I read Missing Clarissa in a single day!! I couldn’t put down this engrossing mystery once I had started. When passionate Cam and her more cautious best friend Blair are assigned a journalism project, they choose to research an unsolved mystery in their town that is more urban legend. Cheerleader Clarissa went missing twenty years ago and seemed to vanish into thin air. Oreville is a small town, not a dangerous place. So why didn’t Clarissa make it home? Cam and Blair make waves as they investigate the truth behind what really happened to Clarissa. But are they right in their suspicions or has their podcast fervor taken over? 

As the girls investigate, they find themselves asking: why does the world only care about pretty, dead white girls? And how come the most interesting thing a girl can be is dead? I really appreciated how these serious questions were framed and explored within the mystery. Readers familiar with true crime will find many truths mixed in with the fictional case, such as the real victims of murder and unpacking why the public cares about certain violent crimes and not others. Missing Clarissa would be a great book club pick; it could provoke excellent discussions about these issues and more. 

With that said, I found myself really frustrated with Cam. It felt like she was making the same impulsive mistakes over and over again, when I would have appreciated seeing more character growth from her. I also would have enjoyed seeing Blair demonstrate more agency sooner in the plot and stand up for herself more. My favorite character was Mr. Park, their journalism teacher, who does his best to teach journalistic ethics and provides the girls with context about the emotional cost of stirring up old cases. It was very cool to hear his side of the story and learn how he was related to the case. 

I was definitely blown away by the ending and reveal of who the killer is! Missing Clarissa would be perfect for fans of Karen M. McManus and readers who enjoy true crime. Missing Clarissa ( which is such a good title!) will make you want to listen to a true crime podcast and go out and start solving cold cases (with only the best journalism ethics, of course!). It’s clear that Ripley Jones is a talented writer and I can’t wait to see what they write next! 

Thank you to Ripley Jones, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.