"College Girl, Missing" by Shawn Cohen is an absolute masterpiece in the realm of true crime literature. Cohen's meticulous research and captivating storytelling skills draw readers into the heart of the mystery surrounding Lauren Spierer's disappearance. With every page turn, Cohen keeps readers on the edge of their seats, unraveling the complexities of the case with precision and empathy. This gripping narrative not only sheds light on the chilling events of that fateful night but also honors the memory of Lauren and the enduring quest for justice. Cohen's dedication to truth and compassion for the victims and their families make "College Girl, Missing" a must-read for true crime enthusiasts and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the human experience in the face of tragedy.

This was a quick and easy read that I finished in a few hours. There were quite a few people to try and keep straight, and it sometimes got confusing. I wish there was a resolution and 'closure' for Lauren, for her family and friends to know what happened to her that short window of time. Reading Cohen's book, made me want to go back and listen to the Crime Junkie and True Crime Garage spades on Lauren's case again. Anyone familiar with Lauren's case, or those that are intrigued by the true crime genre, should add College Girl, Missing to their TBR.
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Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Heart Rending..
A heart rending true account of the disappearance of Lauren Spierer, a young University student who seemingly vanished one night following a party in her University town. The author, a journalist involved with the case from the very outset, takes the reader on the long and torturous journey undertaken by family, friends and all concerned as he uncovers evidence and explores every possible avenue. The book contains never before seen evidence including previously unshared witness testimony. Coherently compiled, detailed and as compelling as it is disturbing and heartbreaking.

This was a quick, fascinating read for true crime fanatics and/or those familiar with Lauren Spierer’s disappearance. The overall narrative flowed well and Cohen’s dedication left few stones unturned. My only complaint is that people were inconsistently referenced by either their first or last names. I had to remind myself whom was whom on numerous occasions.

Born and raised in Indiana, I began my freshman year at Indiana University in August of 2011. Lauren’s disappearance was a shadow cast over the students and university for years. To this day, her story remains one of Bloomington’s biggest mysteries and warnings for our young people. Here’s hoping Cohen’s writing and investigating will finally encourage someone to come forward.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Publishing for my Advance Reader Copy of College Girl, Missing by Shawn Cohen. I didn’t DNF this book because I had already invested time and was hoping for a redemptive surprise ending. Nope! The case is still pending. Just theories and proof of a dysfunctional police department.
Available for purchase on May 28, 2024.
#netgalley

✨RATING: 3⭐️

✨REVIEW: Interested in a true story of a college student disappearing in the middle of the night - well very early morning hours? The first half was captivating as all get out! Hook, line, & sinker. I was done for. I binged the first 50% in one single day (which has been a lot for me lately with my lack of reading!!) I couldn’t get enough of Lauren’s story and was so curious to see what happened to her. However, it unfortunately is still an open case so you never truly “find out” but rather are exposed to numerous theories. The second half of the book is where it really fizzled out for me and lowered the rating 🫣 The author took the story into more of a personal investigative tell all for the second half. The writing sounded biased and quite frankly more of a story about him as a reporter than the case at hand. If you followed this case as it happened, you may know a majority of what he discusses, with only a few new details released from the original coverage. However, if you were like me and don’t remember hearing about it at all (even though I was in college in Indiana myself at this time…🤨) then it will all be new and intriguing!

✨PROS: mostly short chapters, captivating true crime

🚨WARNING: Potential triggers include possible abduction, drugs/alcohol

Lauren Spierer, a college student at Indiana University goes missing after a drunken night with her friends. This true story is captivating and reads like fiction, but tragically, is not.

This story follows the lengths a journalist goes through to try to help a family in mourning.

A gripping read.

As a huge true crime fan, I was super excited to read this book as I'm not familiar with Lauren's story. Sadly, this book wasn't for me. The writing style and errors were hard to get over. Hopefully, with a little editing, those can be remedied.

I love reading true stories as someone with an interest in the psychology behind why people do what they do. This was a new author to me but I was glad I read this book. It's one that will stay with me for long after I stopped reading.

I just don’t think there’s enough information here for a book. Until it eats away at one of those boys enough for them to confess, this case doesn’t have much. The filler of this book by learning all this stuff about the author and his life was just not what I was looking for. I didn’t feel like any of this was new information. I was just a little bored - it felt more like a cash grab than a story that would do anything for Lauren.

2.5 stars
The author did a good job at raising awareness about the still ongoing case, the disappearance of Lauren Spierrer, while simultaneously bringing attention to multiple other cases in history like the murder of Gabi Petito. While the story itself (true, sadly) was very intense and chilling I felt like the author’s writing and this book as a whole was not the easiest to get through mainly because a lot of it was just confusing. I had to keep going back because I’d keep mixing up different events with each other (which is partially my fault as well) and end up not understanding what was happening at that point.
Overall, the book wasn’t for me and I wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re already very invested in this case and want to know a bit more.

In 2011, Lauren Spierer went missing after a night out partying with her college friends. Despite investigation by the police and private investigators hired by her family, she has never been found. This book looks into the case, and how the investigation may have been botched, and important leads overlooked, as well as looking at what the evidence suggests happened to Lauren. This is a case I was not overly familiar with when I started reading, and I was interested to learn more. This is an absolutely heartbreaking story, and my hear went out to her family and friends. I think the author did a good job at portraying who Lauren really was a as a person, beyond her issues with drugs and alcohol. The book was well written and easy to follow, and I liked that it didn't get bogged down in listing every single detail of the case. The author simply presents the relevant evidence, and leaves the reader to decide what they think happened to Lauren. I thought this was a very well done book, and I hope this book brings a resolution to the case.

I just finished this arc from @netgalley by @theshawncohen called College Girl, Missing. It comes out in May 2024. Wow!! I remember when this happened, it was a big deal in the Midwest. This was really well written. I truly felt like I was part of the investigation. I wish there had been closure for the Spierer’s, and for Lauren’s friends. Highly recommend. When it does come out, I will add it to my Walmart Storefront for everyone. #netgalley #collegegirlmissing #shawncohen #fivestars #indianauniversity #midwest #prettynails #kindle #walmartcreator #bookstagrammer #arc #truecrime #findlauren #booksbooksbooks #bookstagrammersunite #bookreview #bookrecommendations

pretty decent read. i appreciated that the author did it with permission from the family and wasn't only trying to capitalize off of the story.
i wasn't familiar with the lauren spierer case before reading the book which is why i feel as though i can say that it does a great job at establishing what happened the night she went missing, as well as keeping the theorizing separate from the facts.
i feel for lauren's family and i really hope that she will be found and that they will be able to learn what happened to her.

What really was the point of this book? It seems like the book is actually about the authors experience 'investigating' the disappearance... not the disappearance itself. It also needs some serious editing... there are so many awkward sentences and an overuse of commas. One positive thing is that hopefully this book spreads more awareness about the case.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

Started out excellent and really compelling, but by the end I was unsure why this was a book instead of a longreads article. It just feels like there's not enough there for a book. There were also some very confusing sections, and time jumps that made it difficult to follow in spots.

I think it would have benefited from delving more into surrounding context. We don't really get any insight into why Lauren Spierer had issues with drugs and alcohol, and several other murders are mentioned in passing when this could've looked at a broader social picture.

But I was always interested enough to keep reading and anything that brings attention to a cold case is a good thing.

I was given an ARC from NetGalley!
I had high hopes for this book. I usually love true crime. But sadly, this one just didn't wow me. I wanted to love it so badly but I couldn't get into it.
The book follows the story of Lauren Spierer when she goes missing from IU and everyone involved in her disappearance. The book was marketed as revealing new evidence to the case but I don't recall reading anything new about it.
Aside from my underwhelming feelings towards the book, the story itself is still pretty sad and scary. How can a young woman with so many friends go missing without a trace?

This was less informative than I expected. There are no significant updates on this case and the writing was difficult to follow at times. I appreciated the authors close involvement in the case, as he was there at the very beginning, but I also felt that he added too much information about his personal life/career.

It was saddening to see how easily Lauren Spierer was able to go missing, it could very easily happen to any young woman on a night out. My heart goes out to her family.

"College Girl, Missing" recounts the haunting 2011 disappearance of Lauren Spierer.

With every page, the reader is drawn deeper into the gripping narrative. Through meticulous investigative journalism, Shawn Cohen unveils the unfathomable pain endured by Lauren’s family and friends, as well as the many theories and dead ends surrounding the case. Sadly, despite exhaustive search efforts and countless leads, the truth remains elusive. As someone unfamiliar with the case surrounding the disappearance of Lauren Spierer, this is a solid read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks (non-fiction) for the opportunity to read and review "College Girl, Missing" before its publication date.

Skillfully Blending Elements of Suspense and Unexpected Revelations.

College Girl, missing by Shawn Cohen is a compelling narrative that draws readers in from the very first page. Lauren Spierer vanished when she visited friends. She walked to a bar. She was right there... until she was gone.
Shawn Cohen takes readers on a painful, twisted journey to find out what really happened when Lauren Spierer vanished in 2011. Cohen unearths a truck load of new evidence in this heart wrenching mystery, which shatters impenetrable walls of silence. Cohen refuses to give up and doggedly pursues those who may have been involved in a sinister crime.
Cohen masterfully navigates the mystery surrounding the disappearance of a college student, skillfully blending elements of suspense and unexpected revelations. The novel explores themes of trust, relationships, and the relentless pursuit of truth. The author did get new students of Lauren to talk and there was much more current information given to him. 
Cohen sheds light on what really happened the night Lauren was never seen again. This book is the heartbreaking story that every parent dreads, and my heart goes out to Lauren's family and the pain they have endured all these years. This adding an emotional depth to the story. Thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers of this book for giving me a free advance copy of the book to preview and I am leaving this review voluntarily.