2.5 stars rounded up

I first learned about Lauren Spierer's disappearance when I was binge listening to the Crime Junkie podcast. So when I saw a book being released about the case, I wanted to read it.

First, my heart goes out to Lauren's family. I can't imagine the devastation that they have been through. Her story is important and needs to be shared.

I tend to rate true crime books relatively high, but I didn't really like how this book was written. I felt like the author inserted himself too frequently into the book. Which, on one hand I understand, since he was there reporting on it in the early days. But at the same time, this story is about Lauren, and what happened to her. I feel like the author could have (and should have)written the book in a way that didn't have him so included.

I hope that we one day find out what happened to Lauren, and that those responsible are brought to justice.

Poignant reminder of Lauren Spierer's unresolved disappearance, compiling existing information into a cohesive narrative. It doesn't deliver groundbreaking revelations, but it keeps the conversation alive, Solid, but not mind-blowing.

Thank you sourcebooks and netgalley for the ARC!

I love a true crime story just as much as the next person but I felt like this one just didn’t really do much for the actual story. I didn’t remember hearing about a lot of this so it was interesting to hear what happened and what police didn’t necessarily do, but towards the end the author goes into his own life and I wasn’t sure how it really related? It felt off and made the book seem kind of disjointed.

College Girl, Missing by Shawn Cohen is a gripping true-crime account that dives deep into the emotional turmoil and relentless search following a young woman’s disappearance. Cohen’s journalistic background shines through with sharp pacing and well-researched details that keep the tension high.

While the narrative is compelling, at times it leans heavily on procedural details, which can slow the emotional impact. Still, the story’s raw honesty and the urgency of the investigation make it a worthwhile read.

3.5 stars — a tense and engaging true-crime story that highlights both the heartbreak and determination behind missing persons cases.

I tried to get into this book, but as a true crime junkie it felt a little flat for me. Maybe I need to be in the right mood and will certainly give this another chance. Going to try audio since most of my true come stuff comes in that form.

A gripping true crime novel that explores the disappearance of Lauren Spierer, a college student at Indiana University. The author’s research and engaging writing style kept me enthralled from the beginning. The case remains open and the novel is thought provoking.
Many thanks to SOURCEBOOKS and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have always been up to date on this car so when I saw this book I was eager to learn more. The author does a great job outlining the story and new information from the people involved.

This case was huge for me & I followed it for many years. Even so, I appreciate that this book gave me details I didn’t know about & presented multiple theories. I wish there could’ve been more of a conclusion or more insight into Lauren’s life outside of her disappearance. But as a quick read for anyone wanting to know (or refresh their knowledge) of the case, this is a good pick.

Tragic true crime tale of the evils that lurk in our world.

This book was written in a different perspective than I was expecting with the intention of putting pressure on the suspects of the story. It took a bit to get through the story and offered lackluster writing. Just not my cup of tea

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for gifting me a digital ARC of this true crime story by journalist Shawn Cohen. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 3.5 stars rounded up.

Lauren Spierer was a young college student attending Indiana University when she disappeared in 2011. Even though her story drew global attention and the case remains open, with Lauren never found. She was out partying with classmates and was last seen in a townhouse complex with several wealthy, connected male students.

Like so many these days, it's hard to look away from true crime stories. The author investigated the story when it happened and remained connected to Lauren's family. While this book does put a spotlight on the conflicting testimonies of those involved as well as the police investigation, nothing really new is brought to light. Hopefully this book will keep media interest in this cold case, but at the end of the day, Lauren's family still has no answers. Should be a cautionary tale read by students heading off to college campuses.

This book delves into the mysterious case of Lauren, a young girl who simply vanishes without a trace. While it provides detailed accounts of the events surrounding her disappearance—none of which seem to yield a clear answer—it can be a bit challenging to follow at times. The narrative shifts between different perspectives, and it’s not always clear whose version of events is being shared.

It’s hard to tell whether this reflects the chaotic nature of the real-life accounts or if the author could have structured the timeline and evidence more clearly. Despite this, the book kept me engaged and left me grappling with the same unanswered questions: What truly happened to Lauren? How could someone disappear so completely?

The lingering mystery is haunting, especially as it’s clear someone out there holds the key to what happened in her final moments. Yet, for reasons unknown, they remain silent, leaving Lauren’s family to carry the weight of unanswered questions forever. Despite its occasional confusion, this was a compelling read that left me thinking long after I finished it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of College Girl, Missing by Shawn Cohen!

Lauren Spierer, a college student in Indiana goes missing, after a crazy night of partying. Lauren has never been found and nobody has been charged with anything. This book follows the events of that night but yet no one has any idea what happened to her. The case is still unsolved, and Lauren is now presumed deceased, but what really happened? This will leave you with more questions especially as to why the authorities have not done more.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC!

As someone who has been a true crime enthusiast for many years, this book was right up my alley. I was surprised to find out about this case and shocked I had never heard of Lauren Spierer. Her disappearance after a night out has opened many different ideas about what happened. I appreciated the insight from the original reporter on her case. You will be gripped and can read this book quickly. Highly recommend!

I received a free advance digital copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. Working on getting through the rest of the advanced books I received.
This book took me a while to get through because of the case it’s about. I tend to need to take breaks when reading true crime cause the stories are so raw and heartbreaking. I learned new things about Lauren Spierers disappearance from this book. It makes me hope even more for her family to get answers about what happened that night. The book is well written and I recommend reading it if you want a deeper look into the case. Just wish anyone who knows something about that night and what happened to her would speak up.

I really appreciated the level of detail the author went into with his investigation. I have been following this story since Lauren went missing and I think this was a very good introduction for someone not familiar with the case. There are many unexplained events from the night she went missing and the author didn’t shy away from pointing them out.

I didn't know a lot about this case before reading this book. I appreciate how in depth the author goes and how he covers so many possible scenarios and theories. Highly recommend for all true crime readers. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

This true crime book about a young college girl going missing was intriguing. The author really dove into the story and did lots of research. There were lots of details on the case that seemed to be told concisely while also telling the story.

This would have been better as a podcast. College Girl, Missing is the very familiar story of Lauren Spierer. As a crime junkie, I pride myself on being victim focused, but the first half of this novel felt the author was justifying Lauren’s partying and use of drugs. Did she deserve to disappear? Absolutely not, but we do not need fifty pages telling us of her drug use. Sympathy for the victim significantly decreases. The second half of this book needed to be removed. If the author and Lauren’s parents wanted to put pressure on a suspect, then do so, but do it in a different format, preferably one that promotes an open dialogue.

I don't know if I am happy to give this book 5 stars or not. This is an absolutely heartbreaking story and I truly wish it would have ended with answers for this family. To be honest, I had never heard this story. So everything was brand new to me when I started to read it and I was in it. I liked the authors writing style and felt smooth and continuous and sometimes I was like where are they going with this and then I would be like Oh I follow now I see the connection. I was truly captivated by this and even started googling things and wanting to get more information about this tragic story and I truly hope there are answers for this family one day or someone decides to speak up. Even though this is a tragic true story it was a very informative book that grabbed me from the beginning and had me wanting to know more and more and more.