High schooler Iris Blackthorn’s sister Stella has been missing for a year, and the police consider her a runaway, which Iris refuses to believe. Along with 2 other friends, Iris forms her own detective agency to investigate. Then, another high schooler, Iris’s ex-girlfriend Heather, who started a podcast to also get answers about Stella, unexpectedly goes missing. Determined to find out what is going on before she turns 18 in a month, Iris will go to great lengths to try to solve both mysteries.

This book is a fast-paced ride with a nice twist in the end that I didn’t see coming. Although Iris comes off as a bit selfish, her intentions are good, so the reader can understand and forgive her for some of her decisions. By the end of the book, Iris learns lessons about true friendship and forgiveness.

This book is for teens and young adults who enjoy reading mysteries like “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder”. While there is some sexual tension between Iris and one of her ex-girlfriends, it is very mild, resulting in one very quick kiss. Language is also rather mild, mainly frequent use of the ‘f’ word.

“How to Find a Missing Girl” comes highly recommended, and I can see this spawning many sequels as Iris’s detective agency takes on more cases.

Fun fact: I’ve already read this book before. I’ve known the author since before either of us entered the publishing industry, and before she got her book deal, I read an early version of it. Somehow, reading it over a year later, I was still on the edge of my seat, waiting to see what might happen next. (Incidentally, I have a poor memory for the books I read.) This is just an amazing book. Everyone needs to read it, and not just because I’m friends with Tori.

“How to Find a Missing Girl” by Victoria Wlosok is the perfect read for anyone who loved “The Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” Series. Iris Blackthorn has started her own detective agency, determined to solve her older sister Stella’s disappearance after the police labeled her a runaway. But after her ex-girlfriend also goes missing, Iris gets caught up in something more than she can handle. Are the two disappearances linked? A thrilling read that will keep you guessing until the end.

Victoria Wlosok delivers a highly compelling, fast-paced murder mystery with all the plot twists a reader could hope for in “How to Find a Missing Girl.” Inclusive, thrilling and altogether serving something brand new to the genre, this book is an absolute delight — one that I really couldn’t put down.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for a review.*

Honestly, this book completely stunned me. It went in directions I was totally not expecting it to, leaving me desperately turning the pages. Like, I was GAGGED, y'all. It's hard to explain how without spoiling things, but there was so much drama and plenty of twists and turns to be found here. It reminded me a lot of books like AGGGTM and Sadie, but with queer leads and a really neat Louisiana backdrop. I would definitely make sure to check out trigger warnings, but if you enjoy mystery-thrillers that are both horrifying and full of hijinks, this one's probably for you!

This is a great read for anyone who is a fan of YA thrillers like myself. As frustrating as it was to see Iris make so many reckless decisions time and time again, there was nothing that was going to stop this amateur sleuth and her detective agency from reaching their goal. There was so much to love about this story, from the characters to the many revelations and twists in the story. The author did a great job of shifting the suspicions from one person to another as more secrets come to light and as the danger began to heighten.

Overall, an amazing read, and would definitely recommend it.

4.5/5

This is the perfect book for readers of 'A Good Girls Guide to Murder'

I stayed up till 2am just to finished this book and it was so worth it! It didn't not take long to suck me in to the book, the writing felt very fresh and new. While I don't read YA regularly I do come across ones that I absolutely enjoy, like this one. I loved that there was so much diversity too and it didn't feel forced.

An engaging and fast-paced YA mystery! There were a couple predictable things, but also a few surprises - but those surprises didn't come totally out of the blue which was good. I'll definitely keep my eye out for future books by this author, this was one of the better YA mysteries I have read in a while!

Really liked this! Readable writing, sympathetic characters, good overall themes. The stakes were high and the tension made me read this very quickly. Recommended to young adults especially.

i thought that this was a really good debut novel. the mystery was clearly very well thought out, and the pacing was wonderful. i read this book in less than twenty fours, while working and completing coursework, simply because i continuously needed to know what was going to happen next. i think the one bigger flaw with the book was that there were a few references to specific bands or vocaloid artists, and i think that they could really become outdated or take people out of the moment. i think just broadly mentioning them would’ve served this novel better.

One year ago, Stella Blackthorn disappeared and her younger sister Iris launched her own investigation but there was nothing... and now a year later her ex-girlfriend Heather also goes missing and Iris will do everything to find out what happened. Iris and her sapphic detective agency are going to do whatever it takes to find out what happened but that means confronting her ex-best friend who betrayed her and is also doing her own investigating and a cop who is threatening to arrest her if she continues to obstruct the case. Iris knows that the disappearances of her sister and her ex girlfriend are connected because two days after her ex releases the podcast episode based on on her investigation of Stella’s disappearance she suddenly vanishes. Iris will have to try and find out what happened to both of the girls she loved but someone else knows she’s investigating and with only 30 days left until she turns 18 and will be faced with prison-level consequences if she’s caught investigating on the case by the police, Iris and her friends have their work cut out for them. This was a fun mystery read and I had fun getting to know Iris and her friends. It definitely was a fun one til the end and I would recommend it for fans of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and Veronica Mars!

*Thanks Netgalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*