Breanna is expecting a romantic weekend getaway with her new boyfriend Ty, and although he's distracted with work, the weekend goes well, until Bree heads downstairs on their final morning in their vacation rental and finds a woman she's never seen before lying dead on the floor and her boyfriend nowhere to be found. Because Ty is missing, he quickly becomes the police's number one suspect and, due to her previous experience with less than honest cops, Bree decides she's not going to wait around for the justice system to fail her again. With the help of her ex-best friend Adore, who is a lawyer, Bree starts investigating. But she's not the only one--a beauty influencer's social media accounts start to blow up as online amateur sleuths start to pick up on the narrative, and soon it's clear Bree may be in over her head.

This was a solid suspense novel with some interesting commentary on how social media fuels interest in true crime and how that affects police investigations. The social media aspect was definitely the most intriguing part of this. I did feel like some of Bree's actions and her amateur sleuthing were a bit implausible and unrealistic, and I wished we got to see more of Adore, who was a really interesting and complex character who wasn't explored much. The writing was solid, though, and the book was pretty fast-paced with enough twists to keep me reading until the end. I'm not sorry I read it at all, but I also wouldn't call it a "must read."

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

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy. I enjoyed Like A Sister, so I was sure I would enjoy this book as well. I definitely appreciate Garrett’s writing style. She does a slow burn thriller really well. This book had a lot to say about social media, the justice system, and who those constructs are designed to protect. I also enjoyed the friendship story between Bree and Adore and I’m glad they found their way back to each other in the end. I think the book went a bit off the rails towards the end with Bree taking everything into her own hands and the case being tied up neatly. Overall, I would recommend this one and will pick up Garrett’s future novels.

I try to read my ARCs in order of when they are released, I guess its the OCD in me. At least I usually do, the description of this book was so good, it jumped to the top of my TBR

I will start out, by saying (as a white woman) I couldn't even image what a POC goes through (on a daily basis). It's dark out and someone holds their purse a little tighter, moves a little faster... I felt the anxiety Bree felt throughout this book. Their was so much real life (and the absurdity of it) in this book.

I loved the way the author wrote these characters, as well as the feelings she was able to make me feel whole reading it. Not many authors are able to exude that level or storytelling using only words.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What happens when a romantic getaway with your boyfriend turns into a murder investigation? Bree soon finds out as day 2 she finds a dead body lying in the foyer and her boyfriend is long gone. Working against the clock, Bree turns to the only person she knows can help, her lawyer ex-best friend.
The premise of the story was good with characters you can’t help but like. The pace of the book was slow and often kept me wanting to quit reading.
Thank you NetGalley and Mulholland Books for my ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A weekend in the city away with a new boyfriend. Spending time getting to know each other better. What could go wrong...how about waking up on the last morning to find a dead woman on the floor of your rental and your boyfriend missing. To make matters worse since you're a black woman alone no one seems to believe anything you say. You're told you can't go back home and then your boyfriend is found dead. All you can do is trust your former best friend and yourself to prove your boyfriend wasn't a murderer and the dead woman isn't the missing person who has been all over the internet for days, but is really someone who was trying to save themselves but couldn't.

I was given the Advanced Reader Copy and for as much as I wanted to love this book, there were too many “loose ends” and story gaps that didn’t support the ending. The pacing and plot were excellent until maybe 60% into the book and then it felt rushed, missing necessary details to complete the story.

Bree and her boyfriend Ty are on a weekend getaway in Jersey City when a White Woman mysteriously disappears from her local neighborhood. It just so happens that it’s the same neighborhood they’re staying in and the news puts Bree on edge.

The fairly new couple takes in the city sights and tries their best to enjoy their time together when Ty isn’t called into work at all hours of the day. On what’s supposed to be her last day, Bree wakes up to find Ty missing and the Missing White Woman dead in the hallway of their Airbnb.

Bree struggles to find the truth, clear her name, and find some form of justice in the midst of being in the middle of a major murder investigation.

Again, this story had so much potential but towards the end, nothing made sense. I ended the book with so many questions. I think there could have been more story development around Ty’s character and a better explanation of what was at stake and how all the parties involved were truly connected- not just in theory.

Thank you to NetGalley for the Advance Reader Copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

The synopsis drew me in, but it just fell a bit flat for me. It felt like the pacing was off a bit. I was not bad, I just wanted a bit more character development. Thanks to NetGalley and Mulholland Books for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
3/5

Bree’s first weekend getaway with her boyfriend Ty comes to an abrupt end. She wakes to find a dead body in the foyer of their beautiful row house Airbnb and Ty missing. The dead woman is Janelle Beckett, the missing woman everyone has been looking for. Did Ty kill Janelle? Can Bree figure out what really happened that night?

This fast-paced story with its many twists kept me until the final reveal. I enjoy every minute of this wild ride! With her mix of naivete and past challenges, Bree made the perfect narrator for this story.

I liked the way thought provoking, timely real issues like racism and trust were weaved in. The inclusion of the TikTok Lives and the overall impact of social media on the trajectory of the missing person case added depth to the story. Both made the story more intriguing.

Missing White Woman raises questions to consider long after finishing the book. I will recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a twisty crime thriller.

I DNFd this one.
I'm so sorry to say it. I really wanted to like it and yet, I'm still thankful to the publisher and the author for granting me advanced digital and physical access to this one before publication day.

Book Review!

Missing White Woman by @kellyekell
Pub Date: 4/30/24
Rating: fiiiiveeee stars!

Thank you @netgalley & @mulhollandbooks for this ARC!

Yaaaaall ! This book had me on the edge of my seat alllll day. We follow Breanna and her boo Ty as they go on a little baecation in New York. On the last day of the trip she gets up and finds a body in the living room?!? & her boo is nowhere to be found! 🙃🙂 On top of that the body is of the missing white woman that has been posted on every news network and social media platform.

I ateeee this on UPPP! Suspenseful, left you wanting more anddd a nice epilogue to give you even more closure 😅🤭 If you’re into thrillers or like who done it books, this is for you!

Really drawn to the premise of Missing White Woman and also loved the setting being in Jersey City and seeing familiar places. I was all in for the beginning - but unfortunately it lost me a bit after that. The pacing felt off to me - dragged for a while in the middle and then when I saw I was 95% in I didn’t understand how it could possibly wrap up that quickly. Unfortunately this is one that won’t stick with me but I’m still excited to try future books by the author. Thank you to the publisher for the free ebook to review.

This book had a lot of topics relevant in today's society - stereotyping, herd mentality, and internet sleuths. I enjoyed the storyline and twists and turns throughout. I don't feel like we got to know Ty enough to have a clear opinion. I also am not sure I trust what he was really up to. The ending was also a bit blah. I felt like there were a few loose ends and questions. But despite that, it was still a 4 star read. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

A romantic getaway turned murder investigation book immediately draws me in. However this fell a little short for me. The pacing felt slow and I struggled to finish the book. Once I did though, it was an enjoyable read.

"Missing White Woman" is fast-paced and suspenseful. This is my first read of Kellye Garrett's but I know it will not be my last. I enjoyed the layer of social critique along with the murder mystery. Recommended for fans of "Gone Girl" "Strangers on a Train" and "Rabbit Hole." Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Author Kellye Garrett follows up her 2022 bestseller Like a Sister with a new thriller that’s chock full of twists & turns.

Breanna’s excited to spend a romantic weekend getaway in New York City with her new boyfriend Ty. It all goes wrong when she wakes up to find a dead body in their Airbnb & Ty nowhere to be found. Is the victim Janelle Beckett - the missing woman whose disappearance has gone viral?

Janelle’s disappearance went viral because a Tik Tok influencer used her platform to amplify the disappearance. In the guise of “just asking questions” the influencer casts Breanna as a suspect. Breanna becomes the internet’s new favorite target & her life gets picked apart by online sleuths.

I liked Breanna’s character arc. Her life has been stuck in a rut for ten years because of a drug conviction in college. She lost her scholarship & her dreams. She can’t move on because she’s burdened by the conviction. The dead body & Ty’s disappearance force her into action to clear her name and Ty’s.

This was an intriguing mystery with plenty of twists and turns. The story also looks at racism, friendship, and the internet’s/media’s influence on public opinion. The pacing is good and Garrett once again provides an intricate story with insightful social commentary

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this title. I discovered Kellye Garrett through Like a Sister because of Bahni Turpin's wonderful work on the audiobook. Like a Sister drew me in and completely captivated me and Missing White Woman did not disappoint. Perfect for fans of true crime TikTok and an excellent reminder of the humanity behind people involved in cases. Missing White Woman reminded me of the hours I spent obsessed with new details on the Gabby Petito case and how uncomfortable it is to look back at that media consumption. With enough twists and turns to keep things interesting, I would recommend Missing White Woman to true crime fans or fans of suspenseful thrillers.

Another winner from Kellye Garrett! After finally reading Like a Sister, I was so excited to get my hands on Missing White Woman and I enjoyed this one equally as much.

I was mesmerized by this suspenseful, twisty thriller that manages to cover both racial inequalities and toxic true-crime culture all in one amazing story!

Days into her romantic weekend getaway with her new boyfriend Ty, Breanna walks down the stairs to find a dead woman splayed out on the floor. And she's not just any woman, she's Janelle Beckett, who has captured the nations attention as a beautiful, blonde missing white woman. In a city Breanna isn't familiar with, she's overwhelmed by how to handle the situation - will the police assume she and/or her Black boyfriend are a part of the murder?

As she unravels more of what happened to the dead woman in her Airbnb, she's forced to face her own past and the challenges of true-crime truth seekers on TikTok in her present. The ending comes together masterfully and will stay in my mind for years to come!

I don't want to give anything way, but I was so impressed by how Kellye Garett created a character whose past experiences mad her the perfect vessel to experience this story through. There were so many moments where I felt as torn as Breanna about who to believe and what was truly happening, and I love when authors manage to make me think about real life challenges from multiple perspectives in the midst of a truly thrilling story.

It's funny since their titles are so similar, but I think fans of Local Woman Missing will love this, as well as fans of Almost Surely Dead.

This was a completely propulsive and darkly fun ride. A great thriller that kept me guessing for the most part, and despite having a few “hmmm, I dunno…” moments I fully enjoyed it and all the characters.

When Bree takes what’s supposed to be a romantic weekend away with her workaholic boyfriend Ty—she’s disappointed when he keeps disappearing to tend to a needy client and she’s left to her own devices. Then, a white woman goes missing near the fancy AirBnb they’re renting and she begins to feel unnerved by the neighbours’ attention, like it’s all connected, and maybe she should fear for her own safety, too, which is magnified by being one of the only Black people staying in the area. Soon, she’s obsessively following the investigation and the beauty influencer who takes up the cause, encouraging her millions of followers to sleuth and put pressure on the local police. Then, on her last morning in the city, Bree wakes to find a dead woman in the house, her boyfriend gone, and all hell breaks loose.

Garrett weaves real issues into a compulsively readable plot—like the way rabid social media followers can get a taste for blood, sway public opinion and effect innocent people and the way BIPOC are victimized by the police system when you’re guilty until proven innocent. Bree is the perfect vessel for this narration because she thinks, feels and acts in such a relatable way. There’s nothing I hate more in a thriller than the MC making some dumbass moves and thankfully there’s none of that here—she’s smart, intuitive, and when she realizes she’s going to have to solve this thing her own damn self? Loved it, I was rooting for her every step of the way.
I hadn’t read anything by Kellye Garrett before—I was just drawn to this purple cover and in the mood for a thriller—but believe me, she’ll be on my radar from now on!

The title, cover, and premise drew me in. I enjoyed this thriller! This is an important topic and angle. A great way to shed light on it.