Review for “All the Missing Girls” by Megan Miranda (to be published on 6.28.16)
Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars
It’s safe to say that I liked this book, but for some reason I wasn’t quite smitten with this story as I should have been.
‘All the Missing Girls’ is told from the perspective of Nic Farrell. At 18, Nic’s best friend Corinne disappeared from their North Carolina hometown of Cooley Ridge. Everyone was a suspect, including her then-boyfriend Tyler, but Nic takes a chance anyway and leaves Cooley Ridge behind. Ten years later, she returns to town to tie up loose ends and deal with her ailing father. Nic then finds herself caught up in the disappearance of another local girl, her neighbor, Annalise Carter. Annalise, it turns out, has a connection to the events of 10 years ago and the mystery of Corinne deepens for Nic and the characters around her.
Once the scene is set, the story is told in reverse order, a Memento style narrative that starts from a 15 day period 10 years ago and progresses backward. While I didn’t mind the unique way that the story was set, for some reason, I didn’t feel invested in the characters here. I liked Nic and I kinda liked the other characters, but I didn’t feel a pressing need to know what had happened or why. Perhaps I’m picky when it comes to thrillers, preferring a certain tried and true formula…or perhaps I’m a little leery at this point of suspense books with “Girls” in the title, I’m not sure.
I recommend this book, however. It’s a great adult thriller.
[Note: I received a free digital copy of this book by NetGalley and Simon & Schuster publishers in exchange for an honest review.]
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