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Missing Clarissa
In a gripping novel perfect for fans of Sadie and A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, two best friends start a true crime podcast—only to realize they may have helped a killer in the process.
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?
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?
244 pages, Hardcover
First published March 7, 2023
177 people are currently reading
26761 people want to read
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June 2, 2023
I am giving my five stars without thinking any further but my main reason to enjoy this book so much is not related to the mystery about young cheerleader’s disappearance!
The characterization of this book is perfect! Cam is my kind favorite weirdo I truly adored! She’s extra intelligent, socially awkward, eccentric, over enthusiastic, impatient, impulsive. Thankfully her best friend Blair is quite opposite of her characteristics, balancing her in positive way. She’s kind, observer, fixer with great storytelling skills even though she has insecurities about her own abilities.
When Cam comes out with an idea out of nowhere to start a podcast about town’s most effective tragedy, Blair reluctantly finds herself buried into this project.
20 years ago, Clarissa Campbell: popular cheerleader, talented art student, disappears in the woods outside the rural town of Oreville, Washington. During their podcast, they will bring out different perspectives to this incident. How hard it can be? They will just talk and discuss new theories!
They both want to pass with flying colors from their journaling class. This is the best concept they can focus. This is the heart wrenching mystery has been hunting the town for years.
They never found the body! Clarissa’ mother thinks she can be still alive but most of her loved ones, including her father, her boyfriend who was also person of interest for the involvement in her disappearance and her best friend think otherwise.
Cam chose the subject because of the popularity but when she and Blair start hearing from different perspectives, there’s a lot of drama coming out from Clarissa’ inner circle who truly miss her!
The press objectified Clarissa as a young white girl with a perfect face! But she’s more than that! Most of the people truly know her talk about the secrets they’ve been hiding with Cam and Blair. Because they are tired to keep things to themselves.
Both girls finally realize Clarissa’ disappearance is more than just a project they have to work on or podcast success with climbing numbers of followers! They want justice for her and other girls who are mistreated just like her! But her good intentions to bring out true justice may endanger their safety! Because there are people out there not so happy about the town’s longtime kept secrets coming out!
Overall: fast pacing, unique, absolutely different from other YA mysteries with its emotional POVs from the people who are involved into the podcast project and smart writing style! The character stories are more alluring than the entire disappearance mystery!
I also enjoy how Cam and Blair discover the realities about themselves during their investigation. Cam comes clean about her sexual choices and starts building a great relationship even though she doesn’t know exactly what she’s doing. And Blair sharpens her writing and shooting skills. Finally she discovers what she wants to do with her life.
I’m looking forward to read more Ripley Jones books in near future!
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Wednesday Books for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
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The characterization of this book is perfect! Cam is my kind favorite weirdo I truly adored! She’s extra intelligent, socially awkward, eccentric, over enthusiastic, impatient, impulsive. Thankfully her best friend Blair is quite opposite of her characteristics, balancing her in positive way. She’s kind, observer, fixer with great storytelling skills even though she has insecurities about her own abilities.
When Cam comes out with an idea out of nowhere to start a podcast about town’s most effective tragedy, Blair reluctantly finds herself buried into this project.
20 years ago, Clarissa Campbell: popular cheerleader, talented art student, disappears in the woods outside the rural town of Oreville, Washington. During their podcast, they will bring out different perspectives to this incident. How hard it can be? They will just talk and discuss new theories!
They both want to pass with flying colors from their journaling class. This is the best concept they can focus. This is the heart wrenching mystery has been hunting the town for years.
They never found the body! Clarissa’ mother thinks she can be still alive but most of her loved ones, including her father, her boyfriend who was also person of interest for the involvement in her disappearance and her best friend think otherwise.
Cam chose the subject because of the popularity but when she and Blair start hearing from different perspectives, there’s a lot of drama coming out from Clarissa’ inner circle who truly miss her!
The press objectified Clarissa as a young white girl with a perfect face! But she’s more than that! Most of the people truly know her talk about the secrets they’ve been hiding with Cam and Blair. Because they are tired to keep things to themselves.
Both girls finally realize Clarissa’ disappearance is more than just a project they have to work on or podcast success with climbing numbers of followers! They want justice for her and other girls who are mistreated just like her! But her good intentions to bring out true justice may endanger their safety! Because there are people out there not so happy about the town’s longtime kept secrets coming out!
Overall: fast pacing, unique, absolutely different from other YA mysteries with its emotional POVs from the people who are involved into the podcast project and smart writing style! The character stories are more alluring than the entire disappearance mystery!
I also enjoy how Cam and Blair discover the realities about themselves during their investigation. Cam comes clean about her sexual choices and starts building a great relationship even though she doesn’t know exactly what she’s doing. And Blair sharpens her writing and shooting skills. Finally she discovers what she wants to do with her life.
I’m looking forward to read more Ripley Jones books in near future!
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Wednesday Books for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
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May 1, 2025
**3.5-stars rounded up**
In August of 1999, in the small town of Oreville, Washington, local It-Girl, Clarissa Campbell went missing from a party in the woods. She was never seen again.
Clarissa's disappearance and the mystery surrounding it made national headlines. It was exactly the type of story the public desires; a beautiful white girl, popular and beloved by all, vanishing without a trace.
Decades later, best friends and Oreville High School students, Cam and Blair, decide to take on Clarissa's case for their journalism class; creating their own podcast to document their investigation.
They know it's ambitious, but their goal is to solve the case, to finally see justice for Clarissa. With minor oversight from their Journalism teacher, Mr. Park, the girls set out in their investigation and start to post their podcast. Before they know it, they have a serious following.
Will they actually be able to solve this?
Missing Clarissa is a solid and compelling YA Mystery. It was easy for me to get drawn into this story. I liked both Cam and Blair from the start and thought their relationship was believable. I really enjoyed their dynamic and how their personalities played off one another.
Cam is the one who is much more driven and focused in regards to this project initially, but Blair brings a lot to the table. Blair is great at reading people and getting them to talk to her, whereas Cam is a little more blunt in her interpersonal communications.
As the Reader, you get to learn about Clarissa and her story at the same time the girls are and I appreciated that. I feel like many authors would have included a past perspective, perhaps Clarissa's, to tell this story.
In my opinion. the way Jones laid this out worked really well in this case. Because you just had the modern perspective, it felt like you were actually part of the investigation with Cam and Blair. While I think I would have enjoyed the story either way, I liked how straight-forward this was.
It was refreshing.
There were times that I grew worried about our mains. I grew connected to them and was worried they were going to get hurt. Especially Blair, because her character image sort of came to mirror Clarissa's.
They left no stone unturned in their investigation, interviewing friends, family, teachers, even police who were around Oreville in 1999 and may remember something of import. The podcast took off.
I will say, in the second-half, there was a side character who started to be included more; a love interest of Cam's. I couldn't stand that person and after they became involved, it annoyed me and became a distraction.
It changed the dynamic of Cam and Blair working together. I don't know, that just kind of threw me a bit.
Luckily, it did come back around in the end, so while there were a few narrative choices in here that drove me batty, I still think overall this is a fun, compelling story.
I'm not over the fictional true crime podcasts yet...
Thank you so much to the publisher, Wednesday Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I look forward to reading more from this author.
In August of 1999, in the small town of Oreville, Washington, local It-Girl, Clarissa Campbell went missing from a party in the woods. She was never seen again.
Clarissa's disappearance and the mystery surrounding it made national headlines. It was exactly the type of story the public desires; a beautiful white girl, popular and beloved by all, vanishing without a trace.
Decades later, best friends and Oreville High School students, Cam and Blair, decide to take on Clarissa's case for their journalism class; creating their own podcast to document their investigation.
They know it's ambitious, but their goal is to solve the case, to finally see justice for Clarissa. With minor oversight from their Journalism teacher, Mr. Park, the girls set out in their investigation and start to post their podcast. Before they know it, they have a serious following.
Will they actually be able to solve this?
Missing Clarissa is a solid and compelling YA Mystery. It was easy for me to get drawn into this story. I liked both Cam and Blair from the start and thought their relationship was believable. I really enjoyed their dynamic and how their personalities played off one another.
Cam is the one who is much more driven and focused in regards to this project initially, but Blair brings a lot to the table. Blair is great at reading people and getting them to talk to her, whereas Cam is a little more blunt in her interpersonal communications.
As the Reader, you get to learn about Clarissa and her story at the same time the girls are and I appreciated that. I feel like many authors would have included a past perspective, perhaps Clarissa's, to tell this story.
In my opinion. the way Jones laid this out worked really well in this case. Because you just had the modern perspective, it felt like you were actually part of the investigation with Cam and Blair. While I think I would have enjoyed the story either way, I liked how straight-forward this was.
It was refreshing.
There were times that I grew worried about our mains. I grew connected to them and was worried they were going to get hurt. Especially Blair, because her character image sort of came to mirror Clarissa's.
They left no stone unturned in their investigation, interviewing friends, family, teachers, even police who were around Oreville in 1999 and may remember something of import. The podcast took off.
I will say, in the second-half, there was a side character who started to be included more; a love interest of Cam's. I couldn't stand that person and after they became involved, it annoyed me and became a distraction.
It changed the dynamic of Cam and Blair working together. I don't know, that just kind of threw me a bit.
Luckily, it did come back around in the end, so while there were a few narrative choices in here that drove me batty, I still think overall this is a fun, compelling story.
I'm not over the fictional true crime podcasts yet...
Thank you so much to the publisher, Wednesday Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I look forward to reading more from this author.
March 3, 2023
Ripley Jones starts with a great premise in
Missing Clarissa
. Two high school journalism students decide to try to solve a cold case from twenty years ago. Clarissa Campbell disappeared from a party in 1999. Despite an extensive search, no one knows what happened to her. She was a popular cheerleader and the mystery captured the attention of the nation for a few months. Blair Johnson and Cameron Munoz focus on archive research and interviews for their true crime podcast.
Cameron is intelligent, funny, awkward, and understanding most of the time. However, she can be impetuous and infuriating too. Additionally, she is jealous of the amount of time Blair spends with her boyfriend, James. Blair thinks of herself as boring and dull with patronizing parents who aren’t supportive, but more than anything, she wants to be a writer. However, she’s insecure and doesn’t have the courage to take a writing class.
The mystery has some twists along the way. The story builds momentum gradually and has a couple of action scenes. The last 20 percent of the novel has a brisker pace. Everyone seems to have agendas, but determining what they are and whether they are relevant to Clarissa’s case takes Cameron and Blair on some adventures. Set in fictional Oreville, Washington, readers get some feel for the community as the book progresses. One of the outstanding features of the novel is the diverse characterization. However, actions taken by one of the main characters are very immature. Would a typical seventeen-year-old act this way and not think about the consequences? Perhaps some would. Some of the items revealed in the interviews seemed unrealistic for adults to divulge to teenagers. Themes include family, friendship, cold cases, justice, grief, and much more. The author weaves several social issues into the story line. While most can’t be commented on due to spoilers, the one that starts it all is how news coverage varies based on a person’s physical characteristics or wealth.
The author did a great job in bringing together the past and present within the story. Despite plenty of conflict, I did not feel the intensity that I expected. The ending was more predictable than I wanted, but the final scene was dramatic and suspenseful.
Overall, this was intriguing, entertaining, and had an action packed ending with diverse characters. I enjoyed this novel with its fascinating story line. This is the first book I have read by this author. This novel should appeal to those who enjoy young adult mysteries or true crime podcasts.
St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books and Ripley Jones provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for March 07, 2023. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
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My 3.3 rounded to 3 stars review is coming soon.
Cameron is intelligent, funny, awkward, and understanding most of the time. However, she can be impetuous and infuriating too. Additionally, she is jealous of the amount of time Blair spends with her boyfriend, James. Blair thinks of herself as boring and dull with patronizing parents who aren’t supportive, but more than anything, she wants to be a writer. However, she’s insecure and doesn’t have the courage to take a writing class.
The mystery has some twists along the way. The story builds momentum gradually and has a couple of action scenes. The last 20 percent of the novel has a brisker pace. Everyone seems to have agendas, but determining what they are and whether they are relevant to Clarissa’s case takes Cameron and Blair on some adventures. Set in fictional Oreville, Washington, readers get some feel for the community as the book progresses. One of the outstanding features of the novel is the diverse characterization. However, actions taken by one of the main characters are very immature. Would a typical seventeen-year-old act this way and not think about the consequences? Perhaps some would. Some of the items revealed in the interviews seemed unrealistic for adults to divulge to teenagers. Themes include family, friendship, cold cases, justice, grief, and much more. The author weaves several social issues into the story line. While most can’t be commented on due to spoilers, the one that starts it all is how news coverage varies based on a person’s physical characteristics or wealth.
The author did a great job in bringing together the past and present within the story. Despite plenty of conflict, I did not feel the intensity that I expected. The ending was more predictable than I wanted, but the final scene was dramatic and suspenseful.
Overall, this was intriguing, entertaining, and had an action packed ending with diverse characters. I enjoyed this novel with its fascinating story line. This is the first book I have read by this author. This novel should appeal to those who enjoy young adult mysteries or true crime podcasts.
St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books and Ripley Jones provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for March 07, 2023. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
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My 3.3 rounded to 3 stars review is coming soon.
March 3, 2023
For a YA book, this one is a decent read.
It's about two girls, Cam and Blair, who are in a journalism class in high school, and they start a podcast called "Missing Clarissa" to look into a local girl who went missing in the 90s. They are hoping that putting fresh eyes on the topic and doing new interviews will lead them to a break in the case. They open up secrets that many people think should remain buried.
If I look at this through the eyes of its intended younger teen audience, overall the book achieves its purpose. For adults, the mystery isn't difficult to figure out (I called the culprit the minute they were introduced) but it's laid out well and there is actually more than one bad thing going on in the town.
I really liked Blair, who was not very self confident but came into her own as the story progressed. Cam on the other hand...oh my word. She was supposedly 16 and acted like an impetuous six year old. She couldn't keep her mouth shut and did some very, very stupid things that I absolutely have a difficult time believing anyone would do.
There are a lot of mentions of race and sexual identity. Some of the mentions are legitimate, especially when talking about incarceration, but mentioning every character's race was tedious. I felt like the LGBTQ storylines were also a bit heavy handed (so, so many of them for the tiny little town) but teens will probably think nothing of it.
I listened to the audiobook and on regular speed it was SO SLOW. I mean it felt deliberately drawn out and slow. Speeding it up helped, but it did make Cam sound hysterical much of the time. And a very picky point: I'm from Washington state. The author took liberties with the geography and town names, but she named the county where the book was set after a real town called Hoquiam. The narrator pronounces this word incorrectly over and over and it was grating to me. I feel like narrators need to do their homework with pronunciation and make sure they are getting it right. I understand that Native American names are difficult to pronounce (Skamokowa anyone? Not in the book but I get it, they are complicated) but either clarify with the author or look it up if you aren't sure.
Overall, this book is good for its intended teen audience and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to someone looking for a YA mystery.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
It's about two girls, Cam and Blair, who are in a journalism class in high school, and they start a podcast called "Missing Clarissa" to look into a local girl who went missing in the 90s. They are hoping that putting fresh eyes on the topic and doing new interviews will lead them to a break in the case. They open up secrets that many people think should remain buried.
If I look at this through the eyes of its intended younger teen audience, overall the book achieves its purpose. For adults, the mystery isn't difficult to figure out (I called the culprit the minute they were introduced) but it's laid out well and there is actually more than one bad thing going on in the town.
I really liked Blair, who was not very self confident but came into her own as the story progressed. Cam on the other hand...oh my word. She was supposedly 16 and acted like an impetuous six year old. She couldn't keep her mouth shut and did some very, very stupid things that I absolutely have a difficult time believing anyone would do.
There are a lot of mentions of race and sexual identity. Some of the mentions are legitimate, especially when talking about incarceration, but mentioning every character's race was tedious. I felt like the LGBTQ storylines were also a bit heavy handed (so, so many of them for the tiny little town) but teens will probably think nothing of it.
I listened to the audiobook and on regular speed it was SO SLOW. I mean it felt deliberately drawn out and slow. Speeding it up helped, but it did make Cam sound hysterical much of the time. And a very picky point: I'm from Washington state. The author took liberties with the geography and town names, but she named the county where the book was set after a real town called Hoquiam. The narrator pronounces this word incorrectly over and over and it was grating to me. I feel like narrators need to do their homework with pronunciation and make sure they are getting it right. I understand that Native American names are difficult to pronounce (Skamokowa anyone? Not in the book but I get it, they are complicated) but either clarify with the author or look it up if you aren't sure.
Overall, this book is good for its intended teen audience and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to someone looking for a YA mystery.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
March 12, 2023
Missing Clarissa is a fast-paced YA thriller.
For their journalism class, two high school students start a true crime podcast about Clarissa, a popular cheerleader who went missing in 1999. Cameron and Blair, mostly Cameron, believe that they can find the person responsible for Clarissa’s disappearance. The podcast quickly grows a dedicated following, and the situation becomes dicier as the girls get deeper into their investigation.
This YA thriller is a short and easy read. It follows Cameron and Blair’s perspectives. Most of it was well-written, but a few sections were starkly repetitive and juvenile.
Cameron wasn’t the easiest character to like. She’s super impulsive, jumping into things without thinking of the consequences. Blair has low self-esteem and has always been Cameron’s trusty sidekick, but she is becoming tired of that role.
I did like that this book raised the issue of pretty dead/missing white girls receiving the most media attention over people of colour.
But it’s still unrealistic to believe two teenagers could solve this cold case and not the authorities. If I were younger, maybe I’d be able to overlook it.
Overall, this was a fun and adequate thriller, it just won’t stick with me for long.
2.5 rounded up.
Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com
For their journalism class, two high school students start a true crime podcast about Clarissa, a popular cheerleader who went missing in 1999. Cameron and Blair, mostly Cameron, believe that they can find the person responsible for Clarissa’s disappearance. The podcast quickly grows a dedicated following, and the situation becomes dicier as the girls get deeper into their investigation.
This YA thriller is a short and easy read. It follows Cameron and Blair’s perspectives. Most of it was well-written, but a few sections were starkly repetitive and juvenile.
Cameron wasn’t the easiest character to like. She’s super impulsive, jumping into things without thinking of the consequences. Blair has low self-esteem and has always been Cameron’s trusty sidekick, but she is becoming tired of that role.
I did like that this book raised the issue of pretty dead/missing white girls receiving the most media attention over people of colour.
But it’s still unrealistic to believe two teenagers could solve this cold case and not the authorities. If I were younger, maybe I’d be able to overlook it.
Overall, this was a fun and adequate thriller, it just won’t stick with me for long.
2.5 rounded up.
Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com
March 21, 2023
In a small town where nothing notable ever happens a pretty, blonde high school cheerleader literally disappears without a trace. The town searched for months without turning up a clue so they eventually tossed her up to a runaway. Her parents and friends were devastated especially the boyfriend who the police thought he had to have killed Clarissa a but there was never a shred of evidence found to arrest him for a crime they couldn't prove had taken place.
Twenty years later two junior girls in high school decide to make a podcast for their journalism class about "Missing Clarissa" not realizing how many people in town will be affected by this cold case including their own families. The girls plow ahead with investigating all the people who were in Clarissa's life at the time of her disappearance when they start to uncover many dirty little secrets about members of the town which will bring about severe consequences and then, when they finally realize someone is following them it will be too late to stop their investigation but at what cost. How could an innocent podcast by two young teenagers turn into a possible prescription for murder?
What an entertaining and well-written story by "Ripley Jones". My attention was captured from the first page and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to see what these girls would uncover. The wit that was thrown in with one of the girls who was socially awkward was just spot on and gave the book just the right kind of flair while tackling some otherwise serious topics. Although this was a Young Adult story at times it most definitely is suited as an adult book with a great storyline. This was my first book by this author but I'm looking forward to reading more of her books in the future. The book was perfectly paced and had many likeable characters while keeping the intrigue and mystery always in the forefront but not giving away what really happened to Clarissa until the end of the story.
I want to thank the publisher " St. Martin's Press" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this enjoyable book and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I highly recommend this interesting and witty book and given a rating of 4 CAPTIVATING 🌟🌟🌟🌟 STARS!!
Twenty years later two junior girls in high school decide to make a podcast for their journalism class about "Missing Clarissa" not realizing how many people in town will be affected by this cold case including their own families. The girls plow ahead with investigating all the people who were in Clarissa's life at the time of her disappearance when they start to uncover many dirty little secrets about members of the town which will bring about severe consequences and then, when they finally realize someone is following them it will be too late to stop their investigation but at what cost. How could an innocent podcast by two young teenagers turn into a possible prescription for murder?
What an entertaining and well-written story by "Ripley Jones". My attention was captured from the first page and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to see what these girls would uncover. The wit that was thrown in with one of the girls who was socially awkward was just spot on and gave the book just the right kind of flair while tackling some otherwise serious topics. Although this was a Young Adult story at times it most definitely is suited as an adult book with a great storyline. This was my first book by this author but I'm looking forward to reading more of her books in the future. The book was perfectly paced and had many likeable characters while keeping the intrigue and mystery always in the forefront but not giving away what really happened to Clarissa until the end of the story.
I want to thank the publisher " St. Martin's Press" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this enjoyable book and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I highly recommend this interesting and witty book and given a rating of 4 CAPTIVATING 🌟🌟🌟🌟 STARS!!
March 2, 2023
After being compared to A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER and Karen McManus, I knew I had to download this book instantly. MISSING CLARISSA was an enjoyable read, but it’s hard to live up to the titans in a genre and probably would have been able to shine better on its own without being attached to those bestsellers. This is a short, fast paced read, and while predictable it was still enjoyable and begs the question, “How do we spread media attention to all missing girls, rather than just the pretty popular ones?” I almost gave this one 4 stars, but Cam!: character irked me to no end, and I found it very difficult to go along with some of her choices and impulses. Overall, a quick, entertaining read of the podcast variety.
July 6, 2024
Everybody loves a dead girl.
That may be so, but I didn’t love this book.
This book was pitched as being for fans of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, which I absolutely am. But this...this was not it. I guess you can make that comparison if you take away all the charm, any of the logic from AGGGTM, and replace it with hogwash then sure.
Now I don’t expect all young heroines to be brilliant geniuses. That’s not realistic. But I do expect them, particularly ones who are intent on solving a crime, to have some damn common sense.
Anyways, let's get into it. This book is about two girls who don’t know the first thing about podcasting or crime-solving, who think they’re gonna solve what professionals couldn’t…😅 And before y’all compare these girls to Pip, Pip did her research. She knew how to make a podcast, and the rules and restrictions she would have to adhere to when meeting with or interviewing people. She had structure and a plan mapped out. Basically, Pip was a planner. These girls are pantsers, and it shows.
They have no clue about interview etiquette.
They have no hypotheses of their own prior to starting this ill-advised journey, nor have they done any real dives into others' previous theories. At one point Cam asks her journalism teacher, who originally reported on the case if he thinks Clarissa could have been done in by Ted Bundy, only for her teacher to point out the man was executed when Clarissa was in middle school. Clarissa was in high school when she wemt missing. Like Miss, a basic Google search could have answered your question.
Speaking of Cam, let's talk about her. Cam is an inconsiderate bulldozer who does and says whatever she wants without consideration for others. Blair explicitly asks her not to post her voice on the first episode of the podcast and what does she do? She posts it anyway and when Blair gets mad at her she’s not even sorry. She’s like oh well maybe I should have talked it over with her. But she would’ve said no and I wouldn’t have gotten my way. What was I supposed to do? Oh, I don't know Cam, maybe show consideration for the person you consider your best friend.
Blair, on the flip side, is an insecure people pleaser. She’s of the mind why try when I’m bound to fail, let's not leave my comfort zone ever lest I embarrass myself. She wouldn’t even take a writing class though she dreams of being a writer. She relies too heavily on others for validation. The opposite of Cam.
Together they will botch every interview.
The book is told in the third person, but somehow in the worst way. I generally enjoy third person but here I feel a complete disconnect. I think it had to do with jumping back and between the main lead's POVs and random side characters.
One thing I will say is I do think Blair finally found some confidence in the end so I’m happy that bit of her character arc resolved positively because everything else was either lackluster or a bit of a train wreck.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Wednesday Books for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
That may be so, but I didn’t love this book.
This book was pitched as being for fans of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, which I absolutely am. But this...this was not it. I guess you can make that comparison if you take away all the charm, any of the logic from AGGGTM, and replace it with hogwash then sure.
Now I don’t expect all young heroines to be brilliant geniuses. That’s not realistic. But I do expect them, particularly ones who are intent on solving a crime, to have some damn common sense.
Anyways, let's get into it. This book is about two girls who don’t know the first thing about podcasting or crime-solving, who think they’re gonna solve what professionals couldn’t…😅 And before y’all compare these girls to Pip, Pip did her research. She knew how to make a podcast, and the rules and restrictions she would have to adhere to when meeting with or interviewing people. She had structure and a plan mapped out. Basically, Pip was a planner. These girls are pantsers, and it shows.
They have no clue about interview etiquette.
They have no hypotheses of their own prior to starting this ill-advised journey, nor have they done any real dives into others' previous theories. At one point Cam asks her journalism teacher, who originally reported on the case if he thinks Clarissa could have been done in by Ted Bundy, only for her teacher to point out the man was executed when Clarissa was in middle school. Clarissa was in high school when she wemt missing. Like Miss, a basic Google search could have answered your question.
Speaking of Cam, let's talk about her. Cam is an inconsiderate bulldozer who does and says whatever she wants without consideration for others. Blair explicitly asks her not to post her voice on the first episode of the podcast and what does she do? She posts it anyway and when Blair gets mad at her she’s not even sorry. She’s like oh well maybe I should have talked it over with her. But she would’ve said no and I wouldn’t have gotten my way. What was I supposed to do? Oh, I don't know Cam, maybe show consideration for the person you consider your best friend.
Blair, on the flip side, is an insecure people pleaser. She’s of the mind why try when I’m bound to fail, let's not leave my comfort zone ever lest I embarrass myself. She wouldn’t even take a writing class though she dreams of being a writer. She relies too heavily on others for validation. The opposite of Cam.
Together they will botch every interview.
The book is told in the third person, but somehow in the worst way. I generally enjoy third person but here I feel a complete disconnect. I think it had to do with jumping back and between the main lead's POVs and random side characters.
One thing I will say is I do think Blair finally found some confidence in the end so I’m happy that bit of her character arc resolved positively because everything else was either lackluster or a bit of a train wreck.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Wednesday Books for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
March 5, 2023
August of 1999
Clarissa Campbell a pretty and popular cheerleader left a party and was never seen again. There have been theories and there have been suspicions but her disappearance has remained a mystery and the case went cold.
Twenty years later
Blair and Cameron are high school juniors and best friends. They start a true crime podcast and are focused on learning what happened to Clarissa Campbell. They interview those who were in Clarissa's life and in the process, uncover some secrets. They look at her relationship with her boyfriend and her art teacher....
I found this to be a fast read and enjoyed how Cam and Blair worked on their podcase while also looking inward at themselves and who they were. The mystery of what happened to Clarissa is at the forefront.
I couldn't help but shake my head a few times at the actions that are taken in this book. Does no one care about consequences or think before acting???? Impulse issues overload!
This was a solid YA mystery/thriller which kept my attention. But with all the podcast books out there, will I remember this in months to come? I'm not sure.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Clarissa Campbell a pretty and popular cheerleader left a party and was never seen again. There have been theories and there have been suspicions but her disappearance has remained a mystery and the case went cold.
Twenty years later
Blair and Cameron are high school juniors and best friends. They start a true crime podcast and are focused on learning what happened to Clarissa Campbell. They interview those who were in Clarissa's life and in the process, uncover some secrets. They look at her relationship with her boyfriend and her art teacher....
I found this to be a fast read and enjoyed how Cam and Blair worked on their podcase while also looking inward at themselves and who they were. The mystery of what happened to Clarissa is at the forefront.
I couldn't help but shake my head a few times at the actions that are taken in this book. Does no one care about consequences or think before acting???? Impulse issues overload!
This was a solid YA mystery/thriller which kept my attention. But with all the podcast books out there, will I remember this in months to come? I'm not sure.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
February 1, 2023
Thank you to the author Ripley Jones, publishers Wednesday Books and St. Martin's Publishing Group, and as always NetGalley, for a review digital copy of MISSING CLARISSA.
Cam and Blair are two high school journalism students who decide to fulfill their semester project by establishing a true crime podcast researching the local murder mystery: who killed high school student Clarissa Campbell 20 years ago when their parents were students. They question everyone they can think of, everyone who will talk to them, all the old suspects. That going among murder suspects might mean getting murdered never enters into the girls' calculations...
This is a shorter read with a fast pace and a smooth narrative line. It's an enjoyable thriller with a gripping premise. The one place I thought it needed a bit more was in foreshadowing. I didn't guess who the killer was, which happens; but when he was revealed, I had to backtrack and reread to figure out who the character was because his page time didn't make enough impact.
My favorite thing about MISSING CLARISSA is the setting, the small town of Oreville, which I think is an accurate representation of the ups and downs of small town life-- everyone cares about you, but everyone also knows your business. Sometimes this element can get a little out of hand in books and become a bit of a caricature of small town life. But Oreville is believable and feels familiar.
Rating: 🎙🎙🎙.5 / 5 podcast episodes
Recommend? Yes
Finished: January 31 2023
Read this book if you like:
😬 YA thrillers
🔪 Murder mysteries
👭🏻 Best friends
🙍♀️ Young detectives
🎚 Podcasts
🗞 Journalism
Cam and Blair are two high school journalism students who decide to fulfill their semester project by establishing a true crime podcast researching the local murder mystery: who killed high school student Clarissa Campbell 20 years ago when their parents were students. They question everyone they can think of, everyone who will talk to them, all the old suspects. That going among murder suspects might mean getting murdered never enters into the girls' calculations...
This is a shorter read with a fast pace and a smooth narrative line. It's an enjoyable thriller with a gripping premise. The one place I thought it needed a bit more was in foreshadowing. I didn't guess who the killer was, which happens; but when he was revealed, I had to backtrack and reread to figure out who the character was because his page time didn't make enough impact.
My favorite thing about MISSING CLARISSA is the setting, the small town of Oreville, which I think is an accurate representation of the ups and downs of small town life-- everyone cares about you, but everyone also knows your business. Sometimes this element can get a little out of hand in books and become a bit of a caricature of small town life. But Oreville is believable and feels familiar.
Rating: 🎙🎙🎙.5 / 5 podcast episodes
Recommend? Yes
Finished: January 31 2023
Read this book if you like:
😬 YA thrillers
🔪 Murder mysteries
👭🏻 Best friends
🙍♀️ Young detectives
🎚 Podcasts
🗞 Journalism
July 13, 2022
I really wanted to love this. The whole idea was so intriguing but honestly, this was a hard read. It felt like it was all over the place. Jumping from one girl to the next and it lacked...heart I guess. I never connected with any of the characters or even the storyline, which really did have so much potential.
It sadly ended up feeling a lot like the author repeatedly described Cam, a big hot chaotic mess.
The mystery was very predictable and I found myself wanting to just put the book down and not pick it up again. I think this sadly, just wasn't for me.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
It sadly ended up feeling a lot like the author repeatedly described Cam, a big hot chaotic mess.
The mystery was very predictable and I found myself wanting to just put the book down and not pick it up again. I think this sadly, just wasn't for me.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
November 24, 2022
Missing Clarissa is a gripping debut novel by Ripley Jones that tells the story of the disappearance of Clarissa Campbell, a popular cheerleader who vanished from a party in the woods outside her small town. The story is told through the eyes of Blair and Cameron, two high-school juniors who start a true crime podcast in an effort to unravel the mystery of what happened to Clarissa...
The characters in Missing Clarissa are brilliantly drawn - they feel like people you may have known in high school. Blair and Cameron are relatable and sympathetic, and the other characters in the book are well-developed and intriguing. The plot is well-paced and suspenseful, and I found myself eagerly turning the pages to find out what happened to Clarissa. The writing is a unique mix of dark, funny, and grit. Fully engrossing novel. I read this novel in a state of intense, breathless excitement and I NEVER SAW THE ENDING COMING. Which is rare. Extremely rare for me. There is outstanding LGBTQ+ representation in both the teenagers and the adults. There is neurodivergent representation (at least I think?). The twists were great.
I will be the first one to say that I think true crime podcasts are overdone in thrillers/suspense novels lately, but this one was done extremely well in a smart and sophisticated way.
I don't read a lot of YA novels. I told myself ''I'll just start this one and go to sleep. 8 hours later, it's 5 am, I haven't slept, I am absolutely dazzled.
Why am I not giving it 5 stars? I felt like the main characters were not given the same depth. Cameron was beautifully rendered, but Blair seemed like an afterthought. There wasn't the same progression of her character's traits or a satisfying conclusion for her and I really wish there was.
In sum, Missing Clarissa is a fantastic debut novel that won't let go of its readers until they reach the final page.
If you like suspenseful books, I think you'll really like this one.
Read this if you liked :
- One of Us is Lying
- A Good Girl's Guide to Murder
- Pretty Little Liars if the representation of Emily didn't suck
- Podcast My Favourite Murder / Crime Junkie
The characters in Missing Clarissa are brilliantly drawn - they feel like people you may have known in high school. Blair and Cameron are relatable and sympathetic, and the other characters in the book are well-developed and intriguing. The plot is well-paced and suspenseful, and I found myself eagerly turning the pages to find out what happened to Clarissa. The writing is a unique mix of dark, funny, and grit. Fully engrossing novel. I read this novel in a state of intense, breathless excitement and I NEVER SAW THE ENDING COMING. Which is rare. Extremely rare for me. There is outstanding LGBTQ+ representation in both the teenagers and the adults. There is neurodivergent representation (at least I think?). The twists were great.
I will be the first one to say that I think true crime podcasts are overdone in thrillers/suspense novels lately, but this one was done extremely well in a smart and sophisticated way.
I don't read a lot of YA novels. I told myself ''I'll just start this one and go to sleep. 8 hours later, it's 5 am, I haven't slept, I am absolutely dazzled.
Why am I not giving it 5 stars? I felt like the main characters were not given the same depth. Cameron was beautifully rendered, but Blair seemed like an afterthought. There wasn't the same progression of her character's traits or a satisfying conclusion for her and I really wish there was.
In sum, Missing Clarissa is a fantastic debut novel that won't let go of its readers until they reach the final page.
If you like suspenseful books, I think you'll really like this one.
Read this if you liked :
- One of Us is Lying
- A Good Girl's Guide to Murder
- Pretty Little Liars if the representation of Emily didn't suck
- Podcast My Favourite Murder / Crime Junkie
January 18, 2023
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: March 7, 2023
Ripley Jones' debut novel "Missing Clarissa" is a modern and fresh suspense novel with relatable characters, all wrapped up in a clever "who dunnit".
Clarissa Campbell went missing twenty years ago, while at a party with her friends and there has been no trace of her since. Her boyfriend at the time was questioned and released and no one in the small Washington town had any idea what happened to the beautiful cheerleader. Now, Cam and her best friend, Blair, decide to make a podcast about the disappearance for a journalism project. However, their investigation opens new wounds for the town and their new discoveries put their lives at risk.
The premise of "Missing Clarissa" is not new or novel. In fact, I have probably read two or three novels recently with an investigative podcast at its core. Jones, however, makes "Clarissa" unique and relevant, highlighting societal issues (like feminism and racism), and making her characters young and diverse. Cam and Blair are the epitome of “high school bff’s”, with the current challenges of social media as their main stressor, and they are both naïve and delightful. As they try and muddle their way through high school, while investigating a former murder that no one wants re-investigated, it is easy enough to cheer for the friends, and the ending delivers a satisfying outcome for the two.
The story is told by both protagonists, which provides more background for the girls' friendship as well as making for a more well-developed plot. Although the plot takes place primarily as the investigation is ongoing in present day, there are snippets from the past that shed some light on the mystery behind Clarissa’s disappearance. Jones can deliver a captivating, seat-of-your-pants read, and with the knowledge that this is a debut novel? Good things await!
Although the ending was not entirely surprising, I really enjoyed Jones' build up and slow release. Smart and taut, "Clarissa" is an engaging read and if Jones continues along like this, she will be someone to watch for!
Expected publication date: March 7, 2023
Ripley Jones' debut novel "Missing Clarissa" is a modern and fresh suspense novel with relatable characters, all wrapped up in a clever "who dunnit".
Clarissa Campbell went missing twenty years ago, while at a party with her friends and there has been no trace of her since. Her boyfriend at the time was questioned and released and no one in the small Washington town had any idea what happened to the beautiful cheerleader. Now, Cam and her best friend, Blair, decide to make a podcast about the disappearance for a journalism project. However, their investigation opens new wounds for the town and their new discoveries put their lives at risk.
The premise of "Missing Clarissa" is not new or novel. In fact, I have probably read two or three novels recently with an investigative podcast at its core. Jones, however, makes "Clarissa" unique and relevant, highlighting societal issues (like feminism and racism), and making her characters young and diverse. Cam and Blair are the epitome of “high school bff’s”, with the current challenges of social media as their main stressor, and they are both naïve and delightful. As they try and muddle their way through high school, while investigating a former murder that no one wants re-investigated, it is easy enough to cheer for the friends, and the ending delivers a satisfying outcome for the two.
The story is told by both protagonists, which provides more background for the girls' friendship as well as making for a more well-developed plot. Although the plot takes place primarily as the investigation is ongoing in present day, there are snippets from the past that shed some light on the mystery behind Clarissa’s disappearance. Jones can deliver a captivating, seat-of-your-pants read, and with the knowledge that this is a debut novel? Good things await!
Although the ending was not entirely surprising, I really enjoyed Jones' build up and slow release. Smart and taut, "Clarissa" is an engaging read and if Jones continues along like this, she will be someone to watch for!
August 12, 2022
I am not impressed. Just really not. The feeling I have after reading this book is nothing, and that's just underwhelming.
Let me lay out the 5 main reasons why you should not read.
1- Unoriginal. This book has a predictable plot with a predictable ending. It was just waaaay too predictable. And that isn't good in a murder plot, because then there is no suspense (unless it is told from the murderer's perspective.) All the characters were pretty stereotypical, but not in a fun way like One of Us is Lying. It was in a boring and overused way.
2- Overly Political. Why do people read? Most of the time it's for entertainment, to escape reality. I felt like this book made that impossible. I don't mind when authors incorporate some of their beliefs into their work, on some level it's inevitable and I think it can further the plot and make their work feel more authentic. I just feel like the author of Missing Clarissa would have been better off writing a book on their political opinions. The book has frequent references to ACAB, Antifa, how horrible cops are, 'rich white men', LQBTQ rights, etc. Fine if it was a political book, but it wasn't. The only politics I like in my fiction are fae politics.
3- Unrealistic. I like to feel like the murder story I'm reading could happen to me. Just me that feels that way? Oh well. Anyway, the problem is that the 'evidence' would never stand up in court and the way that the whole confrontation went down was super rushed and absurd. Aside from that, the author described the town in the beginning as a super conservative and homophobic little pocket of people. They didn't hyperfocus on this point, but the hints were there. However, I counted 7 LGBTQ characters in all. I don't mind that, except for it doesn't make any sense. I live in the 5th biggest city in the US, Phoenix, and I don't even know that many members of the LGBTQ community. Not to mention that statistically, in a town with like 2000 people, that is unlikely.
4- Obsession Over Race. Let me tell you, during the first half of the book, I thought I was going to go insane. I read "Everybody loves a dead white girl." way to many times. Not only that, but the author literally describes e v e r y o n e s skin color. I don't need to know the race of every person in the mc's journalism class. The first thing that you describe about a book character shouldn't be their skin color.
5- Writing Style. I really felt like I was reading one of those free, self-published books on Amazon Kindle. It was poor writing. No picture painting, no imagery. I like when authors are so vivid I can smell where I am. On top of that, the writing was a bit choppy, and not quite at that next level, you know? Not at that, 'I write for a living' level.
No offense to the author because hey- they put themselves out there. But as a reader, I would have to encourage others not to read this book as it was a waste. Find better quality books- and read them.
Let me lay out the 5 main reasons why you should not read.
1- Unoriginal. This book has a predictable plot with a predictable ending. It was just waaaay too predictable. And that isn't good in a murder plot, because then there is no suspense (unless it is told from the murderer's perspective.) All the characters were pretty stereotypical, but not in a fun way like One of Us is Lying. It was in a boring and overused way.
2- Overly Political. Why do people read? Most of the time it's for entertainment, to escape reality. I felt like this book made that impossible. I don't mind when authors incorporate some of their beliefs into their work, on some level it's inevitable and I think it can further the plot and make their work feel more authentic. I just feel like the author of Missing Clarissa would have been better off writing a book on their political opinions. The book has frequent references to ACAB, Antifa, how horrible cops are, 'rich white men', LQBTQ rights, etc. Fine if it was a political book, but it wasn't. The only politics I like in my fiction are fae politics.
3- Unrealistic. I like to feel like the murder story I'm reading could happen to me. Just me that feels that way? Oh well. Anyway, the problem is that the 'evidence' would never stand up in court and the way that the whole confrontation went down was super rushed and absurd. Aside from that, the author described the town in the beginning as a super conservative and homophobic little pocket of people. They didn't hyperfocus on this point, but the hints were there. However, I counted 7 LGBTQ characters in all. I don't mind that, except for it doesn't make any sense. I live in the 5th biggest city in the US, Phoenix, and I don't even know that many members of the LGBTQ community. Not to mention that statistically, in a town with like 2000 people, that is unlikely.
4- Obsession Over Race. Let me tell you, during the first half of the book, I thought I was going to go insane. I read "Everybody loves a dead white girl." way to many times. Not only that, but the author literally describes e v e r y o n e s skin color. I don't need to know the race of every person in the mc's journalism class. The first thing that you describe about a book character shouldn't be their skin color.
5- Writing Style. I really felt like I was reading one of those free, self-published books on Amazon Kindle. It was poor writing. No picture painting, no imagery. I like when authors are so vivid I can smell where I am. On top of that, the writing was a bit choppy, and not quite at that next level, you know? Not at that, 'I write for a living' level.
No offense to the author because hey- they put themselves out there. But as a reader, I would have to encourage others not to read this book as it was a waste. Find better quality books- and read them.
March 5, 2023
Review coming soon.
February 25, 2023
Cam and Blair are high school juniors who decide to make a true crime podcast for their journalism class project. Their subject matter is the mysterious disappearance of cheerleader Clarissa Campbell over twenty years ago. Clarissa vanished in the wee morning hours after reportedly fighting with her boyfriend at an after graduation party deep in the woods where local teenagers escape to drink and party hidden away from the eyes and reach of parents. Her disappearance garnished national attention, but with no clues the case went cold. Her story, however, has never completely died down as the internet is still buzzing with speculation.
Cam and Blair start researching the disappearance of Clarissa seemingly sure they can do what authorities couldn't . . . solve the mystery. They begin conducting interviews with players including suspects from that time - some of whom speak freely while others shun the spotlight with veiled threats. During the course of the filming of their podcast, the girls unwittingly rattle some old skeletons, making some people unhappy. Questions arise about some of the small town's prominent people, including the local sheriff and an old art teacher. It seems the girls have dared to poke a hornet's nest, letting a swarm of dark, dirty little secrets escape. Will their podcast end up getting one of them murdered?
Missing Clarissa is an entertaining, young adult mystery with an intriguing plot line. While Blair and Cam start out motivated by earning an A in their journalism class and gaining followers, they quickly become addicted to finding real answers to the mystery of Clarissa's disappearance. Characters are well-defined and developed with the main characters empathy-worthy with representation of different social groups including LGBTQ, social class and color. Jones's writing flows smoothly as the story unfolds at a steady pace. The intensity and anticipation increase as the girls dig deeper into the mysterious disappearance, serving to sound a warning bell in readers. Several red herrings are evident as possible villains, and I wasn't exactly certain of where this one was going until the reveal.
Ripley Jones's debut novel Missing Clarissa is an intense, young adult mystery rendered through multiple points of view. While it seems the utilization of a podcast to tell stories is becoming common now, the premise is well done and appropriate within the boundaries of two teenage girls for delivering the story in Missing Clarissa. Fans of young adult mysteries will enjoy this one. I'm looking forward to seeing what's next for this talented author.
Special thanks to the Wednesday Books for an arc of Missing Clarissa.
Reviewed in Mystery & Suspense Magazine and at Cross My Heart Reviews
Cam and Blair start researching the disappearance of Clarissa seemingly sure they can do what authorities couldn't . . . solve the mystery. They begin conducting interviews with players including suspects from that time - some of whom speak freely while others shun the spotlight with veiled threats. During the course of the filming of their podcast, the girls unwittingly rattle some old skeletons, making some people unhappy. Questions arise about some of the small town's prominent people, including the local sheriff and an old art teacher. It seems the girls have dared to poke a hornet's nest, letting a swarm of dark, dirty little secrets escape. Will their podcast end up getting one of them murdered?
Missing Clarissa is an entertaining, young adult mystery with an intriguing plot line. While Blair and Cam start out motivated by earning an A in their journalism class and gaining followers, they quickly become addicted to finding real answers to the mystery of Clarissa's disappearance. Characters are well-defined and developed with the main characters empathy-worthy with representation of different social groups including LGBTQ, social class and color. Jones's writing flows smoothly as the story unfolds at a steady pace. The intensity and anticipation increase as the girls dig deeper into the mysterious disappearance, serving to sound a warning bell in readers. Several red herrings are evident as possible villains, and I wasn't exactly certain of where this one was going until the reveal.
Ripley Jones's debut novel Missing Clarissa is an intense, young adult mystery rendered through multiple points of view. While it seems the utilization of a podcast to tell stories is becoming common now, the premise is well done and appropriate within the boundaries of two teenage girls for delivering the story in Missing Clarissa. Fans of young adult mysteries will enjoy this one. I'm looking forward to seeing what's next for this talented author.
Special thanks to the Wednesday Books for an arc of Missing Clarissa.
Reviewed in Mystery & Suspense Magazine and at Cross My Heart Reviews
November 13, 2022
Book Title: Missing Clarissa
Author: Ripley Jones
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press ~ Wednesday Books
Genre: Teen/YA -Mystery
Pub Date: March 7, 2023
My Rating: 4+ rounded up!
Aww one of my favorite reads! In fact, this is the my best YA read for 2022!
Clarissa Campbell is a beautiful cheerleader and is dating Brad Bennett the handsome captain of the football team - both are high school seniors. However, 20 years ago Clarissa disappears from a party in the woods after graduation. Everyone is there - Oreville, Washington is a small town – naturally a lot of underage drinking going on. Party goes witness Clarissa crying and Brad kissing Renee Munoz. Foul play is assumed and Brad is thought to be guilt.
Story made national news ~ everyone is curious. Friends and family are questioned regarding Clarissa’s whereabouts. But Clarissa is never found!
Cam Munoz and Blair Johnson are high school juniors and have been best friends since sixth grade. They are noting alike ~ Cam is very intelligent, self-assured, risk taker, but socially awkward. Blair is the opposite but they balance each other: Blair is bright, logical, and kind but has insecurities about her abilities.
It has been twenty years since Clarissa went missing and Cam and Blair decided to take on her disappearance as their project for journalism class.
With the help of true-crime podcast, they set out to interview friends, family etc. and they do find out some things that weren’t revealed earlier.
This was a surprise read for me. As a high school guidance counselor, I like to read YA novels and make recommendations or even just be aware of what my students are reading. I have found that most YA stories follow a formula ~ excessive graphic sex, profanity, bulling, drugs, drinking, and suicide.
I go to novels are mysteries and psychological thrillers. Love the twists and turns and trying to guess Whodunit. In this case, the mystery of whodunit wasn’t a shock. However, I found Cam and Blair such a delight – they made the story enjoyable. I am hoping they will be in another adventure.
Want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press ~Wednesday Books for the pleasure of reading this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for March 7, 2023
Author: Ripley Jones
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press ~ Wednesday Books
Genre: Teen/YA -Mystery
Pub Date: March 7, 2023
My Rating: 4+ rounded up!
Aww one of my favorite reads! In fact, this is the my best YA read for 2022!
Clarissa Campbell is a beautiful cheerleader and is dating Brad Bennett the handsome captain of the football team - both are high school seniors. However, 20 years ago Clarissa disappears from a party in the woods after graduation. Everyone is there - Oreville, Washington is a small town – naturally a lot of underage drinking going on. Party goes witness Clarissa crying and Brad kissing Renee Munoz. Foul play is assumed and Brad is thought to be guilt.
Story made national news ~ everyone is curious. Friends and family are questioned regarding Clarissa’s whereabouts. But Clarissa is never found!
Cam Munoz and Blair Johnson are high school juniors and have been best friends since sixth grade. They are noting alike ~ Cam is very intelligent, self-assured, risk taker, but socially awkward. Blair is the opposite but they balance each other: Blair is bright, logical, and kind but has insecurities about her abilities.
It has been twenty years since Clarissa went missing and Cam and Blair decided to take on her disappearance as their project for journalism class.
With the help of true-crime podcast, they set out to interview friends, family etc. and they do find out some things that weren’t revealed earlier.
This was a surprise read for me. As a high school guidance counselor, I like to read YA novels and make recommendations or even just be aware of what my students are reading. I have found that most YA stories follow a formula ~ excessive graphic sex, profanity, bulling, drugs, drinking, and suicide.
I go to novels are mysteries and psychological thrillers. Love the twists and turns and trying to guess Whodunit. In this case, the mystery of whodunit wasn’t a shock. However, I found Cam and Blair such a delight – they made the story enjoyable. I am hoping they will be in another adventure.
Want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press ~Wednesday Books for the pleasure of reading this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for March 7, 2023
March 17, 2024
3.5 Stars
This is the kind of young adult mystery that I would have absolutely loved as a teenager. Even though I was reading it for the first time, I felt nostalgic for this story as I was reading.
I love mysteries centered around a kidnapping and this one very much captured my attention. I was very invested and wanted to know what happened to this young woman.
As for the Investigators, I really liked them. They were the kind of gumshoe amatuer detectives that I love in these novels. I physically read the books but I suspect the podcast parts would be really fun to listen to via the audiobook version.
I would recommend this YA Mystery for anyone who loves these kinds of stories.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
This is the kind of young adult mystery that I would have absolutely loved as a teenager. Even though I was reading it for the first time, I felt nostalgic for this story as I was reading.
I love mysteries centered around a kidnapping and this one very much captured my attention. I was very invested and wanted to know what happened to this young woman.
As for the Investigators, I really liked them. They were the kind of gumshoe amatuer detectives that I love in these novels. I physically read the books but I suspect the podcast parts would be really fun to listen to via the audiobook version.
I would recommend this YA Mystery for anyone who loves these kinds of stories.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
October 9, 2023
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 twisty and kept me engaged through all 500+ pages (!) in the Net 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 didn't even realize that the girls were recording a podcast episode until they 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.
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 twisty and kept me engaged through all 500+ pages (!) in the Net 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 didn't even realize that the girls were recording a podcast episode until they 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.
March 7, 2023
Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This ended up being such a big letdown. It is marketed toward fans of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, but it is nothing like that. Our main characters, Cam and Blaire, decide for their journalism class to start a podcast about the disappearance of a high-school cheerleader, Clarissa, that happened 20 years ago.
I did not like either of our main characters. Cam is very brash and harsh, which is fine when it is tempered. However, she acts without caring what her actions might do to others. She is quick to judge people and even got upset with people who are nothing but kind to her. Blaire was a little bit better, but she was bland. She kept talking about how ordinary and dull she is, which is fine in moderation, but it was her only personality trait. She would forgive Cam in an instant, even though Cam crossed some pretty big boundaries.
The writing was not great. It read like what an adult thinks teenagers talk like, in an awkward stilted way. The POV would switch from paragraph to paragraph, which was even more confusing. Also, the interviews that Cam and Blaire had with people involved in Clarrisa's case were odd. The adults were incredibly open in talking to them and would share all this information, even though Blaire and Cam were asking terrible questions. It made it hard to enjoy the mystery aspect of the book.
This book had potential, but it just did not deliver.
This ended up being such a big letdown. It is marketed toward fans of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, but it is nothing like that. Our main characters, Cam and Blaire, decide for their journalism class to start a podcast about the disappearance of a high-school cheerleader, Clarissa, that happened 20 years ago.
I did not like either of our main characters. Cam is very brash and harsh, which is fine when it is tempered. However, she acts without caring what her actions might do to others. She is quick to judge people and even got upset with people who are nothing but kind to her. Blaire was a little bit better, but she was bland. She kept talking about how ordinary and dull she is, which is fine in moderation, but it was her only personality trait. She would forgive Cam in an instant, even though Cam crossed some pretty big boundaries.
The writing was not great. It read like what an adult thinks teenagers talk like, in an awkward stilted way. The POV would switch from paragraph to paragraph, which was even more confusing. Also, the interviews that Cam and Blaire had with people involved in Clarrisa's case were odd. The adults were incredibly open in talking to them and would share all this information, even though Blaire and Cam were asking terrible questions. It made it hard to enjoy the mystery aspect of the book.
This book had potential, but it just did not deliver.
January 15, 2023
Everybody loves a dead girl.
Picture it: Oreville, before the new millennium, partying like it was 1999.. because it was, in fact, 1999. The town sweetheart Clarissa goes missing from said party, never to be seen again, and it changes the fabric of the small town forever.
20 years later, students at Clarissa's very school want to do a podcast about her disappearance. Blair and Cam are best friends. Cam is the quirky genius and Blair is the beautiful girl with the preppy boyfriend who sells herself short. At first Blair is reluctant to do the show, so many people are warning them not to, but she soon becomes as engrossed in it as Cam.
As they investigate, a picture of Clarissa emerges that is different from what they'd initially heard. She was ambitious and loved art and wanted to get out of this town. Could she have run away? It would make her a bad person to leave people hanging like this but is being a bad person better than being dead?
This started off really strong but I had to start skimming toward the end because I was rolling my eyes. I kept reading to find out what really happened and I felt less than satisfied with the results, but I try not to judge books based on the ending but by the journey there.
My biggest issue is the social agenda being pushed(this is why I was rolling my eyes). It became impossible to ignore because it was just trying WAY too hard and it felt unnatural. Renegade antifa mom and constantly talking about the "missing white women" issue and I'm wondering why they didn't investigate the disappearance of someone else then. Blair and Clarissa are more than just cheerleaders but you made them cheerleaders. It's like this book disses all the cliches("I'm not like the other girls" energy) while using all of them and that feels phony to me. There was some light cop bashing too but I did laugh lol kidding(or am I?)! But seriously, authors, PLEASE lay off of this. I'm always going to point out an agenda whether I agree or not, unless I know it's going to be political beforehand. This just sounded like a fun little small-town mystery, not an ACAB rally.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review.
Picture it: Oreville, before the new millennium, partying like it was 1999.. because it was, in fact, 1999. The town sweetheart Clarissa goes missing from said party, never to be seen again, and it changes the fabric of the small town forever.
20 years later, students at Clarissa's very school want to do a podcast about her disappearance. Blair and Cam are best friends. Cam is the quirky genius and Blair is the beautiful girl with the preppy boyfriend who sells herself short. At first Blair is reluctant to do the show, so many people are warning them not to, but she soon becomes as engrossed in it as Cam.
As they investigate, a picture of Clarissa emerges that is different from what they'd initially heard. She was ambitious and loved art and wanted to get out of this town. Could she have run away? It would make her a bad person to leave people hanging like this but is being a bad person better than being dead?
This started off really strong but I had to start skimming toward the end because I was rolling my eyes. I kept reading to find out what really happened and I felt less than satisfied with the results, but I try not to judge books based on the ending but by the journey there.
My biggest issue is the social agenda being pushed(this is why I was rolling my eyes). It became impossible to ignore because it was just trying WAY too hard and it felt unnatural. Renegade antifa mom and constantly talking about the "missing white women" issue and I'm wondering why they didn't investigate the disappearance of someone else then. Blair and Clarissa are more than just cheerleaders but you made them cheerleaders. It's like this book disses all the cliches("I'm not like the other girls" energy) while using all of them and that feels phony to me. There was some light cop bashing too but I did laugh lol kidding(or am I?)! But seriously, authors, PLEASE lay off of this. I'm always going to point out an agenda whether I agree or not, unless I know it's going to be political beforehand. This just sounded like a fun little small-town mystery, not an ACAB rally.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review.
March 26, 2023
Of all the amateur detective novels I've read, this had the most irritating main character.
We're being told all the time that Cam is a maths genius, but there's never any proof of her intelligence. Yes, being very good at maths doesn't mean you also have emotional intelligence, but surely it should mean you are good at solving problems, spotting things, thinking of different ways to look at something. The investigation was pretty underwhelming and just relied on other people pointing Cam and Blair in the right direction.
Cam had a penchant for being rude, judgemental and making rash, stupid decisions (repeatedly). It made it hard for me to read about her shenanigans.
In terms of the mystery, it held my interest, but there was no twist, no surprise reveal. When we finally find out what happened, it's more of an "oh, yes" reaction than "OMG!".
Overall, 2.5 stars for me
We're being told all the time that Cam is a maths genius, but there's never any proof of her intelligence. Yes, being very good at maths doesn't mean you also have emotional intelligence, but surely it should mean you are good at solving problems, spotting things, thinking of different ways to look at something. The investigation was pretty underwhelming and just relied on other people pointing Cam and Blair in the right direction.
Cam had a penchant for being rude, judgemental and making rash, stupid decisions (repeatedly). It made it hard for me to read about her shenanigans.
In terms of the mystery, it held my interest, but there was no twist, no surprise reveal. When we finally find out what happened, it's more of an "oh, yes" reaction than "OMG!".
Overall, 2.5 stars for me
November 29, 2023
This book was disappointing. I love a good YA mystery and this was not it. One of the main characters was insufferable. I know a lot of teenagers act like her, but reading about her gave me a headache. The ending twist was not at all exciting and I didn’t really care for any of the characters. This felt like a rip-off /poorly done version of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. There are just way better YA mysteries out there!!! I would not bother wasting your time on this one.
January 16, 2023
Clarissa Campbell disappeared without a trace twenty years ago. Her disappearance was sensationalized in the news, television, and magazines. Back then, it was unheard of for a teen to go missing in the small town of Oreville.
With Clarissa’s disappearance still unsolved twenty years later, it became a journalism project for classmates and best friends, Cameron and Blair to uncover clues that may lead to solving the mystery.
Through a series of interviews with Clarissa’s classmates, friends, and teachers, Blair and Cameron slowly uncover hidden truths and secrets. Truths and secrets that laid dormant for many years and are now coming back to haunt the people that hid them
Missing Clarissa was an engaging read from the get-go. The story unfolds through multiple points of view with flashbacks to the past. There are a number of plot twists that kept me guessing until the end. But in the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t that surprising.
I liked the characters in the novel. They were descript and so real. Each character had a unique personality and I really loved how the author managed to transition from teen characterss to adult characters.
Missing Clarissa is author Ripley Jones’ debut novel. And what a novel it turned out to be! Five amazing stars.
I received a digital ARC from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
With Clarissa’s disappearance still unsolved twenty years later, it became a journalism project for classmates and best friends, Cameron and Blair to uncover clues that may lead to solving the mystery.
Through a series of interviews with Clarissa’s classmates, friends, and teachers, Blair and Cameron slowly uncover hidden truths and secrets. Truths and secrets that laid dormant for many years and are now coming back to haunt the people that hid them
Missing Clarissa was an engaging read from the get-go. The story unfolds through multiple points of view with flashbacks to the past. There are a number of plot twists that kept me guessing until the end. But in the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t that surprising.
I liked the characters in the novel. They were descript and so real. Each character had a unique personality and I really loved how the author managed to transition from teen characterss to adult characters.
Missing Clarissa is author Ripley Jones’ debut novel. And what a novel it turned out to be! Five amazing stars.
I received a digital ARC from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
March 3, 2025
3.50 stars
Missing Clarissa was a great YA novel. I love any book that has a podcast involved in the storyline. "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". Twenty yrs later, Oreville high-school juniors & best friends Blair & Cameron start a true crime podcast, determined to unravel the story of what—or who—happened to this rural urban legend. This has been on my backlist for awhile and I was glad to finally get to it.
Missing Clarissa was a great YA novel. I love any book that has a podcast involved in the storyline. "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". Twenty yrs later, Oreville high-school juniors & best friends Blair & Cameron start a true crime podcast, determined to unravel the story of what—or who—happened to this rural urban legend. This has been on my backlist for awhile and I was glad to finally get to it.
May 15, 2024
Over 20 years ago a beautiful and talented cheerleader, Clarissa Campbell, vanished from a party in the woods. At the time, her charismatic boyfriend was the main suspect in her presumed death. Evidently, the police never looked at anyone else. In the small town of Oreville, WA, Clarissa’s vanishing is still news and part of the town’s history or perhaps urban legend, if you will, for better or worse. So much so that when high school student Cameron needs a subject for her journalism class, she decides to do a podcast on Clarissa Campbell and ropes her best friend Blair into working with her, despite Blair’s wishes. Will the two high school podcasters uncover anything new in the Clarissa Campbell story or will it continue to be a cold case in Ripley Jones’ Missing Clarissa?
With so many novels out about true crime podcasters solving mysteries, it is definitely hard to rise above the crowd, but Missing Clarissa does just that. With interesting characters, especially quirky, uber-intelligent and awkward Cameron and her complete opposite in best friend Blair, not to mention Cameron’s mother Irene who is more than just the cool mom, Missing Clarissa does stand out.
The mystery keeps the reader-sleuth guessing right up until the climactic scene, which is exactly what every thriller reader wants, although I did have my suspicions early on but was almost successfully led astray by a red herring. Jones deftly creates evocative atmosphere that adds to tension, especially in woods where Bigfoot is reputed to live.
Overall, an outstanding, highly recommended mystery.
Many thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy.
With so many novels out about true crime podcasters solving mysteries, it is definitely hard to rise above the crowd, but Missing Clarissa does just that. With interesting characters, especially quirky, uber-intelligent and awkward Cameron and her complete opposite in best friend Blair, not to mention Cameron’s mother Irene who is more than just the cool mom, Missing Clarissa does stand out.
The mystery keeps the reader-sleuth guessing right up until the climactic scene, which is exactly what every thriller reader wants, although I did have my suspicions early on but was almost successfully led astray by a red herring. Jones deftly creates evocative atmosphere that adds to tension, especially in woods where Bigfoot is reputed to live.
Overall, an outstanding, highly recommended mystery.
Many thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy.
January 22, 2023
Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!!
This book was so unexpected for me. I thought I would be going into this obsessing over a new teen murder/mystery. However, what I loved most out of this story were the incredible characters, particularly Cam.
Cam and Blair are best friends, so when their favorite class, journalism, has a huge project, they (mostly Cam) decide on a podcast about a girl that's been missing for 20 years. This leads to some awkward reporting, both of them learning together their strengths and weaknesses pertaining to this project, and, of course, many secrets revealed.
I loved the relationship between Cam and Blair. The overwhelming kindness and honest love between two best friends who are opposites in so many ways was absolutely endearing. Cam is not great communicating with people, she's honest, she's honest to a point that can at times be detrimental. But her honesty is what made me really love this book. The compassion Blair shows, being caring and very uplifting for Cameron, simply made my heart grow.
The last part of this book was a whirlwind. I could not read fast enough. The story around the podcast and Clarissa seemed to be moving slowly, but the last several chapters were explosive.
I loved this book and recommend it to fans of ya mystery/thriller reads!
Out March 7, 2023!
This book was so unexpected for me. I thought I would be going into this obsessing over a new teen murder/mystery. However, what I loved most out of this story were the incredible characters, particularly Cam.
Cam and Blair are best friends, so when their favorite class, journalism, has a huge project, they (mostly Cam) decide on a podcast about a girl that's been missing for 20 years. This leads to some awkward reporting, both of them learning together their strengths and weaknesses pertaining to this project, and, of course, many secrets revealed.
I loved the relationship between Cam and Blair. The overwhelming kindness and honest love between two best friends who are opposites in so many ways was absolutely endearing. Cam is not great communicating with people, she's honest, she's honest to a point that can at times be detrimental. But her honesty is what made me really love this book. The compassion Blair shows, being caring and very uplifting for Cameron, simply made my heart grow.
The last part of this book was a whirlwind. I could not read fast enough. The story around the podcast and Clarissa seemed to be moving slowly, but the last several chapters were explosive.
I loved this book and recommend it to fans of ya mystery/thriller reads!
Out March 7, 2023!
September 30, 2022
This was an extremely quick read, and a nice surprise! This book is easy to follow, and the twists and turns it takes are truly engrossing. Overall I enjoyed Missing Clarissa, if you like YA Mystery books then I think you will enjoy this one.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 31, 2023
I love a book that incorporates a podcast and the premise of this book - two HS students who create a true crime podcast for their journalism class to solve a 20+ year old mystery in their town - was totally calling to me.
I enjoyed aspects of this book and think it will be engaging for YA readers. Lots of good suspects and kept me entertained.
I enjoyed aspects of this book and think it will be engaging for YA readers. Lots of good suspects and kept me entertained.
February 11, 2023
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.
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This affected neither my opinion of the book nor the content of my review.
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.
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This affected neither my opinion of the book nor the content of my review.
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