Cam are dealing with their own personal struggles but become devoted to figuring out Clarissa’s story. They soon realize they’re in over their heads and that they’re in danger themselves.
5 stars!

Enjoyable, twisting, turning, red herrings. So many suspects, and so much time has passed. Two girls start a podcast and focus on a missing girl from their mothers' high school years. This was an intense, fun read.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for the ARC!

I wasn't expecting to enjoy this nearly as much as I did. I ended up listening to the audio from my library after the publish date. I'm so glad I did because this story has a podcast element. I highly recommend the audiobook version. I enjoyed the characters. I liked that the few things that annoyed me about the two main characters were mostly resolved by the end of the story. The story was well-paced and the clues, hints, and twists were well-timed and kept me interested and wanting to know more. I definitely recommend this one for mystery/thriller fans.

This book has so many elements that I enjoy in a mystery: amateur sleuths, unlikely friendships, true crime vibes, a small town, and an interesting cold case.

I really enjoyed the two main characters Blair and Cameron; their friendship is an important element in the book and what made this book so enjoyable for me. As they dig into this cold case, they are navigating their own relationships and finding their footing in a new podcast partnership; which (of course) puts pressure on their friendship.

The mystery itself is interesting; they take a methodical approach to working the case - interviewing one suspect at a time and then following the next lead that uncovers - and that in turn works well in the story.

I really enjoyed the transcripts of the podcast episodes, especially the early ones - those were a fun element to read.

Definitely pick this up if you enjoy true crime podcasts (or the fictional equivalent). This fictional mystery still had that true crime vibe to it.

I just saw that there will be another book coming out next year featuring this crime-fighting duo, looking forward to it!

Missing Clarissa is about two friends who decide to make a podcast about a girl who went missing over twenty years ago as a class project. This book reminded me of A Good Girl's Guide to murder.

I’ve really enjoyed thrillers a lot more recently. I highly recommend picking up Missing Clarissa if you’re into Jessica Goodman’s books!!

This was a quick, enjoyable read with a good amount of suspense, even if I was able to guess the outcomes of the plot fairly quickly. The thriller & mystery elements of this novel are very similar to other YA entries in the genre, but are still enjoyable. I appreciated the podcast portions of the story, especially with the dialogue being slightly different as it is a true recording versus the characters' recollections.

What set this book apart from other YA mystery & thriller books were the elements of representation and social commentary. It was interesting to see the different views between generations, which gives some perspective on how much things have changed within the last handful of decades.