As the novel opens, we are in a dark basement with a girl who has been there for a long time, barely fed and never allowed to see the sun. She has a shy companion, Gus, and when she has the opportunity to make a break for freedom she takes it because Gus wouldn't have the nerve, and if they don't escape they will almost certainly die.

Now, go back eleven years, to the days and weeks before a girl and her mother go missing from a placid and close-knit neighborhood outside Chicago. What happened that led to those opening scenes, and who is responsible?

There is no doubt this books is a page-turner. Told in multiple voices, it's never hard to keep the characters or the timeline straight, and the writing is accomplished without calling attention to itself. There are enough twists and turns in the plot to keep readers guessing, and more thrown in as the ending approaches.

If this is what you're looking for, this story will hit the spot. I found the plot ultimately too far-fetched and, while the first chapters are well executed, there's a bit too much reliance on misery to launch and sustain the narrative.

High points for solid writing, pacing, and character development, points off for plausibility and reliance on the well-worn "girl locked in a room for years" plot device which for me is right up there with serial killers as a been-there-done-that-so-over-it story line. Those who love a thriller and aren't so picky about whether those thrills are realistic will likely be happy to restore those points, since it's quite a propulsive read.

The story of a 6 year old girl that goes missing for 11 years and is finally found. There are many twists and turns in this phycological thriller written by an excellent story teller. I look forward to future books by Mary Kubica.

Amazing story. Well developed characters that are in a twisted engrossing thriller. Highly recommended. Super suspense that comes to a satisfying end! Highly recommended . A true roller coaster thrill ride

Well, that was a roller coaster of a read.

The first half of the book went a little slower for me, and I spent time pondering how things fit with the title and where the story was going. Things really picked up in the last half and I was able to start putting some pieces together. I ended up staying up until 2am so I could finish it, it got that good at the end. Even with my guesses at what was going on, I was still not expecting how things turned out. I'll definitely be reading more of this author.

Local Woman Missing from Mary Kubica is interesting told in past (11 years ago) and present with alternating voices. It begins with a young girl struggling in isolation - and she finally escapes. The novel revolves are several disappearances, relationships within the neighborhood, family situations, and so much more! I don't want to give too much away in my review - but, get this book! You'll be hooked... and stay up way past your bedtime to learn what the heck is going on amongst these very well-written and special characters. This book will stay with you for a long time as it's absolutely fantastic!!!!

A page-turner! I loved this book, it had me guessing the entire time. I enjoyed the alternating POV chapters that flipped back and forth from past to present day. Many twists and turns and a satisfying ending!

Not sure where I land on this one? I whipped through it--stayed up wayyyyy too late to go from 45% to the end--but ultimately I don't know if the answers were completely satisfying? Still a good read, so 4 stars, but I'm not 100% on the final third.

But overall, the conceit is super compelling. I got sucked in by the first POV, which is a young girl being held captive in a basement and her harrowing escape. Then it flips to multi-POV both in past and present which all dances around this girl, who she is, and how she came to be kidnapped. You know upfront her mom died, and you get the mom's POV in the past, a neighbor's POV after mom (and kid) disappeared, and then the POV of the girl's little brother in the present (he's a teenager now).

What sucked me in was trying to figure out how all the pieces connected. There were a LOT of balls up in the air--a lot of intrigue and shady stuff going on. That said, I did have in the back of my mind this feeling like... why are we in the neighbor Kate's POV? Like I knew it was leading to something but it took a while to get there. Meredith's POV--that's the mom who we know ends up dead--was the most interesting/really spiked my blood pressure repeatedly. God, she has this one confrontation with someone and I was just SO MAD on her behalf and I was coming up with all sorts of clapbacks lol. She's an excellent tragic POV.

I was and am less sure of Leo's POV--that's the 15-year-old son through whose perspective we get dribs and drabs, re: the missing girl returning to her family. There was a weird distance to his POV, in part because he addresses the girl as "you," so it's "you wouldn't look at me and it was annoying"--like that, but combined with some of his own moments and reflection, but I never felt fully immersed in his character? I know the point was "angry bullied teenage boy" but something about it didn't land for me. It was fine, but especially given this is my 2nd Mary Kubica book, I know she's capable of really intense, close POVs? But that's the thing: there was distance in both Leo and Kate's POVs which impacted the reading experience. It was still good! But it didn't feel as close as The Other Mrs did--large swaths of this book felt a bit tell-y?

But, like I said--I zipped through it. I HAD to know how everything connected. Some answers were satisfying, others less so. I'll cover more specific thoughts via spoiler tags on Goodreads. I picked this one up b/c I was in the mood for a "wintery" missing woman book, and it delivered. It's a book that feels cold b/c it's constantly rainy and man I love that kind of mood. If "domestic suspense with missing women/kidnapped kid" stuff feels like your vibe, this might suit. I think different types of readers will have different feelings about how things wrap-up.

Wow, I’ve not read all of Kubica’s work, but out of the ones I have, this might just be my favorite! So many red herrings, you’ll never ever guess who really done what! It’s chilling to the core, shocking as heck, thrilling as a rollercoaster, and so twisty you might end up with whip lash! A must read for my fellow thrill seekers, especially those who love a good whodunnit! Well written, unputdownable, riveting, and amazing! Highly, highly recommend! Clear schedules and don’t plan on any sleep, as this is one you’ll have to finish in one sitting!

Will make sure to buzz around platforms and use low amazon reviewer number on release date!

Once again, Mary Kubica has written a book that blew me away.... It takes place mostly in the past, 11 years ago, to be precise, and I don't usually seek out stories that aren't written in present tense, but this would be an exception to my rule. Things started to come together for me once it is revealed who Shelby's actual killer is, but even then I was rushing breathlessly through the pages trying to find out how this story would end. I can't stress enough that this book is a must-read. It is a rollercoaster ride from beginning to end, and you will not regret picking this one up. Wow! I cannot wait to see what Kubica comes up with next!

I received a digital ARC through Publishers Weekly from Park Row Books, Harper Collins. A young girl, missing for 11 years, escapes to find her way back home. Told between present and past, multiple alternating characters build a story of intrigue detailing two women who questionably went missing.

I’ve never read Mary Kubica before, but this mystery/thriller was suspenseful and kept me reading. It was easy to follow despite the different characters and moving between past and present with each chapter. It was good, but the last 10 pages fell flat for me. An easy author to recommend for those interested in this genre.

I won't go so far as to say this was "unputdownable", but it was definitely "justonemorechapteripromise". Also? While there is tension, it isn't the kind of tension that makes you physically uncomfortable to read, which is likely my least favorite recent trend.