Missing Clarissa is a fast-paced YA thriller.
Synopsis
For their journalism class, two high school students start a true crime podcast about Clarissa, a popular cheerleader who went missing in 1999. Cameron and Blair, mostly Cameron, believe that they can find the person responsible for Clarissa’s disappearance. The podcast quickly grows a dedicated following, and the situation becomes dicier as the girls get deeper into their investigation.
Review of Missing Clarissa
This YA thriller is a short and easy read. It follows Cameron and Blair’s perspectives. Most of it was well-written, but a few sections were starkly repetitive and juvenile.
Cameron wasn’t the easiest character to like. She’s super impulsive, jumping into things without thinking of the consequences. Blair has low self-esteem and has always been Cameron’s trusty sidekick, but she is becoming tired of that role.
I did like that this book raised the issue of pretty dead/missing white girls receiving the most media attention over people of colour.
But it’s still unrealistic to believe two teenagers could solve this cold case and not the authorities. If I were younger, maybe I’d be able to overlook it.
Overall, this was a fun and adequate thriller, it just won’t stick with me for long.
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️.5
Expected Publication: 07 March 2023
Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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