As an avid listener of podcasts, particularly true crime podcasts, I thought this novel would be a fun read. It ended up being a book I didn't want to put down, even after I was pretty sure I knew who the 'bad guy' was in the investigation. Not only do we learn about Clarissa throughout the investigation into her disappearance but watching Cam and Blair grow into themselves will speak to a lot of YA readers.
If I could change one thing it might be that sometimes it was unclear if when another character was narrating if that was something included in the podcast or just being told to the reader, which is a small detail but one that kept taking me out of the story momentarily. As a whole I found the book to work really well and tell a story that manages to highlight the issues with reporting on true crimes and remembering that you are talking about real people alongside dealing with high school romance and friendships. One thing that was in the book that didn't always seem to fit the store that was being told, while also being super important to our world today, was the information about native populations. I learned from what was included and it was important things, but seemed out of place just popping up in the book without connection to the investigation itself or the two main characters directly. I would love to see another book by the author that deals with those issues in a way that is more connected to the main story. Neither of these things take away from the fact that I really enjoyed the book and will recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book. I enjoyed this quick read to unravel the mystery of a long-missing girl. The author did a good job of capturing the teenage voice in the writing. It got a wee bogged down in descriptions of their life challenges outside their podcast, but overall it kept me motivated to keep going.

I wasn’t a huge fan of this one. I read it all in one sitting, and felt like I didn’t care much about the characters or what was happening. I wish it read like “Good Girls Guide to murder,” instead it fell a little flat for me, and kept wanting more.

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 gets 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.

first, i want to thank netgalley and wednesday books/st martin's press for allowing me to read an ARC of missing clarissa. unfortunately, i was disappointed with the book and how the story played out. i didn't like either of the main characters for different reasons. i found blair to be annoying and very "woe is me, i suck at everything" which to an extent, i understand a teenage girl thinking that, but she was like that the entire book which was exhausting. i liked cam more, but her actions towards the end made me feel like she never learned her lesson. i also thought the writing was confusing and trying to figure out who was talking when which made for some disorienting dialogue. i think the premise of this book was a good one, but the follow through was a miss. the ending seemed predictable and it's not any better than other mystery books out there. lastly, the chapters dragged on for way too long in my opinion, but i also just don't do well with long chapters to begin with. unfortunately, i wouldn't recommend this book to my friends when it gets released in 2023.

A few weeks ago, I was invited to read an ARC version of Ripley Jones's upcoming novel "Missing Clarissa" via her publishing/marketing team as well as through NetGalley. Thank fuck, I finally found time to read it (before it expired from my account and I lost this amazing opportunity--as well as a fantastic mystery).
["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?"]
Everyone loves a dead girl.

It's a direct quote said multiple times throughout the novel (as well as on the cover itself), but it's so damn true. The coverage a missing white girl gets, let alone a popular and pretty one? Insane. Then the hype that is true crime and podcasts over the last decade? Crazy. Add to it the wave of published novels within the ya mystery/thriller genre over the last five years? W O W.

It was really good! I thought I knew things, I thought I had hunches, I thought some pretty twisted and convoluted theories...I was wrong. I was so wrong. I mean, like, holy. shit.

This book was really good! There were slow parts, and parts that seemed irrelevant at the time or just redundant, but it was glorious.

I, personally, really liked how the POV switched mid-chapter between Cam and Blair, without any subheaders. I've written like that before, but my professors in grad school didn't find it "refined" and "clear" enough. But like I said, I liked it.

The personal drama between the two and their lives were just all very...juvenile. But, it was a young adult novel, and it's been a loooong while since I read one, so I think it was just that. Double But, there was character growth and a whole arc development between them. They grew as individuals and learned about themselves. They fell into and out of love. It was beautiful.

Check this book out when it debuts on 7 March 2023!

Book: Missing Clarissa
Author: Ripley Jones
Rating: 2 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, Wednesday Books, for sending me an ARC.

Clarissa Campbell is the girl who has it all. It comes as no surprise that her disappearance has not only rocked her hometown but the nation. No one knows what happened the night of that part. Most people believe that she is dead, but some still hold onto the hope that she is still alive. Fast forward twenty years, two high students start a podcast for a school assignment. Cam and Blair have decided to look into what happened and see if they can uncover the truth. As they dig, they start to find out that some things are not what they seem. Are these secrets worthy of murder?

This set-up sounded great to me. I love the idea of a small town with a secret and an unsolved murder. I normally get right into this book. However, I felt like this one was missing something. I felt like we were just going through the motions of telling a story without really adding any substance. I kept waiting for there to be a reason for me to be connected to and care about what was going on. The stakes in the book are very high. After all, the Golden Girl has disappeared and no one knows what has happened. Everyone wants answers. Yet, it didn’t feel like it. The only reason we knew this was because we were told. While there are some exciting times, something was missing. The characters were okay. Again, I felt like there was nothing for me to connect to. Cam and Blair have an amazing friendship, but, again, the only reason we know this is because we are told. I would have liked to have been given to care about them and what happens to them. We were going through the motions again of getting the story and friendship. I would have liked to have some more depth to them. Why should we can about what is going on with them? Why are we supposed to care about them?


Not only does not having a connection play a role in this but there is also the matter that this is the same story that we’ve been told again and again. Again, normally, this does not bother me. However, I felt that there was nothing new here. It was predictable and overall flat. I would have liked to have had something more.

Overall, this was just a miss for me.

This book comes out on March 23, 2023.

Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books/St Martin's Press for inviting and allowing me to read and review this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Missing Clarissa is about two teens who start a podcast to find out if Clarissa, a girl who vanished twenty years ago and shook the small town of Oreville, is alive.

While I love podcast thrillers Missing Clarissa falls flat. I really liked the opening chapter and I was very excited for what was to come but when we meet Blair and Cam the writing becomes juvenile. I had a hard time connecting with both girls and the podcast parts were not written well. I know they were just starting the podcast but it felt like the story, and the podcast, never improved.

I think the main problem I had with Missing Clarissa is the writing. It's written in third person and it's not done well. Each time Jones switches between Blair and Cam it's very jarring and there's no indication of the switch. I didn’t enjoy the podcast and the characters didn't have enough depth.

As much as I wanted to like the book I couldn't get into it.

1.5 or 2 stars

“Everyone loves a dead girl”

A fun read after reading some heavy adult true crime. I really enjoyed the storyline of a class assignment turning into so much more!

Only complaint is the slow start, I think for a YA I expected more of quick pace in the beginning to help keep younger readers captivated. I would still recommend to my high schooler.

I was given the opportunity to read an e-ARC of this book by NetGalley and St. Martin”s Press in exchange for an honest review.

Two teens solve a decades-long mystery, uncovering corruption, toxic masculinity, and lots of regrets during the course of their investigation for their very rough and ready podcast. I like the emphasis on ethical journalism and the need for communicating with your writing/podcasting partners, but the writing is a bit uneven, especially in terms of character behavior and development.

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.

Teenage protagonists often make for good narrators: they exaggerate their feelings, act without a lot of thought, and do not have the experience to recognize danger. In Missing Clarissa, Cameron passionately pursues “the truth” about a girl who disappeared from their town twenty years ago. Cameron convinces her best friend Blair to partner with her to make a podcast about the disappearance for their journalism class. What could go wrong.
While this reads like a young adult novel (and might be published with that in mind), this book will appeal to fans of Only Murders in the Building whose characters also seem to be without filters. It is a quick read with the suspense and multiple suspects that keep the reader wanting more. Even if it is shelved with young adults, recommend it to your adult readers as well.

Very few YA books are in the thriller/true crime category and this one nailed it. I was invested in this novel from the very beginning and could not put it down. I read this in two days. It was enthralling, engaging, and tenses. There was no shortage of suspects or motives and it was full of intrigue. I definitely think this will be on e of the Springs hottest books for young adults and adults alike!

I saw “Missing Clarissa” on Netgalley and immediately requested it after I saw it was marketed for fans of “A good girl’s guide to murder”. I can see the similarities between them, but, unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations. It’s not a bad book by any means, I just wished the ending was perhaps more shocking – the plot twist was a bit predictable. But, overall, it’s a great, fast-paced read!

One of the two main characters, Cameron, got on my nerves so much because, for some reason, she was written as such a “not like other girls” character and it got tiring fast. She’s constantly ignoring everyone’s boundaries, even when the person specifically told her not to do something. She never takes anyone’s advice and often gets herself into sticky situations just because she can’t listen. She’s written to be the unique, “manic pixie dream girl”-type of character and god, she pissed me off constantly. Blair was quite a nice character and I liked her arc – she starts off as a scared character, but evolves during the book to a character that fully accepts themselves, which was nice. I also really liked Sophie, she was so down-to-earth. The book also has lesbian rep, if you wish to know.

I did like the story and how to evolved, but I did think the pace was a bit off at times, especially during the middle for a little bit. The beginning of book and the end were super fun and action-packed. The ending was a tiny bit absurd, but it was definitely fun to read – Blair is such a badass. I loved how the author sprinkled clues here and there and it’s definitely one of those mysteries that’s not hard to figure out with the characters. Another thing the book did well was how it handled Cameron’s actions – I truly appreciated how everything had actual consequences and that she does, eventually, learn from her mistakes.

I wished we could’ve had more chapters in podcast form, as those are always very fun. I think only the introduction of the podcast gets a chapter written as a dialogue, but it’s honestly not that big of a deal. The writing was definitely fitting for the book – it reads like a YA mystery and it flows nicely. The author nailed the sarcasm in this one – I found the jokes to be funny, which is rare.

Overall, “Missing Clarissa” was an engaging read that you can finish in one-sitting. I definitely think fans of “A good girl’s guide to murder” might enjoy this one as well if they go in without sky-high expectations. It’s fun and quick to read and it’s got interesting characters. I might check out the author’s future books as well!

Sorry. I dnfed. I wasn't crazy about the writing style. The synopsis signed cool though. Thank you for the chance to read it!

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Another great hit by Ripley Jones. The story was very fast paced, and I am so glad it didn't have the every chapter alternating between the voices of Cam and Blair, I think the story flows much better written the current way.

Beautiful dead cheerleader? Check
High schooler starting amateur podcast for class assignment? Check
Stereotype wildly different bestfriends, partners in crime? Check
Small town drama and politics? Check

This story has all the making of a great YA thriller.

Pub date: 3/7/23
Genre: YA thriller
One sentence summary: Blair and Cameron make it their mission to find out what happened to town golden girl Clarissa twenty years ago - but there's a reason the truth has stayed hidden.

This book is billed for fans of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, and there are plenty of similarities. Two friends working on a podcast, a small town filled with secrets, kids and adults acting very shady, etc. I enjoyed this book, but it didn't wow me. Some of it was the characters - Cameron was pretty insufferable, and I hated how she treated Blair at some points in the book. Some of it was the pacing - it felt like it took forever to get any info, and then things happened all at once. I guessed some of the plot points, but not others, so I did get to enjoy those surprises.

Overall, this book will satisfy a YA thriller craving, and I can see teens enjoying it! It just didn't capture the magic of AGGGTM for me.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Actual rating: 3.5/5 stars.

Missing Clarissa is a very broad idea about how true crime can sometimes be viewed by the general population and how it can go wrong very quickly. Blair and Cameron find this out the hard way. I think this was a decent thriller, but I think that it took a bit to really get into the thick of it. While I enjoyed it and it was a satisfying ending, I think the build up was a bit too slow for me. I liked that real actions had real consequences. I loved the lessons that were taught to mainly Cameron, but Blair as well. I did think that the twist at the end was well done and I liked the little clues sprinkled throughout.

I think the way that so much about how they're going about the podcast, them realizing that this was a real person, who's disappearance affected so many people was a great theme that I think we (as true crime consumers) should take a note from. We often forget that these are real people and real crimes that affected so many. I also loved how Sophie was so realistic about how true crime views things through a white lens and that statistics about POC/Indigenous murders were included. While the voice was confusing at times, I did enjoy the writing style and after the initial slowness, it was pretty fast paced. Overall, a nice read.

Full review closer to publication date!

I'd like to thank the publisher, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4/5

“Everyone loves a dead girl.”

Missing Clarissa by Ripley Jones is a Young Adult thriller about two best friends who created a podcast to try and solve a cold case from their hometown twenty years ago. Driven by their goal of achieving an “A” in journalism class, the duo combines forces to interview those who knew Clarissa in hopes of uncovering the truth. Little did they know this would get them into trouble along the way. This who-done-it/Nancy-Drew-style story is predictable but would be an enjoyable read for young adults.