From the moment I picked up What Happened to Nina, I could not put it down. This is a gripping psychological thriller about finding Nina Fraser, an adolescent who goes missing after a week’s vacation with her boyfriend Simon Jordan. The book is told from five perspectives, each of Nina and Simon’s parents and the detective assigned to the case. Despite having so many viewpoints, the story moves seamlessly.

Simon comes from money, a lot of it. We see how money can derail and deflect an investigation in ways I’d never considered. It all makes the Jordans very unlikeable. While Nina’s parents and the police immediately suspect Simon is involved, his parents are able to throw enough money behind him to make Nina’s parents look like the bad guys. As the story goes on, the Frasers’ lives devolve and it is devastating to watch.

While I had a sense of where the story was going and the guilty party is almost always clear, the story had enough twists to keep me wondering exactly how it would all unfold.

Trigger warning for domestic violence, assault, gun violence and overall traumatic content. Highly recommended. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book pissed me off which I'm absolutely sure was the author's intention but... wow.

In this book we are following Simon and Nina, a young couple trying to navigate a long distance college relationship, and things are rocky to say the least. They go away for a week long break to Simon's family vacation home and then only Simon returns at the end of the trip.

Now, we find out exactly what happens to Nina about half way through the book. In fact, the author does not really hide the fact that what happens to Nina is bad nor do they try to hide who is the guilty party. The mystery of Nina is pretty straight forward. The strength that comes from this book is the examination of what happens with everyone else when someone goes missing. What happens to the families? The siblings? The guilty parties? The neighborhood gossip train? There is a lot of commentary in this book on how the police, loved ones, and complete strangers handle a case of a missing person and that was an interesting take on this kind of story.

There are some twists in this that I didn't really see coming. There is a scene with Simon that completely threw me for a loop because it seemed like the author was trying to expose a seedier, darker side to his character but also never elaborated more on it so it felt a bit misplace and odd. The twists at the end were pretty satisfying but while, for the most part, this felt like a very believable mystery/thriller story the ending does require you to suddenly pivot 180 degrees and suspend all your disbelief. I think that I would have liked it more had the ending been handled in a bit of a different way.

Overall, this is a book that will enrage you and is meant to. It blatantly puts in your face all the awful aspects of humanity. It shows you how awful people can be, the things that happen behind closed doors, the ways that the internet can spread misinformation and hatred in the blink of an eye. It exposes the incomprehensible lengths that parents will go to in order to protect their children. It showcases the biases of law enforcement, the power of privilege and ostentatious wealth, and the ways in which the quickest bandwagon people can jump on is the one built on lies.

This book was nothing new or special. It doesn't blow your mind or bring something really new to the table. However, this book paints a story that we have all seen in the news time and time again and has some interesting things to say about that. I think that this is a quick read that will keep people involved, spur some discussions, but ultimately could have used a little polishing to make it a true standout.

When Nina goes missing, her parents will seek for answers. Her boyfriend, Simon, was the last to see her. Simon’s family is only interested in protecting him.

Loved this one! I loved that there were two perspectives to go with the two sides of the story. This is not a mystery. The reader knows almost from the very beginning what happened to Nina. This is more about the aftermath; the two families reactions and interactions with each other, as well as the investigation itself. Don’t worry though, there’s still much more drama and crime to follow.

“I was stupid, but then, I was a lobster in a pot. The water warmed up so gradually that I didn’t realize I was boiling until it was too late.”

What Happened to Nina comes out 3/26.

Filled with suspense!

When a young couple goes on a hike and only one of them returns, it ignites suspicion between the two families, forcing them to pick a side.

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. The author wrote a couple of interesting and plausible twists that perhaps readers, who are familiar with the Petito case, would find realistic and satisfying. Personally, I enjoyed it because it kept the pace steady, and provided justice and closure for the right characters. I liked how different the POVs were between the four parents. Simon’s parents were especially interesting considering how they handled the situation in the wake of Nina’s disappearance and Simon’s odd behavior. The ways they enabled and made excuses for him was terrifying. Nina’s parent’s went through hell and it was difficult to read, specifically because I found their internal dialogue / emotions somewhat repetitive. The way Nina’s father handled Simon was shocking, and probably my favorite scene in the book.

4/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For readers who enjoy stories about missing persons’ cases, domestic suspense, and dark secrets.

A couple in love go away for the weekend but only one returns. This sounds similar to that notorious story in 2021 that continues to be brought up in crime shows and podcasts even in 2024 but this book is about Nina and Simon and the obsessive actions of both their families to find answers about Nina being missing and Simon's parents willing to anything and everything protect their son's reputation and his life. Yes, this book does sound reminiscent of that case but believe me it is definitely not that infamous case! This fictional story is so much more nightmarish if even possible!


I absolutely loved this crazy and emotional thriller! This book has a little bit of everything and then some about thoughts and feelings of both sets of parents and the hell that they were going through every minute of the day and making the reader think about what would they do or feel if either of these young adults were your own child and to what extent one would go to get answers and justice for the missing child vs. how far would you go to protect the child who is the prime and only suspect in his missing, beloved girlfriend's case.

I enjoyed everything about this emotional thriller and I will look forward to reading more books by Dervla McTiernan. The author did a wonderful job on making the characters very interesting and believable as far as the story played out which becomes a wicked thriller and not just another sad, soapy and predictable story.

Sometimes the parents were so unlikeable and other times their actions and thoughts just wrenched my heart and wouldn't let go because of the deep heartfelt and unconditional love that each parent had for their child. I must not forget another hero to the story was the dogged detective who was determined to find Nina at all costs and the great job he did at leaving "No Stone Unturned". The detective was so likeable and interesting that I wouldn't be surprised if the author wrote a new series featuring this man and his police force. The last thirty percent of the book is so exciting, unpredictable, crazy, mesmerizing and to top it all off! The Ending is a Wow, Wow!

Highly, Highly Recommend!

I want to thank the publisher " William Morrow " and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this novel and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

I have given a rating of 4 1/2 STUNNING AND EMOTIONAL 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌠 STARS!!


Publication Date: March 26, 2024
Title: What Happened To Nina
Author: Dervla McTiernan

US pub date: 3/26/24
Genre: suspense
Quick summary: Nina and her rich boyfriend Simon are the perfect couple - but her disappearance after their trip together fuels worldwide suspicion, and armchair sleuths will do anything to find out the truth.

Thrillers that feel like true crime are a favorite of mine, and McTiernan kept me hooked while reading this one. It felt a bit like a Gabby Petito "ripped from the headlines" story, and it was interesting to see all the perspectives come together. One element I really liked was the battle of Nina and Simon's parents - we know that a parent will do a lot to protect a child, and both sets here lived up to that reputation. I also enjoyed the exploration of wealth disparities, a theme also present in THE SCHOLAR, the first book I read by McTiernan. I read this book in one day, and I bet a lot of readers will do the same. 4+ stars.

Thank you to William Morrow and @thoughtsfromapage podcast for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! As a parent, this book was extremely difficult to read. I could sympathize with both mothers, Leanne, and Jamie. This book made me mad and frustrated and sad! But in a good way. This is definitely a story that you could see actually happening and making headlines and going viral. This book was very well written but those who like happy perfect endings and everything tied up neatly in a bow may have difficulty with it. I can’t wait to read more books by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of “What’s Happened to Nina”. I have read all of Dervla McTiernan’s books and enjoyed them all. This story was very similar to the story of Gabby Petito. I don’t know if it was intentional or not, or if the author was trying to offer answers to the mystery surrounding the real life case. In either case I’m still a fan of Ms McTiernan and look forward to reading all of her upcoming books.

Thanks netgalley and custom home for this book to read. I like reading about missing persons and this story was well written. It reminded me a lot of the Gabby Petito case. I love how the book down to the last sentence. It was a good wrap up for what happened to Nina.

I read this in one sitting because it was so addictive and I HAD to find out what happened. It had many similarities to the Gabby Petito case which drew national attention in 2021. I enjoyed seeing how Nina’s disappearance affected so many people in very different ways. The police procedural aspect was lovely as I enjoy a competent detective who knows what they are doing. McTiernan was also smart to look at how wealth disparities can change a crime outcome. And the ending? Oh man! I’ll be thinking about it for a while.

What would you do for your children? If your daughter is missing, what would you do to try and find her? If your son is suspected of murder, what would you do to protect him? McTiernan tries to answer these questions in her newest novel. We start the book with a chapter from Nina’s perspective while she and Simon, her boyfriend, are on vacation together. In the next chapter we discover Nina is missing and Simon has come home by himself. From there we get a great novel about what would the two sets of parents do for their children. Simon’s family has lots of money and Nina’s doesn’t. Would you believe your son if he said he was innocent? What would you do to try and find the truth about what happened to your daughter?

What Happened to Nina is a fast-paced emotional read. Nina and Simon are young, in love, and on a romantic getaway. We find out early on that Simon is the only one who returns from this little vacation. I enjoyed the multiple POV approach to telling this story. A well-written, engaging story that kept me invested until the end. Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for the eARC.

Simon and Nina are a young couple in love with each other and just enjoying life. The questions start when Simon returns from a week long vacation and Nina does not. Simon's side of the story is not adding up and Nina's parents are bound for the truth about what happened to Nina. Both sets of parents are trying to get to the bottom of it and will stop at nothing to protect their kids and their reputations. There are plenty of twists and surprises in this story. I enjoyed this book! Thanks to @NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

We have all heard this story, it is the Gabby Petito case. This is young love between Nina and Simon and the same storyline as the Petito case. What we learn are the struggles from the families of Nina and Simon. How this is devastating to both families. This book is tightly plotted, beginning with high school sweethearts. They are vacationing at Simon's family's mountain home in Vermont. Simon returns home and Nina is missing. Simon's parents are wealthy and powerful, and Nina's are neither.

The story is told in different POV in each chapter. You know who did it early in the book and you have to keep reading to see what is going to happen next. You can't help but feel for both sets of parents. The story is all over the internet and many lies are told. The tension heightens as Nina's family tries to get to the bottom of her disappearance, while Simon's wealthy family does their best to shield him from any wrongdoing.

Drama, Show- Stopper, and The Truth! 3.5 stars!

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the advance copy! This book will be released 3/26/24.

What Happened to Nina? This book drew me right in. What happened when Nina and her boyfriend take a trip to his family’s cabin? Is it the age old, the boyfriend always did it?
This story is told from the perceptive of both sets of parents. The story twist and turns as money, privilege and social media play pivotal roles.
What would you do if it was your child that was missing accused?
I like the multiplied layers of this story and it held lots of surprises.
Thanks to Cindy Burnett @Thoughts from a Page and @Netgalley for the early read copy

Nina is a young college woman dating Simon Jordan. The book opens with us meeting Nina as she recounts a hiking weekend with Simon where she falls and later, she is packing her stuff to leave. When Nina doesn’t respond to phone calls, her parents call the cops and start a search party for Nina. Simon claims Nina broke up with him and went off to be with friends.
Detective Matthew Wright is called in to investigate with junior detective Sarah Jane (SJ). As they work to unravel the knots of this mystery, we see two different families pitted against each other. One is wealthy and has all sorts of resources while the other is a blue-collar, working-class kind of family.
I really enjoyed the author’s first book, The Murder Rule, and this was just as good. It is fast paced and emotional – both families are trying to deal with how they are perceived by the public. There are lies being spread about them and rumors about Nina and Simon.
The cover is not relevant to the story

Dervla McTiernan is one of my auto-buy authors so I was thrilled with the upcoming release of WHAT HAPPENED TO NINA? Wow! What an ending. This domestic thriller took me for a ride. I binge read this book in two days. I was glued. When I had to put it down, I found myself wondering about what was to come. I felt like I was an outsider watching all of this unfold. This book is about a couple who went on a romantic getaway to a remote cabin in Vermont, only one of them returns. As a New Englander, I enjoyed the Vermont setting. I also enjoyed the multiple POVs from the main character, family members and police officers. The pacing, the length of each chapters were just perfect!

Thank you to William Morrow and Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

The story is a fictional true crime story about a young woman, Nina, who goes missing after a weekend away with her boyfriend, Simon, at his family cottage in Vermont. Simon comes back home, but Nina doesn’t.

The tension heightens as Nina’s family tries to get to the bottom of her disappearance, and Simon’s wealthy family does their best to shield him from scrutiny and any wrongdoing.

The story is told from multiple POV’s which keeps the story moving along, and adds to the fascination of events as the reader has the inside view of what the characters are experiencing, thinking, and feeling. This story is propulsive and has that wow factor. The effects of wealth, social media, and the dynamics of two very opposite families in a small community made this book so riveting. So very well done!

Thank you to Cindy from @thoughtsfromapage podcast for arranging the advance reader copy and author event through her Patreon Early Reads program. Thank you to William Morrow and Netgalley for the electronic ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I had the hardest time putting this book down! It was completely bingeable in such a good way!

The prologue begins from Nina’s POV and then the reader is rotated through multiple pov’s of those close to Nina surrounding her disappearance. I loved that each POV took a chapter forward in the story as it slowly built. We understood behind the scenes and what different individuals were feeling about the circumstances.

Fan of true crime? Then this is for you. Not gory, not disturbing, but completely engrossing and this is not based on a true story. So not really true crime.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the complimentary e-copy of this book!

I would give this book 4.5 stars if I could. It was not quite 5-star-worthy, but it was close.

Dervla McTiernan’s What Happened to Nina? perfectly ratchets up the tension until it is almost unbearable. It is clear fairly early on what happened to Nina. The real story lies in what happens to everyone else.

Telling this story from a variety of viewpoints is a master stroke. You are able to get inside of the characters’ heads and see how some of their subjectively reasonable actions look different to others. It really makes you realize how often we misinterpret the motives of others. Not only that, but it was a very effective way to move the story along.

I received an ARC from William Morrow through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinions about this book.