** spoiler alert ** 3.5 stars


One if the most unlikeable characters I've come across in a while,makes this book quite the page turner.
Whilst there were no big surprises as we drew to the conclusion of the story,there were enough along the way to get me wanting to read just one more chapter.
Very readable,and very entertaining.

Penzler Publishers|Scarlet>>>> I've been dying to read this from.the first day I seen this hit NetGalley!
So seriously I can't thank you enough for this eARC!

Chloe Cates Is Missing by Mandy McHugh was everything I was hoping for!
The writing and plotting was phenomenal in every way possible.
A gripping, chilling and intense thriller a total absorbing story that I didn’t want to put down!
This dysfunctional family added that much more crazy to the story which I absolutely devoured.
I was so excited to get my hands on this and I'm thrilled to say CCIM was pure gold!

I can't thank y'all enough for the opportunity to read and review this phenomenal book!

I'm will post to my platforms closer to pub date!

Chloe Cates is Missing had twists and turns around every corner. Abby, otherwise known as youtube personality CC Spectacular goes missing one night and is feared abducted. As the detectives work to bring Abby home, disturbing details begin to emerge about CC Spectacular's not so spectacular life. I can honestly say I didn't know where this will lead! Mandy does an excellent job of creating intrigue but not so over the top so that it's not realistic, and I am looking forward to reading more of her books in the future!

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
Chloe Cates is Missing was such an amazing read!
It was a great thriller filled with many twists and was such a crazy ride.
I highly recommend this book!

Chloe Cates is missing! Actually her real name is Abby Scarborough....Abby is part of a family business in which her mom-manager manages her career, blog and youtube channel hoping to break her into the top tier of teen influencers. Right from the start, there is an uneasy feeling regarding mother Jennifer Scarborough. The emphasis she puts on perfection, the disturbing insistence that everyone call her missing child Chloe. Does she know more than she is saying?

I loved this book. I loved the premise, the journalling, the flashbacks and the insanity of the characters who have sold their souls to pop culture. My only grip is the very end was a bit convoluted and could have benefited from an additional edit and streamline. The book was so intense, so interesting and gripping, I wanted a SPECTACULAR ending as well. Please read if you like. thrillers, families gone wrong, instagram and culture based novels or just want a book that will keep you up all night! Thank you to #NetGalley for the Arc in exchange for a fair review. #ChloeCatesIsMissing

What a wonderful twisted imaginative thriller! Abbey is being manipulated by her mom to be an internet sensation as Chloe. As this happens, the darkness and history inside her mother starts to come out. As a reader, I could never guess what would happen next. A first class thriller!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this book for an honest review.
This book is about what can only be called a completely dysfunctional family, right down to the mother setting up a blog about her daughter and using a completely different name. Throw in a sordid history from the mother when she was a teenager and you’re all set for a crazy ride with a “celebrity” family. The story was fast paced and told from a range of perspectives which flowed well together and kept the story going. Great from the start to the end.

Chloe Cates is Missing | Mandy McHugh
4.5 stars

Synopsis: Teen influencer and YouTube star, Chloe Cates, is an internet darling, thanks to her mother, Jennifer. As a young mother, Jennifer began sharing parenting stories and advice on her blog, CC and Me. Loving mother, beautiful family, and Sensational CC, who their world revolves around— the Scarborough’s have it all. Or so it seems. When CC goes missing, the cracks in the perfect family mirage begin to come to light as the search becomes as sensational as the teen herself.

Review: WOW! I can’t wait for the rest of the book universe to get their hands on this one. A dysfunctional family thriller told from multiple perspectives over multiple storylines, this one had me glued to the edge of my seat. A million twists, most of which I didn’t see coming. This book reads just like a movie plot. A truly brilliant debut that explores the price and cost of social media fame in our modern day.

*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC!*

a young teen influencer is missing and what is the connection to another missing girl? this book gave us a look into the life of instagram influencers, with a mom with a murderous past controlling her every mood. add in a connection between the mother and the lead detective with a big secret from their past. Overall a good book, wish it had a clearer ending

Chloe Cates Is Missing by Mandy McHugh turned out to be a pretty decent book. The book has everything from a major league dysfunctional family, kidnapping, enemies, old friends and old childhood secrets. The book also portrays the negative rabbit hole you can get lead down through social media / influencers. There are three main POV s's and that keeps the story moving along quite rapidly. I would definitely suggest giving this book a read if you're into mysteries , or domestic thrillers or even social media.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for a honest review

I literally loved every second of this book and my lack of sleep over the past 48hrs will prove that! I didn't actually have much hopes from the cover but it did seem like a plot I'd enjoy..... and boy did I!! So many twists and turns, these characters are so easy to root for and you do find yourself needing to know exactly what had happened to poor Chloe Cates. Its beautifully written, the characters are so realistic and relatable. It's avoided all the usual coo thriller stereotypes and usual plot twists and really does stand amongst the genre. I can't recommend this highly enough

Genre: Adult Thriller, murder mystery

Themes: missing girl, murder, lies

★★


Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an advanced readers copy of ‘Chloe Cates Is Missing’.

We are following three voices throughout this book - Jennifer (the fame hungry, child exploiting blog mum), Jackson (the seemingly better parent), and Emilina (the girl boss detective with past ties to Jennifer). as we unravel the mysterious disappearance of a teen social media star.

Despite my low rating, I didn’t hate this book by any means, I just merely know that I will forget about it because it wasn’t anything new or spectacular. The writing style just wasn’t for me, it lacked the engaging and descriptive style that I adore in my thrillers. It very much feels like reading a fanfic about Danielle Cohn going missing. On the subject of Danielle Cohn, Jennifer felt very inspired by Jen (Danielle’s mother) with a switched narrative, instead of exploring her daughter provocatively, fictional Jennifer exploits her daughter in a more “age appropriate” way. More on Jennifer later.


Despite the writing lacking substance, I found myself intrigued with the mystery and wanting to know what happened to Chloe and so I encouraged myself to read on. This story tries to have shocking twists and turns that just weren’t shocking. I saw them coming from a mile away. I believe this book should still be read for insight into the reality of the behind the scenes of social media. Social is media dominates our society, some may say that we are addicted to it and reliant on it for validation and many other things. Social media plays a powerful role in this story and is at the forefront of the mystery. Usually, I do love the use of social media in my thrillers (Podcasts etc) but this one just didn’t give me the same feeling as those other books. I think it’s really important to see the reality of these influencers, especially family vloggers and bloggers who (and this is up to the individuals interpretation) are exploiting their children for swag, status, clout, fame etc. This book paints rather a different narrative to what social media influencers want us to believe.

I absolutely hated Jennifer. Everything she does is calculated down to every little detail for social media. She is a pathological liar and exploited her children for fame and money. My heart broke for Abby and JJ for the childhood that they never had, for the isolation from society Abby had to endure to win her mothers “love.” These may be fictional characters, but somewhere real people exist who are like Jennifer and Chloe.


In conclusion, I encourage anyone who comes across this review to give this a chance. The conversations within these pages are worth pondering over.

oh my gosh so good, it was dark, disturbing, brimming with secrets and strange behaviour, social media and dysfunctional families, i couldnt stop reading and i didnt want too.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Chloe Cates Is Missing.

I'm getting tired of thrillers featuring podcasters and influencers, but I was intrigued by the premise and excited when my request was approved.

When a rising influencer named Chloe Cates goes missing, detective Emilina Stone is brought in to lead the investigation. But, she and Chloe's mother, Jennifer, have history together.

Over two decades ago, they used to be best friends. And they share a devastating secret.

As the clues lead Emilina around in circles, and Jennifer and her fractured family fight amongst themselves, Emilina must learn how to reconcile the ghosts of her past to solve the mystery of Chloe Cates.

This was a juicy read full of salacious dirt on Jennifer and her husband, Jackson; the secret Emilina and Jennifer share, JJ and his sister, Abigail (aka Chloe Cates) and how they all intertwine.

The backbiting and callousness of teen girls was real and true; it reminded me of my own friendships with my BFFs. I'm happy to say my relationships with my friends were nothing like Emilina and Jennifer's but I understand the psychology behind it.

There were difficult to suspend disbelief moments, such as where Chloe was hiding. I can't imagine a parent leaving their child for any amount of time in such a cold, isolated space.

I figured out the twists; I read a lot of these books so it wasn't hard but I did enjoy how the author kept me guessing.

The characters were mostly unlikable, except for Emilina; she was a better developed character with complexities and flaws most people could identify with; guilt, redemption, fear of becoming a mother and parent, salvation and hope.

For decades, Emilina has carried a devastating stone of guilt and sorrow on her shoulders and seeks redemption in her tireless work to find missing girls and bring them home to their families.

I did like the ending though I saw it coming. It's not necessarily a HEA but that's real life.

I love how we got to a variety of POV's of the Scarborough family along with the detective. As the story unfolds and new evidence is collected you get insights from Abby's journal that ravels her side of the story. I really like how over the top the mom was, she was done in a way that was believable, as "CC And Me" is her life and she gave 100% of herself over to it. A truly great read!

308 pages

5 stars

This family is a hot mess.

Jennifer Scarborough is the mother. Justin is her husband. Their children are a son named JJ and a thirteen-year old daughter named Abby a/k/a Chloe Cates.Chloe is the name of her alter ego. Abby’s mother created Chloe when Abby was a baby and now Jennifer’s whole world is her blog. She lives and breathes for the notoriety (and the money) that Chloe’s online presence garners her. This to the severe detriment of Abby and her mental health.

One morning, Abby is found to be missing. Jennifer very quickly loses it. All she can think about is how this will affect the blog. This reader thinks, “Doesn’t she care about Abby?”

Emilina Stone is the missing persons detective assigned to the case. Detective Blaisdale is working on another missing child case. Another thirteen-year old has also gone missing.

Unfortunately Emilina and Jennifer have a history. They were best friends in middle school. Until something happened, that is. Jennifer goes ballistic when she sees that Emilina is the detective on her daughter’s case. This, of course, makes Elimina’s job much more difficult. Perhaps she should have recused herself, but she didn’t. Will that past come back to haunt her?

It is difficult to collect my thoughts about this book. I was so mesmerized by the story that I just had to keep reading. The writing and plotting were very good. There were, however, some spots in the book when it was unclear who was doing the talking. I liked Emilina, and Blaisdale wasn’t as bad as he liked to present. Emilina is very conflicted about her past and the kidnapping (?) situation really brought that into the fore. Ms. McHugh has written a stunning debut novel. I will definitely look forward to reading more of her work.

So what is this book really about? My answer is that what happens during our childhood can cause significant and sometimes devastating results in adulthood. Jennifer was just a young girl wanting to fit into a group - to be a part of something. To be happy. She thought that having the “cool girls” like her was an avenue to self actualization.

I want to thank NetGalley and Penzler Publications/Scarlet for forwarding to me this very good book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are solely my own.

This is Mandy McHugh's debut novel and it is a stunner. Chloe Cates is an internet sensation known as CC Spectacular, but the world only sees the version of her that her "momager" Jen shows off in her blog. The truth is that Chloe Cates is actually 13 year old Abby Scarborough and all that she really wants is to be a normal teenager. With Jen choreographing her every move, that will never be possible...

On the day that Chloe goes missing, we meet all of the possible suspects involved in her disappearance. Three of the primary suspects are her own family members - her older brother who wants to help her escape from their mother's clutches, her mother who wants her star to continue rising no matter the price of that fame, and her father who seems content to be in the background of their family's celebrity status. Detective Emilina Stone is determined to solve the mystery of Chloe's disappearance before it's too late, especially because of her shared history with Jen.

I read this in one sitting and was on the edge of my seat until the very end. Five stars for this thrill ride!

Good book! This book was pretty interesting! It had suspense, intrigue, and a great who done it! It was also filled with a ton of twists and turns! I would definitely recommend reading this book! Its well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

Abby is tired of being make-believe. Everything about her alter ego media stardom Chloe Cates is fake. All for clicks, which equal money and fame. What started out as a mommy and me blog ten years ago with her mother Jen has now run it's course. But only one of the mother-daughter duo wishes to end the celebrity climb up the ladder. And you better hold onto those ladder rungs because this book will knock you off your feet.

Early on it looks as if another ladder has been used for the unthinkable. Abby's window is left wide open on a chilly spring morning and she's nowhere to be found. Even her phone has been left by her bed. Clues start turning up. The glittery surface was all for show when blood shines underneath the tarnished surface. The official search for Abby begins.

Chloe Cates Is Missing by Mandy McHugh offers a deeper reflection of loneliness and what lengths someone will go to fill those aching holes they desperately need to fill. Abby's mother turned her into Chloe Cates, selling her daughter's carefully curated persona for years, craving more clicks. More likes. More shares. And most of all, the unadulterated attention Jen craves. All the while, Jen slips deeper into a fake world surrounded by fame. But it's all a game to Jen, and she's holding all the pieces on the board.

When Abby pulls her head up, she realizes she has nothing real in this world for herself. No friends, no adventures, no school, no real life experiences to draw inspiration from. And those things are going to cost Abby everything. This book is richly layered, filled with decadent secrets, and devious intentions. A suburb thriller.

Thank you NetGalley, Penzier Publishers, and Scarlet for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

#ChloeCatesIsMissing #NetGalley
A good read.
Chloe Cates is missing. The 13-year-old star of the hit YouTube series, “CC and Me,” has disappeared, and nobody knows where she’s gone — least of all ruthless momager Jennifer Scarborough, who has spent much of her daughter’s young life crafting a child celebrity persona that is finally beginning to pay off. And in Chloe’s absence, the faux-fairytale world that supported that persona begins to fracture, revealing secrets capable of reducing the highly-dysfunctional Scarborough family to rubble. Anxious to find her daughter and preserve the life she’s worked so hard to build, Jennifer turns to social media for help, but the hearsay, false claims, and salacious suspicions only multiply. As the search becomes as sensational as Chloe’s series, Missing Persons detective Emilina Stone steps in, only to realize she has a connection to this case herself. Will she be able to stay objective and cut through the rumors to find the truth before it’s too late?
Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for giving me an advanced copy of this book.