Missing Clarissa is fast paced YA mystery/thriller. I really enjoyed the cast of characters in this one!

What's it about (in a nutshell):
Missing Clarissa by Ripley Jones is a fast-paced YA thriller that takes a high school project and turns it into a dangerous example of investigative journalism for two teenagers who initially just thought their podcast idea might be an opportunity for their ten seconds of fame.
My Reading Experience:
This is one of those "Oh! Wow!" thrillers that keep you guessing from start to finish. I always love the use of true crime podcasts. That little extra element always fascinates me, and I don't even listen to podcasts. I loved the fast pace. It's under three hundred pages, and with the fast pace, this book was a one-sitting read.

I also loved the side plot of Cameron exploring her sexuality and admitting that she is gay. The story was a bit contrived, but it played out nicely. As a counselor who has worked extensively with teens, I think that an actual YA audience needs more of a real and not always-so-nice account of coming out (so they get more of a realistic idea of what they will have to deal with and how to overcome it). Still, as an adult, I loved the innocence of that part of the story.

Overall, this story has a couple of misses, but I found it highly entertaining and rewardingly suspenseful.

Read if you like:
• YA thrillers that keep you on the edge of your seat
• Sexual diversity exploration
• True crime podcasts as a plot device

High Schoolers, Blair and Cameron decide for their journalism assignment to create a podcast based on the story of a missing local girl, Clarissa Campbell, who vanished from a party in the summer of 1999, twenty years ago. As they reinterview witnesses and talk to suspects, they realize someone is coming after them, which means they must be close to discovering the truth.

I loved Missing Clarissa. This story was smart, witty and easy to read. It dealt with difficult, current, real world issues with grace and respect. Although it’s a young adult book, I wouldn’t keep that from convincing you to read it.

I know this is a book for youth but this septuagenarian liked it. It is plotted well. I liked the idea of two high school students thinking they could solve a decades old mystery. I liked how they went about the investigation, uncovering previously unknown or overlooked facts. The characters are developed well. Cam seemed to be the typical impetuous teen. While super smart, she can make some serious mistakes. Blair is a good counter to Cam, more calm and thinking things through. And Sophie was a delight. I loved the way she talked.

I don't like it when a heroine does something stupid that generates suspense. While that happens here, Cam is a teen and her actions are quite within her compulsive teen character. One thing I did not like was the emphasis on a budding gay relationship between teens and other similar relationships.

This is a well written novel for teens that adults would like too. I hope we see more mystery solving from Cam and Blair.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

One of my favorite aspects of this book is how realistic the teenagers are. Blair and Cam aren't professional podcasters, nor do they have expert insight into how to solve the twenty-year-old cold case of missing person Clarissa Campbell. They're just two seventeen-year-olds trying to complete a class project; their first attempt at podcasting goes awry, and their insecurities and lack of risk aversion permeate the story. I also love their concept of dating and romance and how to navigate that realm successfully (or, well, not-so-successfully). I'm glad Ripley Jones includes adults in the story, both as sources of information and levity; it creates some variety in perspective that's compelling.

The "villain" is predictable, but I still enjoyed solving the mystery with Blair and Cam.

I loved everything about this book except for the language. I realize that YA literature has some spicy language these days, but Jones used language three different times that I find very offensive. That’s the only reason I’m giving four stars. I will read this author again to see if it is a pattern.

I really enjoyed the inclusivity of the book, and I liked being in the heads of multiple characters. The mystery fell a little flat for me, but teen sleuths are always fun and cozy. It was a quick and pleasant read!

Twenty years ago Clarissa Campbell, a popular and well liked student, disappeared. The case was national news and since a body was never found her fate remains a mystery. Now high school students Cam Munoz and Blair Johnson have decided to start up a true crime podcast focused on Clarissa as part of a school project. I’ve noticed a few trends popping up over the last year or so, and books with a podcast as a focal point is a prominent one. And if done well, as it is here, it’s a fun plot device. So is it possible that two high school students can dig up new information and uncover the truth of what really happened to Clarissa? This is a solid, well paced mystery with plenty of twists and turns. I’d like to thank St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Missing Clarissa.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R39HGZD2N396UY/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

I just finished reading missing clarissa by Ripley Jones and here is my review.

Over 20 years after cheerleader Clarissa Campbell went missing, the absence is still felt in the small town of Oreville. She vanished without a trace after a party. No one was ever charged with a crime.

For a journalism class, Blair and Cameron decide to create a podcast on the missing girl.
At first it seems harmless. Talking to people who knew her and digging into little nuggets of information they are gathering. That is until someone tries to run the 2 off the road.

Fear doesn’t stop the girls from continuing with their investigation. A jealous best friend, a violent boyfriend, an overly friendly art teacher, a dorky friend and an investigator who suddenly becomes sheriff all have their secrets to hide. Even Cam’s mom is hiding something.

What are they all hiding and will the girls find out what it is before it's too late?

As far as YA books go, this one was really good! Better than most in my opinion. The plot was actually very clever and fun. I crushed the whole book in a couple of hours. The writing was amazing and the character development of the two girls was well structured and realistic. I find a lot of YA novels have a problem with realism but this one nailed it.

The ending was a clever plot twist and I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

4.5 stars! Loved the LGBTQ rep in here as well. Wasn’t over done either. So much skill in this book!

Available now so grab your copy today!

Thank you to @wednesdaybooks @stmartinspress @netgalley for my ebook and physical arc!

This is a fantastic book. It’s well written, and so so funny and clever. The characters are very well written and diverse. One of the best YA books I’ve read and that’s saying a lot. I love how well thought out the story was, and how convincing each characters voice is. Cam is such a frustrating, yet likable nonconformist. I really enjoyed this book and I think you will too.

Cameron and Blair are the best friends into journalism class they have to come up with a project and decide to do a podcast on the biggest unsolved mystery in their little town that is about the night Clarissa went missing. When they first start their investigation the first interview is with her mother but soon after it starts cam and Blair get a weird feeling from Marion who is Clarissa’s mother but it isn’t until they go to see her room and her mother loses all control talking about Brad her boyfriend at the time, that they think this may have been a bad idea. Clarissa‘s mother isn’t the only one that surprises cam though her classmate Sophia seems to always be around when KM is alone and Kam a surprise at the dizzy feeling she gets smelling her perfume that makes her think she may be in Paris. this it seems the more they investigate the more they anger people but the before it’s over one of them may even be fighting for her life. Although if I really thought about it there were a couple of things I could’ve criticized but I was so wrapped up in the mystery it was so entertained by it but I won’t waste my time. I will just say you should definitely read this book. I know other people have done books about to girl to do a podcast but I really liked the way the story was executed with the insecure Blair and the Uber secure KM and what a great pair they made. I like the way Keon finagled her way into interviews that no one else could get I love the way Blair leveled her out it was so shocked about the ending. I really really enjoyed this book and want to read more about this author definitely! I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review

Ripley Jones' Missing Clarissa is the story of two best friends, Cameron Munoz and Blair Johnson, who 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 disappeared 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, especially her boyfriend Brad Bennett who she apparently had an argument with, are who all have something to hide.

Thanks to Clarissa’s beauty, the mystery captured the attention of the nation. But with no leads and no body, the case soon grows cold and the Sheriff doesn't seem to care. Despite the efforts of internet sleuths and true-crime aficionados, Clarissa is never found—dead or alive. 20 years later, Oreville high-school juniors and best friends Blair and Cameron start a true crime podcast called Missing Clarissa, determined to unravel the story of what—or who—happened to this rural urban legend. 20 years later, Clarissa's mother still thinks she is alive and refuses to move on.

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?

Cameron is a head strong young woman who is very good at school but dragged Blair into taking a journalism class to add more depth to her already large resume. Blair is also an athlete who is hoping her own skills will get her a scholarship into the school of her choice. Cameron tends to be blinded by her surroundings, not realizing the girl she makes fun of, might actually be a pretty nice person, as well as someone who you could call your girlfriend. Blair often gets caught up in Cameron's ideas which lead to questionable actions.

So, overall, this isn't a bad story. My complaint is that authors today tend to use their personal issues and politics into the story instead of just letting the characters themselves tell you who they are and why you should care about what they have to say or do. The villain of this story hides in plain sight. I think the podcast part of this story was probably the most interesting in that we really see how deep Cameron and Blair get while telling the story. 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.

In 1999, beautiful popular teenage girl, Clarissa Campbell disappeared from Oreville, Washington. More than twenty years later, two other high school girls, Cameron and Blair start a podcast about her disappearance for their journalism class. Carmen in particular is determined to find out what really happened. When they begin digging around more than one dirty secret of the town is revealed. The girls soon find themselves in way over their heads and in imminent danger.

The two main characters in this story feel very real. Cameron is smart but headstrong. She is a typical teen rushing in without thinking things through thoroughly. Blair is the opposite. She thinks too much but doesn't stand up for herself and what she wants because she suffers from a lack of confidence. She is also extremely loyal and is constantly caught between her loyalty to Cameron and her boyfriend both of whom demand a lot from her.

A lot of other characters in the story are kind of cliched. There is the loner who had a crush on Clarissa, the jock boyfriend left behind, the creepy teacher, and so on. Thus, although the story does have some exciting twists and turns, the resolution to the mystery is not very interesting at all. What is unique and interesting about the story, however, is the way in which it is told with each chapter ending with an episode of the podcast. This is what makes this book different from other books and keeps it interesting.

Thanks to Wednesday Books for the free book.
I'm going to start with, if you are able to get the audiobook, that's how I ended up reading and it's a full cast narration and extremely well done. Cam and Blair join up on a school project to look into the disappearance of Clarissa by creating a podcast of interviews from those that know her. I am liking the podcasts in books that we're seeing right now, so this part worked for me. I also appreciated how the author was realistic with teenagers not always knowing what to do next and screwing up. This book also focused on missing white teens, the prison system, and letting people tell their own story. I never felt these topics to be heavy-handed and they fit well within the story. I was engaged from beginning to end and enjoyed this story.

Two teen friends decide to do a podcast on what happened to a missing student years ago for a class assignment. As they start to gather information for the podcast, they delve deeper and deeper into the facts surrounding the case and put them and their love ones in danger.. The goal and they assignment is to find out what happened to Clarissa. This young adult novel was very intriguing. The characters were spot on and the story was well written. I only wished that the ending was more fleshed out. Overall, this is a great read.

I thought this was really interesting. I liked the podcast aspect of it and the investigation. I have read a fair bit of YA murder mystery and this one holds up pretty well all things considered. It does remind me a lot of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder. Some of it was kind of repetitive and I didn't love the characters, but it was short enough that the characters weren't a super big part of it.

Missing Clarrisa is a mystery full of twists and turns and an annoying teenager.
In the rural town of Oreville, Washington, popular and beautiful Clarissa Campbell disappears. She left a party in the August of 199 and was never seen again, despite national attention to the case. over twenty years later, two high-school juniors and best friends Blair and Cameron start a true crime podcast of what seems to them as an urban legend. As they research the case for their journalism class Clarissa becomes a real person to them especially when they learn people dear to them knew her. Slowly they unravel a knot of small-town secrets each with a connection to the girl in question. Will the girls be able to find the killer after all these years.
My biggest issue is the main characters. Well, mainly one of them. Cam is the most annoying teen I ever met. She never thinks before she speaks. She thinks she’s so smart but makes stupid decisions. The beginning of the book is second-hand embarrassment as Cam makes no plan for the podcast and just plods along dragging Blair behind. If it wasn’t for Blair, the podcast would have been a rambling mess. Plus Cam makes such bad decisions that she puts herself and her friend in danger. This lack of ay self-awareness gives way to the idea of the autistic spectrum, but this is never approached.
The mystery itself is intriguing. Author Ripley Jones keeps the story twisting. As the girls find new clues, the story goes away as you would expect. It truly kept me guessing and I never guessed who the killer was. I probably should have based on some of the information, but Jones makes sure red herrings leave you as confused as the teens.
Missing Clarissa is an interesting story with a very annoying protagonist. If you can handle Cam, then you’ll enjoy this book.
Publication Date: March 7

I received an ARC from the publisher; all opinions are my own.

WIth mesmerizing suspense from the beginning, this is a story of teens who decide to do a true crime podcast and get caught up in the details of what led to teen-ager Clarissa’s disappearance. Their research opens a can of worms that can put both girls into danger and perhaps set a killer on a rampage. The action is moderately paced with a lot of dialogue between the teens and those they are interviewing. The story is told well and thoroughly with some red herrings along the way to make it more interesting. Good character development, good mystery and well-written suspenseful tale.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Finished ✔️ Missing Clarissa by Ripley Jones

4 ⭐️’s
Publish Day: March 7th, 2023
Kindle Unlimited: No
Perfect for fans of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder
Gripping novel about 2 friends who start a true crime podcast that comes with dangerous consequences.
2 high school juniors Blair and Cameron unravel things on the true podcast
Beautifully written
Held my attention very well!
Yes, I’d recommend

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I loved this book! "Missing Clarissa" by Ripley Jones is a mystery about a girl who went missing from a party in the woods of a small town 20 years earlier. As a journalism class project two students decide to make a podcast to solve the mystery, was Clarissa dead or did she run away? Blair and Cameron start digging into the past, despite warnings from people who were there when Clarissa disappeared. I read this book in just a few days, picking it up whenever I could.