When We Go Missing

by April Henry

New York Times bestselling author April Henry delivers a true-crime-style mystery featuring a teen determined to save a missing girl she sees in a disturbing photo.

What if you found evidence of a crime, but no one believed you?

Seventeen-year-old Willow always has a camera around her neck. She volunteers as a photographer at Finding Home animal shelter. When Willow stumbles upon a lost camera memory card, it’s filled with hundreds of photos of teenage girls. Some are smiling, others unaware, and a few seem terrified.

The police tell her taking photos in public isn’t a crime. But Willow can’t seem to let it go, especially after she finds her own photo on the card. Willow teams up with new volunteer Dare to figure out what happened to the girls. As their investigation heats up, so does the chemistry between them. But everyone around Willow has a secret: Finding Home’s owner, her own mom, and even Dare. When Willow learns that some of the girls on the camera card have gone missing, she realizes the unknown photographer might be a serial killer. Can Willow find him before he finds her?

Genres: Mystery, Young Adult, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Murder Mystery, Crime, Fiction

272 pages, Hardcover

First published May 13, 2025

About the author

I write mysteries and thrillers. I live in Portland, Oregon with my family.

If you've read one of my books, I would love to hear from you. Hearing from readers makes me eager to keep writing.

When I was 12, I sent a short story about a six-foot tall frog who loved peanut butter to Roald Dahl, the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He liked it so much he arranged to have it published in an international children's magazine.

My dream of writing went dormant until I was in my 30s, working at a corporate job, and started writing books on the side. Those first few years are now thankfully a blur. Now I'm very lucky to make a living doing what I love. I have written 27 novels for adults and teens, with more on the way. My books have been on the New York Times bestseller lists, gotten starred reviews, been picked for Booksense, translated into seven languages, been named to state reading lists, won the Anthony award and won the Oregon Book Award.

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

2.5 stars

Great premise, but the execution of the central plot takes way too long to get started. It is one of the stories where there are multiple points of view, including the perpetrator. I had enough confidence in April Henry that I would soon understand how exactly all these characters would intersect. The premise was terrifying, but I believe it got overshadowed by Willow and Dare's budding relationship. I hate when that occurs.

I do think April Henry is a great author. I have loved her titles in the past and would still read her books in the future. Unfortunately, this one didn't wow me.





#WhenWeGoMissing #NetGalley.
Expected Publication 13/05/25
Goodreads Review 18/04/25

[angelpompom · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so good! The killer’s pov made my stomach swirl. Reading from his pov was so creepy and terrifying. You would probably eat this up if you love SVU. I’ll definitely be reading more by this author in the near future 🥰

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Young Adult / Mystery
*Rating* 3.0

*Thoughts*

April Henry’s When We Go Missing is a young adult thriller that blends true-crime elements, suspense, and a touch of romance. When We Go Missing centers on seventeen-year-old Willow O'Connor, an aspiring photographer who volunteers at Finding Home, an animal shelter in Portland, Oregon. While walking shelter dogs, Willow discovers a lost camera memory card containing hundreds of photos of teenage girls—some smiling, others unaware, and a few visibly terrified. The discovery takes a personal turn when Willow finds her own photo among the images, prompting her to suspect foul play.

*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*

https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley & Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for a copy of an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.


This is the second novel I have read by April Henry and this one did not disappoint. This was an absolute page turner, I read this in a single day and that rarely happens, I just could not put it down! It helped that When We Go Missing had likeable characters that you couldn't help but want to root for. Well, I wasn't rooting for the bad guy, but even then, I was intrigued by his perspective and I think it added an extra layer of creepiness to the story.

I will definitely be checking out more of April Henry's work!

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read many of April Henry’s books, I can’t confidently say, each is better than the last.
This book starts off with a simple description of a man watching someone while they sleep. Creepy- absolutely. But what makes it nightmare fuel is the revelation that he was the real-estate agent who has kept a key- for his viewing pleasure.
Told in alternating perspectives, When We Go Missing takes on many issues beyond the potential serial killer. Home life issues for each teen protagonist, animal shelter concerns, homelessness, and several others. Though at moments it felt like a lot, that is also what makes it feel real. We don’t neatly box up and tackle singular problems at our convenience. Though everything resolved rapidly in the last few pages, I didn’t mind the quick ending.
This was a perfect choice for the final book I’ll read in 2024.

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

“When we go missing, the rest of the world doesn’t notice. Doesn’t care.”
📸
Willow spends most of her time at the local animal shelter Finding Home because she loves the animals and her boss, Mrs. P, but also to escape her mother’s new husband, a plastic surgeon, and her mother, who is bedridden. When Dare starts volunteering at the shelter to complete his mandatory community service hours for a wreck that almost killed a woman. Willow doesn’t know about the wreck at first and begins to fall for Dare, especially when he offers to helps her track down the owner of a camera card she finds filled with images of teenage girls, many with horror on their faces. The police don’t care so Willow and Dare take it upon themselves to track down the owner. Between that, the shelter potentially closing and Willow’s harrowing home life, she has her hands full, but when the killer realizes what she’s doing, he will stop at nothing to silence her voice.
🐶
You can always count on AH to write quick YA thrillers that will appeal to tweens and teens and this was no exception. I loved the multiple POVs, the animal shelter setting and our main characters. This book releases May 13!

CW: animal death, cancer, medical content, death, murder, parental death (recounted), car accident, adultery, chronic pain, emesis, voyeurism, domestic abuse, physical abuse, homelessness

3.5 ⭐️ wrapped up super quick at the end and resolved some issues without much explanation.

[Jody Blanchette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent Young Adult thriller. It was just scary enough, has a touch of romance to it, and was pretty clean of gore and swearing. I did find it to be a page turner (even as a 44 yr old adult), and got caught up in the storyline. I was actually more interested into the pet rescue side of the story, lol.
This is a great book for teens who are animal lovers, and like a little thrill. The story mainly revolves around a pet rescue, and the volunteers that work there. A lot of focus is on the animals and getting them adopted out. Hopefully it inspires teens to volunteer and help out their own local rescues.
There is a sleazy voyeuristic point of view, that will ick you out. But he is the darker side of the story and what launches the mystery aspect. Again, just enough sleaze to not be overwhelming for younger readers.
If an adult found this book captivating, teens are going to love it

[Anna Blackmon · Rating 1 out of 5]

When I saw this available on my Libby app, I jumped at the chance to borrow this book. I mean, who wouldn’t want to read a book about a girl who finds a camera memory card with disturbing photos of girls on it and when she goes to the police they don’t take it seriously, so she has to step up?? Except that’s not exactly what happens. The main character, Willow, does find a camera memory card and takes it to the police because the photos disturb her and the police do dismiss it. Then nothing really happens again until 52% into the book and even then it’s really nothing. Willow isn’t even aware that any of the girls are missing until 70% into the book and that’s just because she put up flyers with some of the photos she found. That’s really all her investigation is. The rest of the book is jammed with other issues: her abusive step-dad, her mom who is addicted to pain killers and stays in bed, the cancer of the woman who runs the animal shelter and is like a mom to Willow, the potential of the animal shelter shutting down, and the animals who are hard to place. There are two other POVs: Dare’s and the killers. Dare’s is filled with his predicable secret about why he is working at the shelter and how it haunts him. The book also focuses on the relationship between Willow and Dare. The killer’s POV is nothing special. We know his name and everything so there is no twist with that. We just learn that he was never normal and that he eventually liked to kill young girls. Particularly those who were homeless. The final showdown is quick and things are wrapped up with a pretty bow on top in the final chapter. Overall, it just wasn’t for me.

Also, on pages 49 and 175 in my copy Dare’s name is changed to “Drew.”

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, quick YA mystery. I enjoyed the different POVs. I thought the killer’s POV was so creepy and added a lot to the story. I found both main characters to be likable and relatable for young readers. I thought the budding romance was cute and added a little lightness to the story! I also thought the animal rescue was a nice touch! Who doesn’t love stray animals with celebrity names finding homes?!

Overall, an enjoyable YA mystery! I look forward to reading more from April Henry in the future!

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was fantastic! It's an engrossing mystery that I was drawn into from the beginning to the end. Each pov was enticing and well done. I would recommend this! Special Thank You to April Henry, Little Brown Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

[Gab · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

This is really well written and tackles so many interesting and important topics in a way that doesn't feel like added baggage 'just because'.
It is a bit too predictable for me and I didn't like the romance (it felt fully unnecessary), but I'd still recommend it!

[Rachel Hogan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always sweet and satisfying. Good for young YA readers who still want a murder mystery.

[Audra · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing was kind of clumsy, but the plot was good

[Madison Warner · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.25 ⭐️

[Cora · Rating 2 out of 5]

wtf was this book.

[L. Kasprowicz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it really. A quick, easy-read mystery, which is a bit unusual for a mystery book. I enjoyed it, and felt it was quite light, simple, and sort of calm

[Zee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Little Brown for the ARC.

I think the premise of the book was interesting, but to me pairing the sociopathic killer with a plot of trying to save an animal shelter felt too mismatched to work. With that and the clunky use of slang and over-descriptions, it was a little hard for me to enjoy it.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 5 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In this ultra creepy upper middle grade thriller, we meet several characters. There's Willow, a budding photographer who's using her late father's camera to take publicity photos of animals at the Finding Home shelter in a run down area of Portland, Oregon. She lives with her mother, who is still struggling with the after effects of having been in a car accident, and her new husband, plastic surgeon John. Dare is a new volunteer at the shelter who has to complete service hours after making some poor choices; these are revealed slowly as the story unfolds. We also meet Ryan, a very disturbed man in his thirties who works as a real estate agent and takes surreptitious pictures of young girls... which leads to even more disturbing actions. Dare isn't too thrilled about working at the shelter, but warms to Willow, and has some great ideas that help get many dogs adopted. He's working with a parole officer, and trying to make peace with the horrible things that he did, and the reasons why he did them. Willow is worried when she finds a camera memory card with thousands of picture of young girls on it. She talks to Dare, and the two take the card to the police station, but the police don't see at all worried. She talks to young women in the neighborhood, including Sapphire, who is unhoused, and gets a little bit of information about man who has been taking photographs in the neighborhood. We also follow Ryan as he stalks young women, lies to them, and accosts them with increasing evil. Things are increasingly difficult in Willow's life, with her mother getting worse and John getting more violent, and with the director of the shelter suffering from cancer at the same time that the building is needing repair and money is short. Willow decides to put up posters with some of the photos with her contact information on it, and she hears from several women, as well as a "reporter" for a local paper who wants to meet with her. Of course, this is a bad idea, and Willow finds herself in a lot of danger. Will Dare, who has become a romantic interest, be able to help her save herself?
Strengths: I don't want to give away too many of the twists and turns, but it should be mentioned that there is implied rape and murder in the book, but it's done so delicately that younger readers won't understand the sexual assault, although a line like "he left Zoey's bodied buried deep" is pretty easy to understand, if not overly gruesome or sensational. Both Dare and Willow's home situations give this an almost gritty feel, and makes them take a lot of comfort in each other. I loved the Finding Home shelter and was rooting for the dogs to be adopted and the news coverage and the GoFunMe efforts to help out. There's a happy ending, which was quite a relief after a very harrowing survival scene. I cannot stress enough that this is EXACTLY the kind of book that my students ask for again and again.
Weaknesses: Since I was able to understand exactly what was happening with Ryan, I was super creeped out by this, and I'm not a fan of murder/thriller books the way my students are. That said, this is exactly what my students ask for, and I appreciate how Henry carefully crafts her stories so that I can give them what they want.
What I really think: The waiting list for Henry's books is so long in my library that I've had to purchase additional copies of her titles, so I will order three of these right away. This is a level of creepy found in Strasser's Blood on My Hands or Wish You Were Dead, Sorrell's First Shot, or Tharp's Mojo.

[Nicole Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

April Henry delivers another gripping thriller with When We Go Missing, a chilling and fast-paced story that will keep readers on edge from start to finish. With alternating perspectives, including that of a deeply unsettling predator, Henry expertly builds tension while weaving in themes of resilience, found family, and social awareness.

The story follows Willow, a teen photographer who volunteers at the Finding Home animal shelter. While taking publicity photos for the shelter, she stumbles upon a camera memory card filled with images of young girls—an unsettling discovery that sets her on a dangerous path. With the help of Dare, a fellow shelter volunteer with a troubled past, Willow tries to unravel the mystery, but the authorities don’t take her concerns seriously. As the story unfolds, the reader also gets eerie glimpses into the mind of Ryan, a real estate agent who secretly stalks and photographs girls, with increasingly sinister intentions. The tension mounts as past and present events begin to converge, leading to a high-stakes and harrowing confrontation.

Henry does a masterful job of balancing the story’s darker elements with moments of warmth and hope. The animal shelter setting is a highlight, adding an emotional layer to the story as Willow, Dare, and the other volunteers work tirelessly to save and rehome animals, even in the midst of their own personal struggles. The bond between the characters, especially Willow and Dare, is compelling, and their gradual connection feels natural despite Dare’s initial standoffishness. His character growth is one of the novel’s strongest points.

While the novel tackles disturbing themes—including stalking, implied assault, and murder—Henry handles them with care, ensuring that the book remains accessible for younger YA readers. The chapters are short and punchy, making this a fast, immersive read that many will devour in a single sitting. Though the book starts off slowly, once Willow uncovers the memory card, the pace picks up significantly, culminating in a thrilling and satisfying resolution.

Beyond its mystery and suspense, When We Go Missing also touches on social issues, including homelessness and domestic struggles, adding depth to the narrative. Willow’s naïveté at times makes her decisions risky, but her quick thinking in the face of danger proves her strength. The book’s conclusion offers closure while reinforcing the importance of perseverance, courage, and community.

Overall, When We Go Missing is a must-read for fans of YA thrillers. It’s creepy, intense, and impossible to put down. Henry once again proves why she is a favorite among young readers who crave suspenseful and high-stakes mysteries.

[The Book and the Beast · Rating 3 out of 5]

What if you found evidence of a crime, but no one believed you? – Diese Frage steht im Zentrum von April Henrys Jugendthriller When We Go Missing, in dem die siebzehnjährige Willow durch Zufall auf eine verstörende Entdeckung stößt: Eine verlorene Speicherkarte, gefüllt mit Hunderten von Fotos – Mädchen, die lachen, nicht hinsehen oder eindeutig Angst haben. Als sie sich selbst auf einem der Bilder entdeckt, ist klar: Etwas stimmt hier ganz und gar nicht.

Willow ist eine starke, engagierte Hauptfigur, die viel Herz zeigt – besonders, wenn es um die Tiere im Tierheim Finding Home geht. Ihre Liebe zu den oft übersehenen Seelen dort ist authentisch und berührend. (Kleine Herzensbotschaft von mir: Adopt, don’t shop! – meine eigene Rescue-Hündin hat mein Leben verändert.)

Die zweite Hauptfigur ist Dare – und der ist alles andere als ein freiwilliger Helfer. Er muss Sozialstunden im Tierheim leisten, um dem Jugendgefängnis zu entgehen. Willow begegnet ihm zunächst mit Skepsis, was absolut nachvollziehbar ist. Doch nach und nach entwickelt sich eine vorsichtige Annäherung zwischen den beiden, die glaubwürdig und feinfühlig erzählt ist. Besonders schön: Dare lernt nicht nur viel über Tiere, sondern auch über Verantwortung, Vertrauen und sich selbst.

Unterschwellig bedrohlich ist von Anfang an die Perspektive des Täters: Ryan. Seine Kapitel sind intensiv, unheimlich und sorgen für echte Spannung. Er bleibt lange ein Schatten im Hintergrund, doch seine Präsenz ist spürbar – und das macht ihn umso beängstigender.

Die Handlung an sich ist nicht völlig neu, aber solide konstruiert. Die Spannung steigt langsam an und hält sich gut – auch wenn der ganz große Überraschungseffekt ausbleibt. Trotzdem liest sich das Buch flüssig und unterhaltsam, mit einer gelungenen Mischung aus Mystery, Coming-of-Age und düsteren Untertönen.

Fazit: When We Go Missing ist kein nervenzerreißender Pageturner, aber ein gut erzählter Jugendthriller mit engagierten Figuren, einem beängstigenden Gegenspieler und einem wichtigen Thema im Hintergrund. Für Fans von ruhiger Spannung, Tierliebe und jugendlicher Ermittlerenergie eine klare Empfehlung mit leichten Abzügen in der Spannungskurve.

[Katelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent book but not really a thriller

I don’t really know what genre this would fall under, but it’s unlike anything I’ve read by April Henry. For the main characters in this book, everything is a mystery. But unlike Henry’s other books, she revealed the killer to readers pretty early on. I think this book could have been so much better if she had held back and let it be a mystery. I will say the killer’s POV were occasionally thrilling, as they would end in cliffhangers and showed his escalation. Still, even if we still got the killer’s point of view just in a different way. This was just predictable from the very start. There wasn’t really any twist or big moment that made everything make sense.

Still, I really liked both of the main characters. I think their romance was underdeveloped but besides that they were both really well written. From their less than ideal backgrounds to their present day circumstances, traits, and flaws. They were both really realistic and really easy to relate to/root for

The thing I really didn’t like was the ending. It fades to black right after the killer is caught and restarts five months later. This last chapter five months until the future answers some of the bigger questions, but I still would have liked more insight into some of the major events in the last chapter or so. It did not wrap anything up as nicely as it should have.

Besides the end, this was a good book with good characters, but it wasn’t what I’ve come to expect from Henry

[Stacey Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first April Henry book I have read, but Girl Stolen is one that I notice is borrowed from my library quite often. The story is told in alternating perspectives between Willow, Dare and Ryan. In the first chapter we are introduced to Ryan a real estate agent who lets himself into a newly sold home to watch the new owner sleep. This creepy vibe is one that I can see YA readers drawn into. Willow, is an animal lover who works at animal shelter using her fathers camera to take pictures of animals for adoption advertisements. She has new step-dad (that she tries to avoid) and a mom who is recovering from a terrible accident that took her fathers life. Dare, also has his share of trouble, and he finds himself volunteering at the shelter in order to work off some community service hours.

When Willow finds a camera card that has hundreds of images of young girls, she shares her worries with Dare and when they take the card to the police they are brushed off. But Willow can't let go of the feeling that something is off, so she continues to dig and ask questions. But life is busy, both she and Dare have their own family problems to deal with and the shelter is having its own issues, which makes it all very overwhelming. The pace is fast, there is lots of drama and relatable content and the darker elements are not too descriptive, but yet true to real life, which keeps the content YA appropriate.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy.

[Corinne’s Chapter Chatter · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

I have never read April Henry but I have heard good things about her writing so I was a bit disappointed in this book as while the premise is great’s the execution was not.

I think the book doesn’t know what it wants to be with all the sub plots. You have the main time crime plot but then you also have the very Hallmark-esque “let’s save the animal shelter” and a budding romance going on. It just doesn’t go very well together.

I did enjoy the multiple POV format complete with time stamps to put everything in a timeline. It even had the killers POV which made you almost root for him in a weird twisted way or at the very least feel bad for him. The chapters were very short which interrupted the flow of the book.

It is very short so it’s a quick and easy book to consume. Teens will enjoy the cultural references and it could be a good intro to the fiction true crime genre. It reads like a middle grade book but the content is a bit too mature for that reading level.


I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary eARC from Little Brown for children through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

[Sally Kruger]

Willow has been volunteering at Finding Home, an animal shelter. for quite a while. She enjoys helping Mrs. P the elderly woman who created and runs the place. It also gives Willow a chance to get away from her ailing mother and her domineering stepfather.

Dare is a new volunteer at Finding Home. His hours are required by the court after an incident involving his father's car. He would have gone to jail if it wasn't for his lawyer mother and a forgiving victim. Dare isn't fond of animals, so he's nervous and a bit stand-offish when he first arrives.

Eventually, Willow begins to warm up to Dare. He is willing to walk the dogs and take them to a nearby dog park which leaves Willow free to do other chores. As the days pass, the two begin to revamp the shelter's website with suggestions from Dare. The changes result in more adoptions than before he arrived.

When Willow stumbles across a camera memory card, she realizes she has discovered a mystery. When she opens the card on her computer, she is shocking to find hundreds of pictures of young girls. Some seem posed, others caught by surprise, and some look terrified. When the police appear to be doing nothing, Willow enlists Dare's help to unravel the mystery.

WHEN WE GO MISSING by April Henry will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Each character has a secret they are reluctant to share. The suspense Henry creates is typical of her many mystery novels for teens.

[Doreen · Rating 4 out of 5]

YA mystery. Chapters are short. Told in 3 perspectives. First, Willow--She is passionate about her work at the animal shelter. She takes pictures of the animals trying to get them adopted and takes on most of the responsibility of the shelter as the owner deals with her cancer treatments. Her mother seems to be bedridden since a car accident that took her father's life and she tries to avoid her step father. Second, Dare--he must fulfill a court ordered volunteer requirement of 200 hours at an animal shelter. This was not how he pictured his summer but he has done something bad and must make amends. He learns a lot from Willow as they begin to trust each other, he also adds to making the animals more adoptable. Third, Ryan, 3 weeks earlier--a sinister feel to this man who likes to take pictures but what else is he doing?
Willow finds a camera card while walking the dogs that hold hundreds of pictures of young girls.. She believes some of the girls look frightened. They go to the police and it is not taken seriously. It is not a crime but Willow just does not believe that. When she learns some girls on the camera card have gone missing, she knows she must act. But, meanwhile the secrets that every around her holds (as wall as herself) might interfere with her clear thinking.
Story moves quick, perfect for YA
Netgalley preview

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to EdelweissPlus and the publisher for providing me with a DRC of this title for review. All opinions are my own.

April Henry is a huge hit in our middle school library. Her books are always popular, always checked out, and for good reason. This one is a solid addition and I am currently adding three copies of it my book list for the end of the school year. Henry's writing is a great choice for middle school readers: edgy enough to keep them entertained/engaged, but also "tame" enough to not have to field any parent complaints or worry about something being too gritty for a beginning mystery/thriller reader.

Willow volunteers at a local animal shelter, and is excited when Dare shows up to volunteer as well. He doesn't tell her his whole back story and he knows that if she ever found out the truth, the whole truth, behind why he is volunteering, she would never forgive him. But he tries to put that out of his mind as he helps her to uncover the mystery behind a photo card Willow found at the park. There are hundreds of photos of girls on the card, and Willow has a bad feeling. But the police tell her to stay out of it and not get involved. As Willow and Dare work to find a way to save the shelter animals, they also try to solve the mystery of who took the photos and what happened to all those girls.

Highly recommend.

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Teens Willow and Dare meet as volunteers at Finding Home, an animal shelter in Portland, OR. They both came from troubled families, but have found joy in taking care of animals. One day they come across a camera card, which happens to be filled with photos of young teen girls. Most of the photos are harmless, but a few pictures show the girls looking terrified. When the police decide there is nothing wrong, Willow decides to play detective. Meanwhile, Finding Home is in financial trouble, so the teens decide to rename the pets as celebrities to get them adopted out before the shelter has to close.
First of all, I love April Henry. She has a fantastic way of getting reluctant readers hooked and interested in reading! That being said, this book, while good, had a few clunky parts with transitions and the ending was really not very satisfying. The drama is resolved way too quickly, things were told to the reader rather than letting us see it played out, and there was literally zero build up to Willow and Dare’s first kiss (their “romance” did not need to be part of this story). Also, what happened to the step dad? I needed more resolution with that part. I will still recommend this to readers, but as far as thriller/murder mystery goes, I feel that this could have been better.

[Lizzie · Rating 2 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW, thank you so much to April Henry, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, and NetGalley for this ARC. My review is not influenced by receiving an ARC. This is an honest review!

2.5 stars

In this book we follow Willow, a photographer and volunteer at an animal shelter, and Dare, a new volunteer at the animal shelter. Willow stumbles upon a camera memory card on the side of the road, filled with photos of teen girls. When the police refuse to help, Willow decides it is her responsibility to figure out what is happening.

I truly wanted to love this book. From the blurb I thought it was going to be something like 'A Good Girl's Guide to Murder'. This book felt like two different books shoved into one. The book focused more on Finding Hope, the animal shelter, and the financial issues that it has, along with the romance between Willow and Dare. This was sold as being a thriller, even though only a small amount of this book focuses on the thriller parts. 

I was so excited about the premise, "What if you found evidence of a crime, but no one believed you?", but none of the action happened until the book was almost complete. It didn't help that this book was slow-paced for a thriller.  The pacing of this book was not good. 

It was a quick read though. I read 70% of it within a few hours.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read almost all of April Henry’s books and really love that they are all quick and fast paced. When We Go Missing was another fun YA mystery/thriller. Told in multiple POVs with short chapters this book was hard to put down.

We follow Willow who volunteers at an animal shelter. She meets Dare, a mysterious new volunteer, and it’s clear he has secrets. While volunteering, Willow finds a camera card with hundreds of photos of girls on it. She starts to investigate who the girls are and who took these creepy photos.

I really liked Willow as a character, and it was nice seeing her get close to Dare and take care of the animal shelter. I feel like the POV from the predator was really creepy and made this book seem a little more mature than some of April Henry’s other books. I loved that this book also touched on social issues such as homelessness, domestic abuse, medical issues, etc while still making the content suitable for a YA audience.

If you’re looking for a creepy, fast paced mystery/thriller with a tiny bit of romance and a ton of adorable animals, this is a must read!

Thank you Netgalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for this ARC.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Thanks to NetGalley for an eARC of this book.

This was my first book by April Henry and I have a feeling it will not be the last... Henry does a great job of drawing the readers in with her characters, especially given that this is not a long book. The creepiness that is Ryan had me hooked from the first chapter. Then we meet Willow and Dare, two teens who are hiding secrets while trying to navigate family issues, court-mandated community service, teen homelessness, animal shelter issues, and more. Both Willow and Dare are lovable and well-developed characters (as are the animals they work with at the shelter). The alternating perspectives helped provide enough information throughout this fast-paced story, which I found very impressive.

Overall, this book was a quick, but compelling read with characters (and furry friends) you can’t help but root for. This would be perfect for anyone in a reading slump or someone interested in starting to read YA murder mysteries (it has a creepy vibe, but not the sleep-with-lights-on level of creepiness that some of the others have).

*3.5 rounded up to 4 stars