Last Girl Missing by K.L. Murphy is a gripping and intense psychological thriller that keeps you guessing until the very end. When a small town is shaken by the disappearance of a teenage girl, Detective Jessie Doyle finds herself confronting both a mysterious case and her own dark past. Murphy expertly builds suspense, weaving together secrets, red herrings, and complex character dynamics. The fast-paced plot, combined with a compelling lead detective, makes this book hard to put down. Last Girl Missing is a perfect pick for fans of twisty, atmospheric mysteries with emotionally layered protagonists. Thank you K.L Murphy, Level Best Books, and NetGalley for this ARC!

This book made me want to crawl out of my skin, but, you know, in the best way possible.

Identifying with the helpless, middle-aged, clueless mom, whose daughter was kidnapped, is not a comfortable feeling. I’d much rather have seen myself as the arse-kicking detective, yet here we are.

The urgency and frustration of all the main characters are so visceral, you feel them in your body.

I enjoyed the sleepy town backdrop, the ties to a past case, and Callie’s father, and the partnership between Callie and Zel.

I’m very much hoping this gets turned into a series, so we can revisit some of the characters…just as soon as they get off the crutches.

Thanks to NetGalley and Level Best Books for this ARC.

The premise of this book grabbed my attention and didn’t stop until I had finished. Full of well developed characters, this story will stay with me for a long time.

This fast-moving story follows Detective Callie Ford and her partner Zel attempt to locate a missing, later revealed to be kidnapped, sixteen-year-old girl in Hampstead, a quiet, college town.

When Natalie's disappearance begins to bear a resemblance to another girl who went missing years earlier, alarm bells ring for Callie. This older investigation destroyed Callie's father's professional life (he was the detective in charge) and health, so Callie does her best to keep focused on Natalie, and not get swept up into her personal feelings about the previous case's impact on her family.

Of course, that doesn't work, so even while Callie and Zel get closer, after frustrating lead after frustrating lead, Callie decides to shake her father out of his depression and get his help.

I was hooked from the opening pages of this story. Callie is carrying a lot of emotional baggage during this case, and though it brings up lots of pain for her family and for the family of the other girl missing five years now, Callie keeps pushing forward, and manages to solve this case and also break through to her father.

I enjoyed this book, and the way author K.L. Murphy kept up the sense of urgency and sadness. The resolution to Callie's case worked for me, and I hope we see more Callie Ford books in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Level Best Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC of this novel, Last Girl Missing for my honest review. This is a police procedural mystery/thriller. Detective Callie Forde is called to a missing teenage girl case that has many similarities to a case years ago. Forde’s dad coincidentally was the detective on said case.

I really enjoyed the development of Forde as a protagonist as she investigates this disappearance. Not only is she a detective, she’s a daughter and a friend. The reader really gets to know her and witness her growth. I also loved the various snippets of the abductors view point. I wouldn’t consider this a dual POV but the reader does get some insights here and there. I was not expecting the twist at the end and really enjoyed this book! I gave it 4 out of 5 stars!

Last Girl Missing: A Detective Callie Forde Mystery by K.L Murphy is an excellent mystery that I really enjoyed reading.

Detective Callie Forde is looking for a 16-year-old missing girl who had some activity on social media before her disappearance.

The mystery is similar to one that Callie's father had investigated.

The characters are well written and fleshed out.

The mystery kept me flipping the pages.

I really enjoyed Callie's character and the urgency in which the story unfolded.

An excellent crime mystery. Hopefully there will be more books with this fantastic character.

Callie Ford returns home, determined to find the person responsible not only for the missing girl of the past but for the devastating effects on her father. She's now the detective he once was and another girl is missing. The trail of clues reminds her of the previous case and she asks her father questions about the case, though initially he's not very responsive. Callie's uncovering secrets, some going back to the original case. Her search for the killer now puts Callie in danger.

The story has all the elements of a thriller and at the same time, her struggle with her father is poignant. It is well-written, the pace is good, and character development is strong. The suspense and tension kept me reading. This is the first in a series and I'm looking forward to the next in the series.

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.

This book was gripping and hard to put down. It didn't feel like everything else you see out there, it felt very fresh. I really enjoyed this book!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Detective Callie Forde is no stranger to solving mysteries, but when she’s called to the home of a missing teenage girl in the quiet college town of Hampstead, she doesn’t initially suspect foul play. After all, Hampstead seems safe—unless you count the other girl, the one who vanished without a trace.

As the hours wear on with no sign of Natalie, the police are forced to consider the possibility of abduction. But what makes this case even more chilling is its eerie similarity to a five-year-old cold case—one that ended in a botched investigation, a shooting, and left Callie’s father in a wheelchair.

Determined not to repeat the mistakes of the past, Callie races against time to find Natalie, avenge her father, and perhaps prevent history from repeating itself. But the deeper she digs, the more secrets she uncovers, and the danger escalates.

K.L. Murphy’s “Last Girl Missing” is a gripping mystery that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The writing is sharp, the pacing relentless, and the characters well-drawn. Callie Forde is a flawed yet determined detective, haunted by her past and driven by justice. The college town setting adds an intriguing layer of tension, and the plot twists will keep you guessing until the very end.

If you’re a fan of suspenseful crime fiction with strong female protagonists, this book is a must-read. K.L. Murphy weaves a web of intrigue, betrayal, and hidden motives that will leave you eagerly turning the pages. Get ready for a rollercoaster ride through secrets and lies, where nothing is as it seems.

It's very rare that a book makes my jaw drop but KL Murphy managed to do it.

This book had me gripped from the very beginning and didn't slow down. The realistic plot made it all the better as it seemed relevant to follow along.
I will say it left me with a few questions, but none of them were really important to the storyline so im okay with being left unanswered.

I like Callie Ford, her empathy for the family of the missing girl, or girls resonated with me. This is the third book this year that deals with dark websites where toxic males spew their hatred for all women due to their own inadequacy. I have never met any men like this, but I know they exist, I think most Serial Killers belong in this category. I feel sorry for the real police who have to read through this trash in order to find their suspect. I highly recommend it for people who like Police Detective Shows, especially those who watch Midsomer Murders or Luther. Thank you #Netgalley #LastGirlMissing #KLMurphy

Once I picked this book up, I couldn't put it down! Detective Callie Forde is racing against time to find a 16 year old girl who has disappeared from a sleepy college town-much like the girl who, 5 years ago, had disappeared but never been found. I found myself hooked with the urgency, following characters closely and forming my own theories. Just when I thought I had solved the case, something would happen to send me down a different path! Last Girl Missing gave me enough to want more-I'm so glad there are more Callie Forde books to read!

LAST GIRL MISSING sets a pace that does not allow readers to put the book down at any point. I would like to highly recommend it to anyone who likes to read detective mysteries and thriller books. This is the beginning of Callie Forde series so I am looking forward to reading more of her cases in the future.

When I pick up a thriller, I'm expecting my heart to race, my breath to catch, and my brain to be on high alert. Unfortunately, this one didn't quite hit the mark for me in those areas.

Let's start with the pacing. It was okay-not too slow, but not exactly a rollercoaster ride either. I kept turning the pages, but more out of curiosity than any real sense of urgency. There were a few moments where the tension started to build, only to fizzle out just as quickly. I kept waiting for that once scene that would make me gasp or have me reading with wide-eyes intensity, but it never really came.

The characters were decent enough. I did find myself rooting for the protagonist and feeling invested in her journey. But even she couldn't quite save the plot from feeling a bit lukewarm.

The plot is realistic, which I appreciate. It serves as a reminder that we need to be careful about the people we meet and not be too trusting.

Last Girl Missing was an okay read for me. It didn't leave a lasting impression on me, and it's not a book I'll remember for a long time.

Thank you Netgalley and Level Best Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

Contemporary thriller featuring Callie For fear the detective on the case Fast paced and engrossing with a missing teenager and the dangers of the internet. A good tead.

Thank you, NetGalley and Level Best Books, for the early reading opportunity!

I love detective novels, and Last Girl Missing by K. L. Murphy was a masterful one. The case of a missing teen progressed from suspected runaway to likely kidnap victim of someone she “met” online. I liked the skillful descriptions of criminal dark web sites linked to trafficking teenage girls, the development of the investigation by Callie and her partner, and the subplot of a detective devoted to her disheartened father, a former detective injured and retired by a failed attempt to rescue another kidnapped teen. The suspenseful buildup and unexpected reveal were expertly written; only a too-briefly-detailed explanation of the crime ring’s downfall at the end affected my opinion.

Thank you @netgalley for the ARC of Last Girl Missing by K.L. Murphy. This is a great detective mystery that is perfectly paced. I liked the interweaving of stories from the past and present and the tie in of the detective with her dad. As a mother of teenage daughters, this book played on the fear that is in the back of your mind that something like this could happen with young women and the internet. I liked the detective, Callie Forde and hope there are more books with her in the future.

Detective Forde is called to investigate a missing teen. This case seems to parallel another case that her father was on which left him an invalid. Callie works to solve both murders and to avenge her father.

I enjoyed this Callie Forde novel. It had plenty of suspense to keep me guessing. Great characters. Enjoyed the style of writing. All round great book. Look forward to the next one. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it

Thank you NetGalley and Level Best Books for the eARC.
A teenage girl goes missing and Detective Callie Forde takes the case. It reminds her of an old case her father had about 5 years ago. That one was never solved.
I liked Callie, she's good at her job , smart and likeable.
It's a good mystery and I enjoyed it a lot.

She wanted to avenge her father. She needed to save herself! Good book! This book had a bit of everything! It had suspense, intrigue, action, murder, mystery, kidnapping, revenge, a great who done it and some crazy twists and turns! The storyline was very interesting and kept me glued to my kindle! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!