Missing Clarissa

March 27, 2023
In August 1999, a group of Oreville, Wash., high schoolers headed into the woods for an epic party. Among these students was beautiful white cheerleader Clarissa Campbell, who went missing after the event and was never seen again; her body was never found, and the mystery of her disappearance was never solved. Twenty years later, Oreville high school juniors Blair Johnson, who is white, and Cameron Munoz, who is Mexican American and white, develop a podcast investigating the cold case as a journalism class project. The two teens assemble a list of major players surrounding Clarissa’s disappearance, including Clarissa’s then-boyfriend and a retired Oreville high school teacher. Blair and Cam find that not only are the persons of interest still alive, but they all have something to hide. The pair conduct interviews for their podcast, Missing Clarissa, which swiftly catches fire. But as their notoriety grows and they unearth long-buried secrets, danger begins to loom. While the cold case and podcast premise tread familiar ground, debut author Jones weaves a credibly outlined mystery that teems with ample small-town intrigue. Carefully crafted surprises, fair-play clues, and a satisfying narrative payoff propel this gripping read. Ages 13–up. Agent: Greg Ferguson, 3BlackDot.

April 1, 2023
Two friends investigate a 1999 disappearance that happened in their fictional small town of Oreville, Washington, on the Olympic Peninsula. Cameron Mu�oz and Blair Johnson are, on the surface, unlikely best friends--Cam is tenacious and headstrong, with little concern for or even understanding of social norms, while Blair, a talented writer, doubts her abilities at every turn despite being a good reader of people. They undertake their dive into the decades-old case of Clarissa Campbell, a popular White 17-year-old who went missing following her high school graduation, as a project for their journalism class. Cam decides they should make a podcast about their research without really knowing how they're made, which becomes a running joke. What follows is a familiarly framed whodunit, carefully plotted to parse information out to readers at intervals, that stands out due to its thoughtful characterization. A wealth of issues is touched on throughout the story, including welcome recognition that domestic violence is far more prevalent than violence perpetrated by strangers, the case for prison abolition, and the disproportionate attention and resources directed toward crimes against attractive young White women. The novel is narrated in the third person, and podcast transcripts are interspersed. Gay Cam is Mexican American and White; Blair reads White; and there is diversity represented in secondary characters. A smart, engaging, and suspenseful mystery. (Mystery. 13-18)

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 20, 2023

Gr 9 Up-Two decades ago, a beautiful teenage girl went missing without a trace, and present-day friends Cam and Blair decide to take a crack at her cold case and document it in podcast form for a journalism class. Reckless Cam blazes forward in her investigation, ignoring journalistic ethics and at times common sense, almost costing her a best friend, her new girlfriend, and her safety. Jones explores problematics of the true crime genre throughout, often via monologues from Cam's love interest Sophie; how society fetishizes beautiful girls who are victims of violence; the comparative lack of media attention received by missing and murdered women of color; how a carceral framework for justice further marginalizes the communities that are most likely to be victims. While these moments can feel heavy handed, they are a welcome interjection to the genre. The mystery builds and comes to a thrilling denouement. VERDICT Although didactic at times, this is a fast-paced, self-aware, delightfully queer murder mystery with a satisfying ending. Recommended for any high school library with mystery readers.-Mallory Weber

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.