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. She's a cheerleader, she's white, and she's beautiful.

Years later, our weird, eccentric, silly, loud, obnoxious, but super cool and would be my best friend too, Cam, comes up with an idea to do a school project on the case in Podcast form with her BFF Blair. Blair, is the total opposite of Cam. She's more subdued, has a boyfriend, and basically levels Cam's crazy ass out. Blair definitely isn't crazy about this idea of a Podcast on the case and isn't sure she wants all of the negative attention it'll bring, but she eventually agrees and they dive right in.

The girls soon discover there is so much more to this mystery than they first though. Some people, like Cam's mom and Clarissa's old boyfriend think she's still alive out there somewhere, others are sure she's been long gone. The thing is...there was never a body. So it could be either option. With their follower count quickly escalating and the threats getting stronger, Cam makes it her sole mission to figure this case out.

This book was fast-paced and just so good. The relationship between Cam and Blair was so real and how high school friendships really are. Cam was internally struggling with Blair having a boyfriend since she didn't have Blair all to herself anymore and Blair was sick of all the crap Cam gave her boyfriend. But in the end, the two were always there for one another.

I know I got to this book late, but now number two is coming out and I can't wait to get my hands on it!

So much thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Wednesday Books for sharing fantastic Digital ARC with me in exchange my honest opinions. Now, GO READ THIS BOOK!

3.5

Missing Clarissa is about two best friends in present day solving a cold case from 1999 for a school project. They don't expect to get far; their podcast is more about the search, but, of course, the two teens manage what law enforcement and journalists haven't been able to do for decades.

This was a solid YA mystery with a well-thought out plot and dynamic characters and relationships. I think this could have been lengthened just a bit to deepen the crime-hunting storyline, but knowing this is for a YA audience, I think it makes sense where it's at. I would also say the red herring, which is fairly obvious in my mind, is probably actually perfect for this age range of readers.

What I enjoyed most about this book was more the coming-of-age aspect. The main characters are best friends. One of them is confident and sure of her future with a supportive mom. The other is floundering with a disconnected family and an emotionally manipulative boyfriend. Her story of growth throughout this book; finding out what she enjoys and believing in herself as a writer and storyteller was done so well. I loved it. The support between the two best friends was also lovely and their relationship was so relatable, especially the jealousy over partners and the worry about fighting and never being friends again.

I would recommend to those that love light mystery or works that are true-crime adjacent.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC!

The plot is interesting and well-paced, although the subplots are underdeveloped. The writing itself feels juvenile, which detracts from the story. The character of Sophie feels like an afterthought, shoehorned in to demonstrate

When looking for a subject for their journalism class project, there’s only one junior Cameron Muñoz can imagine doing, dragging her best friend, Blair, along for the ride: a podcast about Clarissa Campbell, the pretty, popular cheerleader who seemingly vanished into thin air 20 years ago after a party in the woods. Everyone blamed her boyfriend, but without a shred of evidence, no one was ever arrested, and her body was never found. Cam thinks they can solve the case once and for all. But it turns out everyone who knew Clarissa was hiding something. And the girls have to be careful not to end up becoming the next girls to wind up missing.

I don’t know why I resisted this book for so long. It was really good and complex for what’s considered a “YA” thriller/mystery. It had rear characters with complex stories and backgrounds, red herrings, twists, and an ending that really hits. I loved it. It was like a classic Agatha Christie; you had to work out the who, what and where, and they did!

And their friendship was adorable. I loved seeing them interact and support each other. It felt genuine, rather than someone imagining what a teenage girl friendship would look like.

There were some, um, issues with the journalism (even the parts not directly addressed as problematic in the story, lol) but authors rarely get that correct anyway, so I’ve learned I have to let that slide. It’s just part of the gig.

I’m glad to see this author has a sequel coming out soon, bringing these teen mystery solvers! I’ll definitely be reading it! So look out for that review when it closer to its release time (in January, I think). I highly encourage everyone to read this book in the meantime!

In 1999, Clarissa, the prettiest and most popular girl in school, disappears. 20 years later, Cam talks her best friend Blair into making a podcast about the cold case of Clarissa's disappearance. Blair and Cam have their own personal struggles, but they are dedicated to solving the mystery. However, they soon realize they’re in over their heads and possibly in danger themselves.

The dynamic between Cam and Blair is the best part of this story. Cam is quirky and oblivious, and she's balanced out by Blair, who is thoughtful and grounded.

This is such a fantastic mystery, and with bonus points for LGBTQ+ representation - a wonderful book!

Missing Clarissa is a new mystery that features two small town high schoolers who are working on a podcast for their journalism class that covers the unsolved disappearance from their parents' high school years. I love the podcast trope in mystery./thrillers as of late and this one is one of my favorites. The main characters aren't true crime experts and they aren't even skilled at podcast making (or have a clue what they're doing - making it believable for a school project). Essentially, they're just winging it.

There are so many possibilities for Missing Clarissa and twists that you don't see coming and so many characters to suspect throughout. I really enjoyed this one - and anyone who loves A Good Girl's Guide to Murder fans will adore Missing Clarissa.

This book was fine, I was able to get halfway through before giving up. The writing felt like it was struggling to copy other similar genres of teens trying to figure out whodunit.

The death of a beautiful woman is unquestionably the most poetical topic in the world- Edgar Allen Poe

“ Do you think the case would have gotten so big if she had been somebody else? Somebody less pretty.”

In the Summer of 1999 in the small town of Oreville, Washington a popular young cheerleader disappears into thin air. The residents are left baffled as to what could’ve happened to such a promising young woman. The news of her disappearance goes nationwide as the case grows cold. Until 20 years later, when two high school girls, Cam and Blair, decide to do a podcast about her disappearance as a school project. Missing Clarissa, named after the missing girl, initially was a lighthearted project by the two girls, but quickly spirals into a dangerous situation. Will the girls find out what happened to beautiful Clarissa?

I picked up Missing Clarissa as a fan of true crime podcasts and I’ve see the magic they can do. The premise of the book was great and I was pleased that the book was everything I hoped it would be. Secrets are unearthed and exposed on Cam and Blair’s journey.

I enjoyed watching the two main characters come into their own. Cam is intelligent, but not street smart, and asks the hard questions during interviews which pairs nicely with Blair’s excellent journalism and writing skills. Skills that Blair had been too afraid to share with the world, afraid of rejection and humiliation, but in turn brought in thousands of people to listen to Missing Clarissa. The pair does their research and interviews the key people involved in Clarissas life around the time she went missing leading to them discovering much more than they thought they ever would.

I’ve seen a lot of reviews talking about how unbelievable Cams characters actions are and how they disliked her character. I loved Cams quirky nature. And as for unbelievable, has anybody else ever had a teenage daughter who acts before they think? It’s not too far out of the realm of possibilities for a young girl to be a dingus, especially a teen who is the product of two rebellious parents as described in the book. And come on you guys it’s a fiction novel… It’s supposed to be fiction. If you get what I’m saying.

This is the debut novel for Ripley Jones and it was fantastic. Jones nailed it. The book was engaging. It kept me reading to the end. Everything was tied up in a neat little bow in the end which I appreciate. The twist was a tad bit obvious to me but there were still a lot of surprises along the way. Jones sprinkled some awesome humor here and there and made her characters super inclusive. I absolutely loved this book and I can’t wait to read the next one. Thank you.

My profuse thanks to Netgalley, St. Martins Press, and Wednesday books for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm putting Missing Clarissa firmly in my why-did-I-wait-so-long-to-read-this category. Wow! Although I started by reading the text version, which is fantastic, I switched over to the audio version while traveling, and Missing Clarissa is made for audio. Told in a part podcast and part narrative style, it's completely addictive. Blair and Cameron are snarky, funny, and determined as they not only try to pass their journalism class, but also solve the mystery of what happened to Clarissa. This is YA at its absolute best, and I can't wait for the second book in the series.

“Everyone loves a dead girl with pretty hair.”

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC!

I highly recommend the audiobook. The added sound effects for the podcast were a delightful perk.

As the book said, I was captivated by the allure of a tragedy happening to a beautiful woman. I imagine a lot of us are victims to sensationalization. I wanted to know what happened to Clarissa.

Blair and Cam were great characters and detectives. They reminds me a lot of Pippa in AGGGTM. Their relationship was great although the fast pace made their little rift near the end feel inauthentic. I also would’ve gotten rid of the potential love story between Cam and Sophie since, in my opinion, it didn’t serve a purpose cause Sophie was barely a character.

The voice acting for Irene was the absolute best. She was a powerhouse.

You best believe I want to read the sequel when it’s out.

I could not have loved this book more and I'm so sad it's over. I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting. 5 stars!!!! Can't wait to read more by Ripley Jones!

Blair and Cam are two friends who take on the task of creating a true crime podcast around the biggest mystery in their small town-the disappearance of Clarissa Campbell. This story is incredibly chaotic in a very entertaining way.

The mystery of what happened to Clarissa is something I figured out very early on in the story but I kept reading to learn if I was right. Naturally, as mysteries do there will be paths that try to deter you from the journey but I trusted my gut with this one.

The characters are strangely lovable to me and they are young. Teenagers. So, they are also annoying and naive and sometimes self involved. This story was framed well and I genuinely enjoyed reading it. The climax was a bit predictable and happened a little too fast in my opinion but I still enjoyed the book overall

4.5 stars

I can see why this has been compared to a Good Girl’s Guide to Murder!

This was my first time reading from this author and I’m happy to say I was surprised with how much I enjoyed it. This was very paced and entertaining; it’s a perfect read for a readathon.

Though I will say, I wanted more of the podcast element—more dedicated sections for the episodes rather than the style it was in.

Cam wasn’t my favourite character; she kept making the worst possible decisions and her abrasive perspective got on my nerves after a while. I personally liked Blair as a character and I felt I could relate to her a little more than Cam. Despite that, I really liked their friendship as they balanced each other out a lot.

I loved the queer representation, but as for the romance I felt it wasn’t needed; it just didn’t add much to the story in my opinion.

Overall, this wasn’t the perfect book for me, but it was a very enjoyable read and I’ll for sure be reading other books by them in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Missing Clarissa is the story of two girls making a podcast exploring their own hometown mystery- what happened to Clarissa in the 1990s? The story is fast-paced and interspersed with bits from the podcast, while also following both Blair and Cam as they question people about what happened to Clarissa and navigate their own teen years.

What I liked:
-The fast pace. This book does not waste time and I love when a book does that.
-The podcast elements. I loved when a book includes different media and I think it was used effectively here as each chapter is an episode.
-The diversity. From a single mom, a Latina character, a queer character, Native representation, I really appreciate that this diversity didn't feel forced.

What I disliked:
-It's very childish. That's okay because of the audience but the mystery, for example, is very clear from the beginning and I think any teen will be a bit insulted by how simple it is and will be able to call it from about the second chapter.
-Things sometimes feel rushed. People say "I love you" after dating what, two weeks? Things just move really fast especially in relationships and I think the character of Cam was made to be so stupid and impulsive to move the story along but it just ended with her making some awful, stupid decisions I think most teens would be smart enough not to make.

Overall I'm happy I read this book and I think teens will enjoy some aspects, even if the mystery is pretty weak.

It’s been twenty years since popular girl Clarissa Campbell went missing. When classmates and bestfriends Blair and Cameron team up for a school assignment, they decide to make a true crime podcast that will focus on Clarissa’s disappearance. The two girls start investigating the secrets of their small town starting with all of the people who were in Clarissa’s life at that time.

Missing Clarissa (2023) is an intriguing mystery with a podcast element. The podcast element is especially fun to read through audio as the narration cast sounds like they are recording on the spot. Listeners hear as the girls edit the podcast by discussing it in real time. The mystery of the book, what happened to Clarissa, slowly unravels as Blair and Cameron interview different people around town. Alongside this mystery, the book also focuses on Blair and Cameron’s friendship and its complications (namely, Blair’s boyfriend). There is even a hint of romance in this story that was adorable! Without spoiling, I found the solving of the mystery well done and I did not guess what happened to Clarissa!

This isn't the author's fault, but this was the third book this year alone that I read which involved a true crime podcast, and while they are popular in real life these days, the book trope is getting old.

This one starts with a great premise as two high friends start a podcast for their student project. Investigating a cold case where a girl went missing 20 years earlier. Told through a series of interviews with family members, friends and others that knew the missing girl, the two set out to solve this mystery and include their findings as part of their podcast.

For some reason, either the story or the characters, I am not really sure which, didn’t connect with me in addition to me predicting the ending. I don’t regret reading this one, but there was nothing special in it to grab me. It felt like an average read, but maybe I just wasn’t the target audience.

I definitely enjoyed this novel!

Not only is the writing style unique in this fast-paced mystery novel, but so are it’s characters which only made this story so much more pleasant to read!

I loved the dynamic between best friends Cam and Blair as they investigate the disappearance of Clarissa for their journalism class.

Everyone they interview has their own interesting story to share and reveal more and more about what kind of person Clarissa had been.

In the end, I was happy to find that many discoveries were made, besides only what happened to Clarissa (which wasn’t a huge surprise to me).

I would recommend this novel if you are looking for a YA fast-paced mystery that takes place in a small town!

PS. SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER



I LOVE how the cover relates back to the story!!

This is going to be quick, because I don't have much good to say. Ugh, where do I begin? I'm not sure why I listened to this entire book. I should have DNF'd it. If there is ever an advertisement for why we shouldn't let teenagers make crucial decisions, Cam should be the poster child. She is insufferable. She is not just awkward, she has zero filter. She has a mother who never taught her how to stop and think before she acted. She has friends who enable the behavior. Sophie had me rolling my eyes every time she opened her mouth. Blaire was the only good thing about this book. She was the only one who ended up growing at all in this book. I'm glad she figured herself out by the end. The mystery was meh. I pegged the killer right away. It's not hard to figure out. I have read much better YA mysteries. I don't recommend this on

2.5 rounded to 3 stars

Missing Clarissa is a Young Adult mystery from author Ripley Jones. I thought I would love this since I'm a huge fan of murder podcasts. High school students creating a podcast as a class assignment to investigate an old missing person's case. Unfortunately, this one didn't work for me in many ways. From the way it's written to the unlikable characters, I struggled just to get through it. I will say there were a few twists and turns that threw me, but I easily figured out the reveal before the end.