Wow. College Girl, Missing was so incredibly well written. I inhaled this book in a few hours. It was tactful, full of facts and laced with empathy and humility on the author’s part. It was a tragic story with no resolution, and I truly hope that the release of this book will bring the family much needed justice.

Cohen delves into the enigmatic disappearance of Lauren Spierer with a captivating narrative. The book illuminates the lesser-known aspects of this tragic case, making it accessible and engaging. However, the author's frequent self-references and emphasis on his personal connection to the Spierer family can be distracting. Cohen's central presence in the narrative sometimes overshadows the case itself, detracting from the core story.
The audiobook version, narrated by Kyle Snyder - only around 5 hours long - enhances the experience significantly. Snyder's strong narration adds a layer of depth and engagement that I was happy with.

I remember hearing about this case on the news but couldn't remember how it was resolved. I did wish at time that the author went into more details about the case, but maybe the details of the case are just that limited and he did the best he could. I did enjoy the book and the author.

In "College Girl, Missing," investigative journalist Shawn Cohen delves into the haunting disappearance of Lauren Spierer, a case that has perplexed investigators and captivated the public for over a decade. This meticulously researched account offers a compelling and heart-wrenching exploration of a young life cut short and the mysteries surrounding her vanishing.

Cohen's narrative skillfully weaves together the vibrant life of Lauren Spierer - a fashion student full of promise and zest for life - with the dark undercurrents that may have contributed to her disappearance. The author paints a vivid picture of college life, capturing both its exhilarating freedom and potential dangers, especially for young women far from home.

One of the book's strengths lies in its original reporting. Cohen presents new testimonies and evidence not previously shared with police, offering fresh perspectives on the case. This approach not only adds depth to the investigation but also raises important questions about the initial handling of the disappearance.

The author's exploration of the "dark side" that Lauren and her friends allegedly kept secret adds a layer of complexity to the narrative. Cohen navigates these sensitive areas with care, balancing the need for truth with respect for the victims and their families.

Particularly intriguing is Cohen's focus on a group of "wealthy, well-connected male students" implicated by the evidence. This angle raises thought-provoking questions about privilege, power, and justice in high-profile cases.
While the book offers no definitive answers - as is often the case with unsolved mysteries - it provides a comprehensive overview of the case, presenting various theories and allowing readers to draw their own conclusions. Cohen's journalistic background shines through in his objective presentation of facts and theories.

"College Girl, Missing" is more than just a true crime narrative; it's a poignant reminder of the vulnerabilities young people face and the devastating impact of unsolved cases on families and communities. Cohen's work serves not only as an investigation into Lauren Spierer's disappearance but also as a call for continued attention to cold cases and missing persons.

This book is likely to appeal to true crime enthusiasts, those interested in investigative journalism, and readers drawn to unsolved mysteries. However, its themes of loss, uncertainty, and the dark side of campus life may be distressing for some readers, particularly parents of college-aged children.

What a well told perspective of some very unfortunate true events. I was unaware of this case prior to picking up this book, so my opinion is unbiased.
This book will pull at your heartstrings especially as a woman and a parent.
This book follows the disappearance of Lauren Spierer, a college student. Lauren seems to have vanished in the early morning hours after a night of partying without a trace and to this day still has not been found.
This could have happened to any of us.
This book really makes you think. I'm unsure what to believe and if her "friends" were to blame or someone random. Things seem fishy with the boys accounts of what happened.
I really hope one day Lauren is found so that her family may gain some closure.

This is a short summary piece on what’s already known about the disappearance of Lauren Spierer. After 10+ years, the case remains unsolved. It’s heartbreaking. It emphasizes the suspicions around the young men that saw Lauren the night of her disappearance. No answers, just the same questions.
The book itself is written well. It reads like a true crime podcast of sorts. Parts of the book are about the author (journalist) clearing his name. Narration is good.

i listened to this audiobook in one sitting. this is not a ground-breaking true crime book, but i do feel like it's worth a read and hopefully can help renew interest and activity in the case. however, if you are familiar with the lauren spierer case then don't expect any shocking new information to be presented by the author. the information surrounding this case is understandably limited given that it is an ongoing investigation, but i think the author did a good job laying out the information that is known and raises very valid questions regarding the individuals surrounding lauren on the night of her disappearance.

i received this advance audiobook from netgalley and highbridge audio in exchange for my honest review just a few days before the audiobook was released.

I really enjoyed this as I am a true crime junkie and love listening to true crime/mystery podcasts so this felt right up my alley. Even more so Lauren would’ve been my age and was at Indiana U while I was at Penn State! I remember fondly those years of trying to figure things out and test your independence while believing nothing bad could happen to you. The mystery of Lauren is a tragedy and this listen made me want to research more about the case in the best way - because while I have opinions on what may have happened, the case is still open. True crime lovers this is a must and highly recommend listening to the audiobook version!

Thank you NetGalley and Shawn Cohen for this amazing audio ARC!!

I remember hearing about this in the news but didn’t really keep up with it much. This book was very detailed and gave a lot of insight from parties involved. If you like true crime, it’s definitely a must read.

I didn’t hear about this case while in college at the same time but I thought it was a good collection of facts. I don’t know how much is repeat info from the time of the original case but I felt like this book laid it out well and it brought renewed attention. Wish there had been some more of a conclusion but I’m sure her family does too.

As an Indiana University graduate who went to school after the Lauren Spierer disappearance, I gravitated towards this book because I always felt like I had a connection to it since we went to the same school and felt like "that could have been me".

However, this book put a lot of things into perspective for me, as I never really knew all the details. While no one deserves this to happen to them, there were a lot more factors at play than I initially realized. People didn't really talk about the facts at school, and only focused on "be careful when going out into downtown, or you could disappear like Lauren", when the reality is she had all the odds stacked against her. Being drunk AND on very illicit drugs while also being around people she didn't know that well at around 3 in the morning were all pieces that unfortunately led to her disappearing instead of landing safely in her bed the next morning.

I think Cohen did a pretty good job of laying out all the details and explaining how each person was connected to Lauren, but I really didn't like how he kept inputing things that felt very self-centered. I didn't care so much about his story and how he connected to the Spierer family, or how he would constantly reach out to those who were potentially involved and keep pestering them about their story. I realize that this is the normal for journalists, but I can see why the people who knew Lauren would get irritated and short-tempered with him while wanting to keep information to themselves.

Overall, a pretty decent book to listen to, especially to get the details of what happened to Lauren. Just not my favorite way to tell the personal details of what happened to the other people following that disappearance. I'd say give it a go!

Despite the macabre genre, I'm a pretty big fan of true crime. I have read about this particular case in the past and I'm sure I've seen something on TV about it. It was a nice review of the facts and a few speculations that really make you think... someone who knew Lauren more than likely knows exactly what happened to her.
The majority of True Crime books feels like the author is exploiting a travesty for their own benefit. This one did not. It truly feels like the author is invested in this case and is trying to keep this story alive for the benefit of the family. The author also includes some dirt on himself... which is a sign of humility and sincerity.

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a true story of Lauren Spierer who vanished June 3, 2011. This book truly left me with more questions than it did answers. It left me wondering whether or not anyone will ever come forward with more information. So many lawyered up so quickly. Someone knows something they are not saying.

Lauren was a student at Indiana university. She disappeared in 2011. She attended a party and was very intoxicated. She was in no state of mind to be by herself. Alas she was left to travel home alone with no shoes or phone and vanished. This case is still open and I truly pray that one day this family gets closure on what happened to Lauren.

This was a short read for me. The author had me engrossed in the details of this case. I cannot wait to read more from him!

As a fledgling reporter at a small paper in New York, Shawn Cohen took a call from a college kid in Indiana. The caller's friend, New York native Lauren Spierer, had vanished from Indiana University after a night out with friends. More than a decade later, now a grown adult well into his career, Choen jumps back into the still unsolved case that continues to haunt him.

This author's connection to case from the early days clearly gave him a very in depth understanding of all of the different people who were (potentially) involved. The case is also a good choice for a book because it illustrates just how easily this could happen to anyone. Lauren was a normal, social college student from an upper middle-class family in a nice part of the country.... and on a June day in 2011. she left a friend's apartment, began to walk the few blocks home, and was never seen again. It's a stark reminder that this kind of thing happens all the time and it's important to be as safe as possible. This author diving back into the case from the beginning and follow up all the angles was a really interesting premise.

That being said, I felt like it was very hard to keep track of all the people involved and it made the book a little bit of a tedious read. Given the length of time Laurien has been missing I expected a large number of people involved. Between law enforcement, private investigators, friends, fellow students, witnesses to the start of the night, and suspects, I fully understand there's a lot to deal with. However, I felt like it could have been narrowed down a lot, or maybe addressed but in a more general way that wouldn't make it feel as name-soupy. I just really struggled to keep everyone straight, especially at the end where he's following up on so many people at once. I was hoping that with so much first-hand experience with this case, the author would have narrowed down the possibilities and spent the most time on whatever he feels is the most plausible theory. I felt like even after ten years on this case, the author doesn't really have a solid take on what he thinks happened (though it's pretty clear he does NOT think it was local serial killer Israel Keyes based on how quickly he dismisses the idea no matter who brings it up) and that was kind of disappointing.

On the plus side, I do think the author has done a brilliant job of being upfront about certain concerns (Lauren's history of drug and alcohol abuse) without ever making it seem like she was the bad guy, was an easy victim, or should have done a better job protecting herself. It's a very fine line to walk and it was done very respectfully. The author also did a great job of describing how hard it is for a community to move on. For example, I found his discussion of the missing posters in Bloomington to be fascinating; how long do you leave them up? If you're a town trying to move on, they have to come down eventually. If you're the family & friends still hopeful, still searching for answers, it's never time to take them down. I appreciated that the author explained that ultimately the town took them down, the family apologized to anyone who was upset by them, and everyone continued to keep Lauren's story alive in other ways.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, but without a resolution or at least a very strong theory on what happened, the book left me still looking for answers and if I feel that way after reading a book about a girl I never met, I can't imagine how her family feels without closure. I really hope they find peace.

In College Girl, Missing we get an inside look at the unimaginable disappearance of Lauren Spierer. No one would ever imagine that an intelligent and beloved college girl would go missing in plain sight at the nexus of a safe mid-western university - that is exactly what happened to Lauren. Not only are we told the story of Lauren's disappearance, but we are given insight into her as a person. As a yet unsolved case, this book brings her story and case back into the light in the hopes that someone, somewhere can help solve what really happened that night, giving family and friends some closure.

I liked how the author delved into the depths of Lauren's character, both the good and the bad. There was no evidence of subterfuge or glossing over the facts. With information gleaned from interviews from her family, friends and the last people she was seen with that night, you get a whole picture into the pain of the family and a true synopsis of this horrible mystery. The narrator in particular brings levity to this book, without sounding like a monotonous Dateline episode.

Overall, I enjoyed this short but succinct book. There was a lot of research that went into it. Some of the negatives were that the author, family and friends seemed very biased and short-sighted as to what happened to Lauren. Rather than new theories, this was just a summary of the original work done by the police force. Part of this is due to the unwillingness of the police department to comment and not due to short-sightedness on the author's part.

This is a great unsolved disappearance book that goes beyond the surface. You will feel for everyone involved on some level. I truly hope, much like the author and family, that the publishing of this book spurs new interest in Lauren's case or that new information will come forward. I will be on the lookout for any updates by this author, as I am sure he will follow this to the very end.

4 stars for College Girl, Missing. I was familiar with Lauren Spierer's case but hadn't heard much about it since maybe 2013. This book is good for those who aren't familiar with the case and want to learn about it, but if you are already knowledgeable of the background, you won't find much new information in this book. I thought the narrator, Kyle Snyder, did a good job reading the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and HighBridge audio for this audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.

This audiobook is about Lauren Spierer, a college young lady that disappeared one night after partying with some friends. The police have drained every lead they have had and have not been able to find any trace of her. None of her friends, including her boyfriend, were able to help and all had good alibis. The audiobook is written by a reporter who followed the case from the beginning. He worked with her parents to get any and all information from them that might help, no matter how small. After all, they really wanted her home and they asked him for his help. This book is his way of reaching out to get anyone with any information to come forward. I really liked listening to this book as the narrator was really good and I felt that I followed it well. This audiobook really hit my heart and I feel so much for her parents. I would not want to be in their positions. I truly hope that someone will come through with any information that will help them. It is a great read, but not fast and it is a heartbreaker.

I won’t be giving this book my usual star rating due to the topic. The rating is solely for the audiobook presentation / narrator’s work.
Would I suggest the book though? Yes.


I do watch/listen to true crime documentaries/podcasts but I don’t really read much nonfiction. When it comes to true crime it can get tricky. It’s a fine line between sensationalizing a story for clicks, views, reads or in short: money; and actually striving to find truth.
As I’m not familiar with the case I can’t be sure how inclusive this book is when it comes to evidence and theories.

Overall I found this book informative and captivating and hope it brings the necessary attention to the case for it to be solved, or maybe even for a guilty party to come clean.

"College Girl, Missing" by Shawn Cohen is a compelling and heart-wrenching account of the disappearance of Lauren Spierer, a case that has haunted many for over a decade. The writing is excellent, drawing readers in with its detailed narrative and meticulous attention to the events leading up to Lauren's disappearance. Cohen's journalistic expertise shines through, with well-documented sources and new testimonies that were previously unheard of by the police.

One of the standout aspects of this book is the thorough research and the way Cohen presents the information. Each detail is carefully corroborated, making the story not only engaging but also credible. The author successfully pieces together a timeline that helps the reader understand the complexities of the case and the challenges faced by investigators.

However, despite the comprehensive coverage, the case remains unsolved, and this is where the true emotional weight of the book lies. My heart aches for Lauren's family, who have endured unimaginable pain and uncertainty. The book leaves readers with a profound sense of sadness and a yearning for justice that has yet to be served.

Overall, "College Girl, Missing" is a powerful and thought-provoking read that sheds light on a tragic mystery. It is a must-read for true crime enthusiasts and anyone interested in the intricacies of real-life investigations.

***Thank you NetGalley and Shawn Cohen for the ARC read***
All thoughts and opinions are mine, and mine alone.

Before listening to this book i hadn't heard about this case. I feel that this is an important book to try highlight that this girl is still missing and her family and friends need to know what happened to her.
I found this really interesting, the conflicting stories, the mess up the police seem to have made through-out this case and the fact that this book raises more questions than it answers.