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Local Woman Missing
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Mystery & Thriller (2021)People don’t just disappear without a trace....
Shelby Tebow is the first to go missing. Not long after, Meredith Dickey and her six-year-old daughter, Delilah, vanish just blocks away from where Shelby was last seen, striking fear into their once-peaceful community. Are these incidents connected? After an elusive search that yields more questions than answers, the case eventually goes cold.
Now, 11 years later, Delilah shockingly returns. Everyone wants to know what happened to her, but no one is prepared for what they’ll find....
In this smart and chilling thriller, master of suspense and New York Times best-selling author Mary Kubica takes domestic secrets to a whole new level, showing that some people will stop at nothing to keep the truth buried.
Shelby Tebow is the first to go missing. Not long after, Meredith Dickey and her six-year-old daughter, Delilah, vanish just blocks away from where Shelby was last seen, striking fear into their once-peaceful community. Are these incidents connected? After an elusive search that yields more questions than answers, the case eventually goes cold.
Now, 11 years later, Delilah shockingly returns. Everyone wants to know what happened to her, but no one is prepared for what they’ll find....
In this smart and chilling thriller, master of suspense and New York Times best-selling author Mary Kubica takes domestic secrets to a whole new level, showing that some people will stop at nothing to keep the truth buried.
356 pages, Hardcover
First published May 18, 2021
About the author
Mary Kubica
25 books22.3k followersMary Kubica is a New York Times bestselling author of suspense thrillers including The Good Girl, The Other Mrs., and Local Woman Missing. Her books have been translated into over thirty languages and have sold over two million copies worldwide. She’s been described as “a helluva storyteller” (Kirkus) and “a writer of vice-like control” (Chicago Tribune), and her novels have been praised as “hypnotic” (People) and “thrilling and illuminating” (L.A. Times). She lives outside of Chicago with her husband and children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48,214 reviews
June 12, 2021
Once again, here I am, an outlier. Most of my friends here enjoyed it, but I did not.
First the positives: I loved the beginning. Sorry, that's it, there's only one positive that I can come up with.
Now the negatives:
If I listed all the implausible actions, reactions, events, scenarios, and conclusions I would re-write the entire book. I can’t give details as they would be spoilers.
BUT, the physician who performs an autopsy on a victim is a complete moron to miss obvious signs that it didn't happen the way he said it did. A CHILD could have seen what he missed.
A police officer hides a key piece of evidence, but since when is only ONE PERSON in an entire department privy to a key piece of evidence in a very high profile case (or any case)? It made me laugh, but it was supposed to be serious. Sorry.
When I found out what happened to the missing women my eyes practically rolled out of my head.
And the ending, all tied up in a pretty bow, with a character who has been severely traumatized for YEARS (given the location, that it had been going on for years without detection was laughably ridiculous) goes on to live a completely normal and happy life as if nothing had happened.
Plus, the scenes with the OB/GYN had no bearing on the story at all. It was an opportunity for the author to further a personal agenda and lecture us and I didn’t like it.
BUT, the worst offense was the writing style. I haven’t seen a reviewer mention this yet, so I’ll be the first. It drove me crazy! Does anyone remember the primers for first graders (yes, I'm old): “See Dick. See Dick run. See Jane. See Jane run”.
Yeah, that’s what we have here. Keep in mind I read an ARC but a friend who read the published copy confirmed the writing. A few examples:
It’s Bea’s birthday. Today Bea is thirty years old. They came to celebrate.”
“Bea makes dinner for Leo and me. She lets Leo help. They make pasta. Bea serves it with milk.”
“Kate and Bea are opposites. Kate is conventional. Bea is not. Kate doesn’t stand out the way that Bea does. Bea is arresting.”
Has she or the editor ever heard of conjunctions?! There are many more examples (the whole book).
I’m in the minority, so do check out the 4 & 5 star reviews, but for me, it's a very generous 2 stars.
• I received a digital copy via Edelweiss. All opinions are my own
First the positives: I loved the beginning. Sorry, that's it, there's only one positive that I can come up with.
Now the negatives:
If I listed all the implausible actions, reactions, events, scenarios, and conclusions I would re-write the entire book. I can’t give details as they would be spoilers.
BUT, the physician who performs an autopsy on a victim is a complete moron to miss obvious signs that it didn't happen the way he said it did. A CHILD could have seen what he missed.
A police officer hides a key piece of evidence, but since when is only ONE PERSON in an entire department privy to a key piece of evidence in a very high profile case (or any case)? It made me laugh, but it was supposed to be serious. Sorry.
When I found out what happened to the missing women my eyes practically rolled out of my head.
And the ending, all tied up in a pretty bow, with a character who has been severely traumatized for YEARS (given the location, that it had been going on for years without detection was laughably ridiculous) goes on to live a completely normal and happy life as if nothing had happened.
Plus, the scenes with the OB/GYN had no bearing on the story at all. It was an opportunity for the author to further a personal agenda and lecture us and I didn’t like it.
BUT, the worst offense was the writing style. I haven’t seen a reviewer mention this yet, so I’ll be the first. It drove me crazy! Does anyone remember the primers for first graders (yes, I'm old): “See Dick. See Dick run. See Jane. See Jane run”.
Yeah, that’s what we have here. Keep in mind I read an ARC but a friend who read the published copy confirmed the writing. A few examples:
It’s Bea’s birthday. Today Bea is thirty years old. They came to celebrate.”
“Bea makes dinner for Leo and me. She lets Leo help. They make pasta. Bea serves it with milk.”
“Kate and Bea are opposites. Kate is conventional. Bea is not. Kate doesn’t stand out the way that Bea does. Bea is arresting.”
Has she or the editor ever heard of conjunctions?! There are many more examples (the whole book).
I’m in the minority, so do check out the 4 & 5 star reviews, but for me, it's a very generous 2 stars.
• I received a digital copy via Edelweiss. All opinions are my own
November 27, 2024
DNF - The writing style is not for me. The sentence structure is so simple, yet the content is overly dramatic and irrelevantly descriptive.
Here is the exact scene when I realized this book is not for me: The doorbell rings. It takes the character two whole pages (ten paragraphs) to walk over and open the door. In the meantime, we are treated to musings on the weather, how the apocalypse is coming because it's raining so much, how they should build an ark, how she went to church to confess just in case the world is ending, how her blood is running cold with fear at the thought of someone at the door, and how her partner isn't around to open the door for her. Then she finally opens the door and it's just her neighbor.
I'm exhausted from that scene and we haven't even gotten to the good stuff yet. I toughed it out for a few more chapters after that, but it's pretty much the same. So I'm going to call it and move on.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Here is the exact scene when I realized this book is not for me: The doorbell rings. It takes the character two whole pages (ten paragraphs) to walk over and open the door. In the meantime, we are treated to musings on the weather, how the apocalypse is coming because it's raining so much, how they should build an ark, how she went to church to confess just in case the world is ending, how her blood is running cold with fear at the thought of someone at the door, and how her partner isn't around to open the door for her. Then she finally opens the door and it's just her neighbor.
I'm exhausted from that scene and we haven't even gotten to the good stuff yet. I toughed it out for a few more chapters after that, but it's pretty much the same. So I'm going to call it and move on.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
✧ Connect with me ✧ Instagram ✧
July 20, 2021
I knew I Shouldn’t Have Read This!
Local Woman Missing is about two missing women who went missing from an affluent neighborhood 11 years ago. In the present, a teenage girl who has escaped from captivity has a startling connection to the missing women.
Narrated by Kate, Meredith, and Leo, I found all characters boring. Leo was more interesting than the other two, but I never understood the purpose of having him serve as a narrator. If narrated by other characters, this could have been more interesting. I would have loved to have read the point of view of the villain and the little girl. Also, Shelby's character had so many underdeveloped angles that would have made for fascinating reading. Instead, we got boring, boring, and what’s the point.
The first 80% was decent but a little boring. I wasn’t fully enthralled, but I was interested in knowing what was really going on. It was a solid 4-star read, and then I got to the twists. With each twist, my star rating went down.
My reaction to each twist:
Twist One: Ugh! Seriously? All of this because of that?
Twist Two: Shaking my head. This is just stupid.
Twist Three: Laugh out loud ridiculous!
In addition to the twists spiraling out of control and into a level of implausibility, storylines were dropped, creating plot holes, leaving me with many unanswered questions.
In the end, the twists undid this book for me in more ways than one.
Local Woman Missing is about two missing women who went missing from an affluent neighborhood 11 years ago. In the present, a teenage girl who has escaped from captivity has a startling connection to the missing women.
Narrated by Kate, Meredith, and Leo, I found all characters boring. Leo was more interesting than the other two, but I never understood the purpose of having him serve as a narrator. If narrated by other characters, this could have been more interesting. I would have loved to have read the point of view of the villain and the little girl. Also, Shelby's character had so many underdeveloped angles that would have made for fascinating reading. Instead, we got boring, boring, and what’s the point.
The first 80% was decent but a little boring. I wasn’t fully enthralled, but I was interested in knowing what was really going on. It was a solid 4-star read, and then I got to the twists. With each twist, my star rating went down.
My reaction to each twist:
Twist One: Ugh! Seriously? All of this because of that?
Twist Two: Shaking my head. This is just stupid.
Twist Three: Laugh out loud ridiculous!
In addition to the twists spiraling out of control and into a level of implausibility, storylines were dropped, creating plot holes, leaving me with many unanswered questions.
In the end, the twists undid this book for me in more ways than one.
November 6, 2022
Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica
Eleven years ago, two women and a six year old girl went missing. Now the girl is back, having escaped her captors. But things don't feel right to her younger brother, Leo. His life has always revolved around his sister, when she was with them and after she went missing. She's been a ghost in his family of two, ever since his mother and sister have been gone. His father is always thinking about her, forgetting that he has a son right there with him, wanting his father's attention, too. So when Delilah comes back, Leo is apprehensive, doesn't trust this strange, feral girl who could be his sister but doesn't fit who he remembers, at all.
The story gives us several timelines and they aren't in any sort of order. We go from present to various past dates while changing points of views of Delilah, Leo, his mom, and a neighbor. The narrators are resentful, unreliable, hurt, scared, tired, confused. The atmosphere is often terrifying and I felt the fears of the characters, caught in situations that were inescapable. So much of this book was so right, so chilling and foreboding. I was transfixed by what was happening but didn't want to see the end result that I knew would not be good.
All the adults in this story are flawed. I felt for the children who needed their people to stand up for them, to see past their adult worries and exhaustion so they could see what their children were telling them without words. One of my favorite characters is Leo and I was left wanting to know how he fares later in life. I'm glad we get a bit of an epilogue at the end of the book.
The story did fall short towards the end. The reveal and resolution just don't go well with the feel of the rest of the story. It seems so different compared to all that leads up to the end of the book. I did leave the story wanting to stay with some of the characters, I cared about them, despite somewhat clunky parts of the book. This was a very enjoyable read and it's going to say with me for a long time.
Publication: May 18th 2021
Thank you to HARLEQUIN/Park Row and NetGalley for this ARC.
Eleven years ago, two women and a six year old girl went missing. Now the girl is back, having escaped her captors. But things don't feel right to her younger brother, Leo. His life has always revolved around his sister, when she was with them and after she went missing. She's been a ghost in his family of two, ever since his mother and sister have been gone. His father is always thinking about her, forgetting that he has a son right there with him, wanting his father's attention, too. So when Delilah comes back, Leo is apprehensive, doesn't trust this strange, feral girl who could be his sister but doesn't fit who he remembers, at all.
The story gives us several timelines and they aren't in any sort of order. We go from present to various past dates while changing points of views of Delilah, Leo, his mom, and a neighbor. The narrators are resentful, unreliable, hurt, scared, tired, confused. The atmosphere is often terrifying and I felt the fears of the characters, caught in situations that were inescapable. So much of this book was so right, so chilling and foreboding. I was transfixed by what was happening but didn't want to see the end result that I knew would not be good.
All the adults in this story are flawed. I felt for the children who needed their people to stand up for them, to see past their adult worries and exhaustion so they could see what their children were telling them without words. One of my favorite characters is Leo and I was left wanting to know how he fares later in life. I'm glad we get a bit of an epilogue at the end of the book.
The story did fall short towards the end. The reveal and resolution just don't go well with the feel of the rest of the story. It seems so different compared to all that leads up to the end of the book. I did leave the story wanting to stay with some of the characters, I cared about them, despite somewhat clunky parts of the book. This was a very enjoyable read and it's going to say with me for a long time.
Publication: May 18th 2021
Thank you to HARLEQUIN/Park Row and NetGalley for this ARC.
July 2, 2021
i was wondering why kate had a pov at all and of course it's so her wife can end up being the psychopath of the story. i get what the author was trying to do but i don't think its an effective twist just because you don't expect a woman to do it. i think its the cheapest kind of twist, not to mention that this was queer representation and being smacked with the idea that even lesbians can be evil just cheapens it further.
there was some good commentary about how doctors can take advantage of women. i also liked leo's pov, though it was poorly written. honestly i could say that for the entire book. other than that, the plot is horribly contrived and banks on the protagonist being the dumbest person alive to proceed. how are you going to ignore bruises on your child every time he comes back from his babysitter. why are you not telling your husband about the horrible texts you're getting? how are you going to let a murderer convince you that you, a passenger, are going to be as fucked as they'll be after they ran someone over and then killed them deliberately to hide the fact that they ran them over? why are you then going to tell said murderer, who went to great lengths to avoid getting caught, that you're going to tell the police and want their blessing lmao. how are you going to let them force you to book a motel room and not just tell the clerk that you need help, or at least to call the police and tell them who has your child? how are you going to just write a suicide note and not realize the only reason you're doing so is so bea can kill you and make it look like suicide? like why was she just assuming bea would leave them in the hotel room for a month. what good would that do???
how does the coroner miss the fact that merideth was hit with a hammer on the back of her head before her wrists were cut? if they drove her car there, why did it take so long to find it there? how does kate spend 11 years not knowing there was something off with her wife as she housed her best friend's child in their attic? how did the coroner miss the fact that shelby was hit by a car? how was her husband so easily framed and then convicted? how did the dna result come back negative without anyone else in the police force knowing and telling the family?
it's just too much nonsense and there's nothing substantial to make me overlook the nonsense. the delilah/carly plotline was interesting but we barely got to spend any time on it.
there was some good commentary about how doctors can take advantage of women. i also liked leo's pov, though it was poorly written. honestly i could say that for the entire book. other than that, the plot is horribly contrived and banks on the protagonist being the dumbest person alive to proceed. how are you going to ignore bruises on your child every time he comes back from his babysitter. why are you not telling your husband about the horrible texts you're getting? how are you going to let a murderer convince you that you, a passenger, are going to be as fucked as they'll be after they ran someone over and then killed them deliberately to hide the fact that they ran them over? why are you then going to tell said murderer, who went to great lengths to avoid getting caught, that you're going to tell the police and want their blessing lmao. how are you going to let them force you to book a motel room and not just tell the clerk that you need help, or at least to call the police and tell them who has your child? how are you going to just write a suicide note and not realize the only reason you're doing so is so bea can kill you and make it look like suicide? like why was she just assuming bea would leave them in the hotel room for a month. what good would that do???
how does the coroner miss the fact that merideth was hit with a hammer on the back of her head before her wrists were cut? if they drove her car there, why did it take so long to find it there? how does kate spend 11 years not knowing there was something off with her wife as she housed her best friend's child in their attic? how did the coroner miss the fact that shelby was hit by a car? how was her husband so easily framed and then convicted? how did the dna result come back negative without anyone else in the police force knowing and telling the family?
it's just too much nonsense and there's nothing substantial to make me overlook the nonsense. the delilah/carly plotline was interesting but we barely got to spend any time on it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 21, 2021
It’s time for some Mary Kubica math!
100 = Target score. Also, if this author writes a thriller there’s a 100% chance I’ll want to read it.
+20 = Prologue. A woman knows her husband is cheating on her, but that’s a-okay because she’s cheating on him too. She goes out for “a run” to meet her current side piece, and the chapter ends abruptly as something comes at her. What could it be?! Let's move on to...
+30 = Part One. A young girl is held captive and tries to escape. I could not turn these pages fast enough. Run, girl, run! Until we find ourselves at...
+50 = Part Two. Three hundred or so pages alternate between the perspectives of Kate, Leo, and Meredith, either focused on present day or eleven years prior when Meredith and her daughter, Delilah, go missing. Despite the jumping around, it’s all very easy to follow. So easy, in fact, that I stayed up way past my bedtime to get to…
-15 = The ending. As with most of the Mary Kubica books I’ve read, the conclusion is a bit of a WTF (well that fizzled). Let’s hope you have very high ceilings, cuz you’re going to need to suspend disbelief.
85 = Final score. If you’re looking for a thriller that you’ll want to read in one sitting, you could do much worse. And if you’re looking for Local Woman Missing, you can find the audiobook on the Hoopla library app. ;)
Blog: https://www.confettibookshelf.com/
100 = Target score. Also, if this author writes a thriller there’s a 100% chance I’ll want to read it.
+20 = Prologue. A woman knows her husband is cheating on her, but that’s a-okay because she’s cheating on him too. She goes out for “a run” to meet her current side piece, and the chapter ends abruptly as something comes at her. What could it be?! Let's move on to...
+30 = Part One. A young girl is held captive and tries to escape. I could not turn these pages fast enough. Run, girl, run! Until we find ourselves at...
+50 = Part Two. Three hundred or so pages alternate between the perspectives of Kate, Leo, and Meredith, either focused on present day or eleven years prior when Meredith and her daughter, Delilah, go missing. Despite the jumping around, it’s all very easy to follow. So easy, in fact, that I stayed up way past my bedtime to get to…
-15 = The ending. As with most of the Mary Kubica books I’ve read, the conclusion is a bit of a WTF (well that fizzled). Let’s hope you have very high ceilings, cuz you’re going to need to suspend disbelief.
85 = Final score. If you’re looking for a thriller that you’ll want to read in one sitting, you could do much worse. And if you’re looking for Local Woman Missing, you can find the audiobook on the Hoopla library app. ;)
Blog: https://www.confettibookshelf.com/
October 13, 2024
Wow, what a ride! My heart was pounding – thump, thump, thump! I think I fell in love with the first 200 pages of this book. I was even inspired to write a song about it (a thriller song seems more fitting!) because this book had me on edge, constantly guessing the characters’ connections, and scrambling to piece together the puzzle. It made me jumpy, restless, and incredibly agitated. I was ready to declare it one of my all-time favorite reads.
But then, as I reached the last 60 pages, something happened – my high expectations crashed to the ground. The twists took a turn that left me disappointed, making me want to shout at the pages to go back to how they were. The big reveals felt too far-fetched, and by the time I reached the final chapter, I was screaming, “No way!” But, unfortunately, that’s how it ended, and I couldn’t buy into it.
To sum it up, I fell head over heels for this book in the first chapter, only to fall out of love by the last 60 pages. I won’t spoil it any further – you’ll need to experience it for yourself because each book deserves its own unique perspective.
Now, let’s dive into the intriguing storyline and the characters.
The story begins with a prologue featuring Shelby, a young mother in her mid-twenties stuck in a dysfunctional marriage. She notices a lipstick stain on her husband’s shirt but doesn’t care. Leaving their baby with him – even though he has a bad temper and abusive tendencies – she goes out. But don’t worry, Shelby isn’t your typical doormat. At night, she transforms into someone else, sneaking off to meet her lovers. One evening, during a quick jog that doubles as a rendezvous, she never returns home. Someone took her – but who?
A few weeks later, Meredith, a doula, yoga instructor, and mother of two (Delilah, 6, and Leo, 3), vanishes without a trace along with her daughter. She’s happily married to Josh, or so it seemed. Is there a serial kidnapper in this peaceful town? And how are these two women connected?
The narrative switches back and forth between the past and present: 11 years ago, Meredith recounts how her life fell apart, while her neighbor Kate, who lives with her partner Bea, tries to help with the investigation. In the present, we witness Delilah’s captivity and Leo’s struggles after his sister’s return.
The chapters are gripping and well-written, keeping you guessing about what happened to these women. Who was threatening Meredith? What secrets are being kept?
However, I wish the author had found a stronger resolution for this compelling story. The plot had great potential, but the ending didn’t live up to it.
The characters and their perspectives were fantastic, especially Delilah and Leo’s. Delilah’s experiences in the basement, her survival story, and Leo’s internal battles with bullying and feeling like an outcast were heartbreaking. I just wanted to hug them and tell them everything would be okay.
Overall, I would give the first 200 pages 5 stars (even 10 if I could), but the last 60 pages were a letdown, which I’d rate 2 stars.
I’m rounding up to 4 stars because it wouldn’t be fair to give the book just 3 – it’s still a well-written novel with a disappointing conclusion. I was hoping for a more satisfying ending.
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But then, as I reached the last 60 pages, something happened – my high expectations crashed to the ground. The twists took a turn that left me disappointed, making me want to shout at the pages to go back to how they were. The big reveals felt too far-fetched, and by the time I reached the final chapter, I was screaming, “No way!” But, unfortunately, that’s how it ended, and I couldn’t buy into it.
To sum it up, I fell head over heels for this book in the first chapter, only to fall out of love by the last 60 pages. I won’t spoil it any further – you’ll need to experience it for yourself because each book deserves its own unique perspective.
Now, let’s dive into the intriguing storyline and the characters.
The story begins with a prologue featuring Shelby, a young mother in her mid-twenties stuck in a dysfunctional marriage. She notices a lipstick stain on her husband’s shirt but doesn’t care. Leaving their baby with him – even though he has a bad temper and abusive tendencies – she goes out. But don’t worry, Shelby isn’t your typical doormat. At night, she transforms into someone else, sneaking off to meet her lovers. One evening, during a quick jog that doubles as a rendezvous, she never returns home. Someone took her – but who?
A few weeks later, Meredith, a doula, yoga instructor, and mother of two (Delilah, 6, and Leo, 3), vanishes without a trace along with her daughter. She’s happily married to Josh, or so it seemed. Is there a serial kidnapper in this peaceful town? And how are these two women connected?
The narrative switches back and forth between the past and present: 11 years ago, Meredith recounts how her life fell apart, while her neighbor Kate, who lives with her partner Bea, tries to help with the investigation. In the present, we witness Delilah’s captivity and Leo’s struggles after his sister’s return.
The chapters are gripping and well-written, keeping you guessing about what happened to these women. Who was threatening Meredith? What secrets are being kept?
However, I wish the author had found a stronger resolution for this compelling story. The plot had great potential, but the ending didn’t live up to it.
The characters and their perspectives were fantastic, especially Delilah and Leo’s. Delilah’s experiences in the basement, her survival story, and Leo’s internal battles with bullying and feeling like an outcast were heartbreaking. I just wanted to hug them and tell them everything would be okay.
Overall, I would give the first 200 pages 5 stars (even 10 if I could), but the last 60 pages were a letdown, which I’d rate 2 stars.
I’m rounding up to 4 stars because it wouldn’t be fair to give the book just 3 – it’s still a well-written novel with a disappointing conclusion. I was hoping for a more satisfying ending.
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May 3, 2024
Ik I am late, lots of good things have already been said about this book. I on other hand am a bit disappointed.
Why?
1. Motivation is always the key factor in any murder mystery book the question of why? have always been fasinating for me because this gives an insight in human nature.
2. Shocking twists that weren't that shocking. Honeslty the whole . The whole mystery around Delihah wasn't that interesting at all. . The final twist was exactly where I lost all the interest in this story. It was unbelievable and unrealistic. In terms of twist this book was a major flop for me.
3. It's like the buildup was good but everything was just too far fetched. The characters were boring, literally all of them.
4. The forensic team are a bunch of morons or something? Can't pick a minor detail. And what about the DNA test and police keeping a major piece of information. Again all farfetched.
The more I think about this book the more I hate it honestly. So we are gonna stop here before I lower down my rating to 1 star.
Why?
1. Motivation is always the key factor in any murder mystery book the question of why? have always been fasinating for me because this gives an insight in human nature.
2. Shocking twists that weren't that shocking. Honeslty the whole . The whole mystery around Delihah wasn't that interesting at all. . The final twist was exactly where I lost all the interest in this story. It was unbelievable and unrealistic. In terms of twist this book was a major flop for me.
3. It's like the buildup was good but everything was just too far fetched. The characters were boring, literally all of them.
4. The forensic team are a bunch of morons or something? Can't pick a minor detail. And what about the DNA test and police keeping a major piece of information. Again all farfetched.
The more I think about this book the more I hate it honestly. So we are gonna stop here before I lower down my rating to 1 star.
August 30, 2021
i dont think ive read a mystery/thriller where it feels like the story is working backwards.
im not sure how to describe it other than the reader is given the entire picture, a large mural of everything that has happened. but, as the story progresses, the visual gets smaller, the general collage becoming individual screenshots, until the focus is finally pinpointed on the one quick, fleeting moment that created the picture in the first place.
its really interesting the way the information is revealed like that.
and its this shift, from the larger narrative to smaller details, that really sold the story for me. because, if im being honest, i wasnt wholeheartedly into the hidden secrets of the suburban families. domestic mystery/thrillers are a hit or miss for me, and this one was slightly leaning more towards a miss. thank goodness the intrigue of a missing girl returning home after 11 years was fascinating enough to keep me interested in the plot.
but all in all, easily recommendable to readers who want a slow-burn story about family lies, neighbourly suspicions, and secrets hidden in plain sight.
↠ 3.5 stars
im not sure how to describe it other than the reader is given the entire picture, a large mural of everything that has happened. but, as the story progresses, the visual gets smaller, the general collage becoming individual screenshots, until the focus is finally pinpointed on the one quick, fleeting moment that created the picture in the first place.
its really interesting the way the information is revealed like that.
and its this shift, from the larger narrative to smaller details, that really sold the story for me. because, if im being honest, i wasnt wholeheartedly into the hidden secrets of the suburban families. domestic mystery/thrillers are a hit or miss for me, and this one was slightly leaning more towards a miss. thank goodness the intrigue of a missing girl returning home after 11 years was fascinating enough to keep me interested in the plot.
but all in all, easily recommendable to readers who want a slow-burn story about family lies, neighbourly suspicions, and secrets hidden in plain sight.
↠ 3.5 stars
June 13, 2021
Be sure to visit Bantering Books to read all my latest reviews.
I’m baffled. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.
Because I shouldn’t have liked Mary Kubica’s latest thriller, Local Woman Missing. But I did.
Shelby Tebow vanishes late one night while out for a jog. Meredith Dickey and her six-year-old daughter, Delilah, disappear shortly thereafter, just blocks away from where Shelby was last seen.
Fast forward 11 years, and Delilah shockingly returns, sparking renewed questions as to the true nature of all three disappearances.
If the story sounds like your standard thriller fare, it’s because it is. Local Woman Missing does nothing new.
But what it does do is engage you. It glues you to the page. It grips you in its thrall, so that you’re furiously reading, desperate to know what really occurred when Shelby, Meredith, and Delilah vanished.
And it doesn’t matter that the characters’ actions are frustratingly illogical. Or that the story often veers into eye-rolling ridiculousness. Or that much of what happens in the novel is utterly unbelievable.
Because Local Woman Missing is terrifically entertaining, fast-paced, and compelling. It keeps you guessing, and the guessing is great fun.
Enjoy your book hangover. It’s gonna be a doozy.
My sincerest appreciation to Mary Kubica, Park Row, and Edelweiss+ for the Advance Review Copy. All opinions included herein are my own.
Bantering Books
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I’m baffled. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.
Because I shouldn’t have liked Mary Kubica’s latest thriller, Local Woman Missing. But I did.
Shelby Tebow vanishes late one night while out for a jog. Meredith Dickey and her six-year-old daughter, Delilah, disappear shortly thereafter, just blocks away from where Shelby was last seen.
Fast forward 11 years, and Delilah shockingly returns, sparking renewed questions as to the true nature of all three disappearances.
If the story sounds like your standard thriller fare, it’s because it is. Local Woman Missing does nothing new.
But what it does do is engage you. It glues you to the page. It grips you in its thrall, so that you’re furiously reading, desperate to know what really occurred when Shelby, Meredith, and Delilah vanished.
And it doesn’t matter that the characters’ actions are frustratingly illogical. Or that the story often veers into eye-rolling ridiculousness. Or that much of what happens in the novel is utterly unbelievable.
Because Local Woman Missing is terrifically entertaining, fast-paced, and compelling. It keeps you guessing, and the guessing is great fun.
Enjoy your book hangover. It’s gonna be a doozy.
My sincerest appreciation to Mary Kubica, Park Row, and Edelweiss+ for the Advance Review Copy. All opinions included herein are my own.
Bantering Books
May 16, 2021
OMG!! 🤯🤯🤯 This book was fantastic! ❤️
When a woman goes missing after going out for a run..well of course everyone suspects the husband! I mean hello...Except what about when yet another local woman goes missing, with her daughter as well? Does this mean there is a serial killer/abductor on the loose?
You know that creepy feeling that you get when you walk alone through a parking garage late at night? That feeling where you have chills going up your spine? You just feel like something is going to happen? I felt like that this entire book!
I loved, loved, loved the multiple POV's and the timelines. Taking you back 11 years, I literally was holding my breath waiting for that moment when the past and the present would merge into each other. When it did...wow! I was shocked! This book kept me guessing the entire time. I had several suspects mapped out in my mind. I was sure my detective work was spot on. I loved the ending and I am happy to report that my detective skills have failed me again!
I absolutely loved this book and can't recommend it enough!
When a woman goes missing after going out for a run..well of course everyone suspects the husband! I mean hello...Except what about when yet another local woman goes missing, with her daughter as well? Does this mean there is a serial killer/abductor on the loose?
You know that creepy feeling that you get when you walk alone through a parking garage late at night? That feeling where you have chills going up your spine? You just feel like something is going to happen? I felt like that this entire book!
I loved, loved, loved the multiple POV's and the timelines. Taking you back 11 years, I literally was holding my breath waiting for that moment when the past and the present would merge into each other. When it did...wow! I was shocked! This book kept me guessing the entire time. I had several suspects mapped out in my mind. I was sure my detective work was spot on. I loved the ending and I am happy to report that my detective skills have failed me again!
I absolutely loved this book and can't recommend it enough!
December 30, 2020
4+ stars! Pulse-pounding from start to finish!
A small town neighbourhood. One woman goes missing leaving her newborn baby and husband behind. Weeks later another local woman and her young daughter don’t come home. The town is shocked and devastated. Could there be a link between these families?
This story gripped me from start to finish — I was hanging on every word feeling a strong sense of unease and tension. The mystery is intense, fast-paced, anxiety-filled and something that I felt extremely invested in throughout. The writing was outstanding! I cared for each of the characters and the situations they found themselves in. My mind was whirling with trying to piece the parts of this engrossing story together.
Warning that there are some deeply disturbing scenes involving children, especially at the start. Though the scenario is extremely upsetting and creepy, it was written in such a way that I simply couldn’t put it down. I was completely consumed by this book.
The theme of motherhood is woven deep within this story. I thought the author did a phenomenal job portraying the struggles and successes of the women within this story. Very well developed characters overall!
My one critique would be the ending felt like it didn’t fit with the “amazing-ness” of the rest of the book. The ending seemed unrealistic, yet I was able to roll with it because the writing was so addictive and well done. Overall, an extremely entertaining and suspenseful novel that I highly recommend!
Thank you to Edelweiss and Park Row for my review copy! Expected date of publication is May 18, 2021.
A small town neighbourhood. One woman goes missing leaving her newborn baby and husband behind. Weeks later another local woman and her young daughter don’t come home. The town is shocked and devastated. Could there be a link between these families?
This story gripped me from start to finish — I was hanging on every word feeling a strong sense of unease and tension. The mystery is intense, fast-paced, anxiety-filled and something that I felt extremely invested in throughout. The writing was outstanding! I cared for each of the characters and the situations they found themselves in. My mind was whirling with trying to piece the parts of this engrossing story together.
Warning that there are some deeply disturbing scenes involving children, especially at the start. Though the scenario is extremely upsetting and creepy, it was written in such a way that I simply couldn’t put it down. I was completely consumed by this book.
The theme of motherhood is woven deep within this story. I thought the author did a phenomenal job portraying the struggles and successes of the women within this story. Very well developed characters overall!
My one critique would be the ending felt like it didn’t fit with the “amazing-ness” of the rest of the book. The ending seemed unrealistic, yet I was able to roll with it because the writing was so addictive and well done. Overall, an extremely entertaining and suspenseful novel that I highly recommend!
Thank you to Edelweiss and Park Row for my review copy! Expected date of publication is May 18, 2021.
June 16, 2021
Local Woman Missing starts with a good hook that creates tension and suspense and increases with each chapter. I was fully invested in the story and had many questions I needed the answers to. I flew through it quite fast.
Mary Kubica takes the "woman and child gone missing" trope and weaves in a fresh and exciting take on it. I had no idea where the story was going, and that at first added some excitement to the story trying to figure out where it was going. However I did start to lose a bit of patience with that and wished the story was better layered to pick up some clues. There are plenty of "shocking twists" that are not convincing. Often when I find some twists hard to buy into it doesn't bother me; however, when I can't buy into the characters' motivations, the story misses the mark for me. Unfortunately, I couldn't buy into the motivation here with a character. While I thought this was an intriguing and unique read, that final reveal was too absurd or layered enough to be convincing or entertaining.
Caution the comments have Spoilers
I received a copy from the publisher through Edelweiss.
Mary Kubica takes the "woman and child gone missing" trope and weaves in a fresh and exciting take on it. I had no idea where the story was going, and that at first added some excitement to the story trying to figure out where it was going. However I did start to lose a bit of patience with that and wished the story was better layered to pick up some clues. There are plenty of "shocking twists" that are not convincing. Often when I find some twists hard to buy into it doesn't bother me; however, when I can't buy into the characters' motivations, the story misses the mark for me. Unfortunately, I couldn't buy into the motivation here with a character. While I thought this was an intriguing and unique read, that final reveal was too absurd or layered enough to be convincing or entertaining.
Caution the comments have Spoilers
I received a copy from the publisher through Edelweiss.
April 7, 2024
5/5⭐️ x ♾️ ANOTHER 5 star read for me? This hasn’t happened to me in a while. Who even am I?? 🤭 BUT OMG THIS BOOK BLEW ME AWAY!!! And that ending?? OMG. I was not expecting that at all! It was phenomenal. It literally left me speechless. This will be on my top list of favorites for this year.
This book took me by surprise. There were some mixed reviews and I didn’t know if I would enjoy it but it was so freaking good! This is told in multiple POVs and past and present chapters. It kept me guessing the entire time! I just wanted to know what happened to Meredith, Shelby, and Delilah. It was suspenseful and addictive. It even made me shed a few tears too 😭 It was a slow pace mystery and the twist left me shocked af. Go in blind. Don’t even look at the blurb and you will have the best time! I highly recommend!
This book took me by surprise. There were some mixed reviews and I didn’t know if I would enjoy it but it was so freaking good! This is told in multiple POVs and past and present chapters. It kept me guessing the entire time! I just wanted to know what happened to Meredith, Shelby, and Delilah. It was suspenseful and addictive. It even made me shed a few tears too 😭 It was a slow pace mystery and the twist left me shocked af. Go in blind. Don’t even look at the blurb and you will have the best time! I highly recommend!
December 3, 2024
Holy Shooty Balls! Holy Shooty Balls! Holy Shooty Balls!
This is exactly why MARY KUBICA is a favourite author! She never ever disappoints!
LOCAL WOMAN MISSING by MARY KUBICA was an immediately gripping and immersive story that was an all consuming page-turner. Once I started reading this one it was all I could think of and do until I finished. It was absolutely unputdownable!
The story was intense and had me on the edge of my seat from the very first page to the very last one. I haven’t been this invested and excited about a book in quite some time. After finishing, I said now that’s my type of story and I want to read more books like this please!
MARY KUBICA delivers an intriguing, suspenseful, compelling, exciting, fast-paced, and enthralling story here that was so incredibly written. I was totally invested in the characters and cared deeply for them. I loved the dual past and present timelines as well as all the multiple narrators. The way that the story came together in the end was absolutely perfect and had me feeling all those giddy book emotions that I strive for.
MARY KUBICA had me totally baffled throughout this whole story and I didn’t figure out any of the reveals!
Expected date of publication is May 18, 2021
Make sure to put this one on your TBR because it is definitely one not to be missed!!!
Thank you so much to Edelweiss, Mary Kubica and Park Row for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
This is exactly why MARY KUBICA is a favourite author! She never ever disappoints!
LOCAL WOMAN MISSING by MARY KUBICA was an immediately gripping and immersive story that was an all consuming page-turner. Once I started reading this one it was all I could think of and do until I finished. It was absolutely unputdownable!
The story was intense and had me on the edge of my seat from the very first page to the very last one. I haven’t been this invested and excited about a book in quite some time. After finishing, I said now that’s my type of story and I want to read more books like this please!
MARY KUBICA delivers an intriguing, suspenseful, compelling, exciting, fast-paced, and enthralling story here that was so incredibly written. I was totally invested in the characters and cared deeply for them. I loved the dual past and present timelines as well as all the multiple narrators. The way that the story came together in the end was absolutely perfect and had me feeling all those giddy book emotions that I strive for.
MARY KUBICA had me totally baffled throughout this whole story and I didn’t figure out any of the reveals!
Expected date of publication is May 18, 2021
Make sure to put this one on your TBR because it is definitely one not to be missed!!!
Thank you so much to Edelweiss, Mary Kubica and Park Row for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
October 18, 2021
it wasn't so much that this was unbelievable (which it kind of was), it was that there was no lead up to the events. on the one hand i don't want to be bored and predict everything but on the other hand i want to be impressed by how clever an author's plotting is. this didn't really feel clever to me.
and i'm also finding out that uh i don't really like books with medical trauma. or women who are abducted. so. just not a book for me. i can see why people like it, but it's not for me.
and i'm also finding out that uh i don't really like books with medical trauma. or women who are abducted. so. just not a book for me. i can see why people like it, but it's not for me.
May 22, 2021
People don’t just disappear without a trace...
“Crayons go missing. Puzzle pieces go missing. Moms and Sisters do not go missing”.
And yet, that is what is happening in this once peaceful community.
First it’s new mom, Shelby Tebow, out for a run at ten PM, after taking care of the baby all day, and then spending some time with her husband Jason eating dinner and watching TV.
Two weeks later, it’s Meredith Dickey and her six year old daughter, Delilah.
The “MISSING” posters for Shelby still flutter in the wind..
Could the cases be related?
Told with a backdrop of unrelenting rain, gray clouds, and flooding, the story unfolds from a timeline of 11 YEARS ago, when the disappearances occur, to the PRESENT DAY, when Delilah reappears after escaping from captivity.
The POV’s vary as well.
We hear from Delilah in PART ONE.
In PART TWO we hear from Meredith, her son Leo, and her neighbor, Kate.
There are plenty of secrets in this neighborhood, and plenty of suspects to choose from, and Mary Kubica uses them expertly to misdirect us.
Her natural, engaging writing style has been HOOKING me in from page one, since her debut in 2014, with MOST of her books earning 4 ⭐️from me! They always lose a ⭐️ for stretching “believability “ with the endings, and this one is no exception.
But, don’t let that stop you from reading this VERY ENTERTAINING story!
READ the prologue again AFTER you finish the book!
AVAILABLE NOW!
Thank You to my local library for supplying a copy on Publication Day!
“Crayons go missing. Puzzle pieces go missing. Moms and Sisters do not go missing”.
And yet, that is what is happening in this once peaceful community.
First it’s new mom, Shelby Tebow, out for a run at ten PM, after taking care of the baby all day, and then spending some time with her husband Jason eating dinner and watching TV.
Two weeks later, it’s Meredith Dickey and her six year old daughter, Delilah.
The “MISSING” posters for Shelby still flutter in the wind..
Could the cases be related?
Told with a backdrop of unrelenting rain, gray clouds, and flooding, the story unfolds from a timeline of 11 YEARS ago, when the disappearances occur, to the PRESENT DAY, when Delilah reappears after escaping from captivity.
The POV’s vary as well.
We hear from Delilah in PART ONE.
In PART TWO we hear from Meredith, her son Leo, and her neighbor, Kate.
There are plenty of secrets in this neighborhood, and plenty of suspects to choose from, and Mary Kubica uses them expertly to misdirect us.
Her natural, engaging writing style has been HOOKING me in from page one, since her debut in 2014, with MOST of her books earning 4 ⭐️from me! They always lose a ⭐️ for stretching “believability “ with the endings, and this one is no exception.
But, don’t let that stop you from reading this VERY ENTERTAINING story!
READ the prologue again AFTER you finish the book!
AVAILABLE NOW!
Thank You to my local library for supplying a copy on Publication Day!
May 18, 2021
HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY!
It started with a local woman missing, but there’s always more to the story.
Eleven years ago, Shelby Tebow went missing on a dark night. Soon after, Meredith Dickey and her daughter, Delilah, vanished...seemingly without a trace. They were all from the same area.
Now, eleven years later, Delilah has escaped captivity and returns home. Emotionally scarred and malnourished, she understandably has a hard time adjusting.
What actually happened to Delilah on the day she went missing? What happened to the other local women missing?
This is an engrossing thriller, told from multiple POVs and alternating timelines. Despite some difficult content, author Mary Kubica kept me intrigued and on my toes as I tried to piece together the plot. The characters are richly portrayed with many emotions and perspectives.
There’s a sense of unease as the tension intensifies, and I didn’t expect how everything would come together. I always appreciate that in a novel. As for the ending, it’s a little out there and seems unlikely. However, it didn’t ruin the book for me, and I appreciate the originality even if I would have preferred something a bit more realistic to match the rest of the plot.
Another solid addition to Kubica’s work, and I would recommend this one to those looking for a suspenseful and gripping read.
Thank you to Park Row for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for this book, and providing me a widget through NetGalley. The novel will be published on: 5/18/21.
Review will also be posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com on 5/11/21.
It started with a local woman missing, but there’s always more to the story.
Eleven years ago, Shelby Tebow went missing on a dark night. Soon after, Meredith Dickey and her daughter, Delilah, vanished...seemingly without a trace. They were all from the same area.
Now, eleven years later, Delilah has escaped captivity and returns home. Emotionally scarred and malnourished, she understandably has a hard time adjusting.
What actually happened to Delilah on the day she went missing? What happened to the other local women missing?
This is an engrossing thriller, told from multiple POVs and alternating timelines. Despite some difficult content, author Mary Kubica kept me intrigued and on my toes as I tried to piece together the plot. The characters are richly portrayed with many emotions and perspectives.
There’s a sense of unease as the tension intensifies, and I didn’t expect how everything would come together. I always appreciate that in a novel. As for the ending, it’s a little out there and seems unlikely. However, it didn’t ruin the book for me, and I appreciate the originality even if I would have preferred something a bit more realistic to match the rest of the plot.
Another solid addition to Kubica’s work, and I would recommend this one to those looking for a suspenseful and gripping read.
Thank you to Park Row for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for this book, and providing me a widget through NetGalley. The novel will be published on: 5/18/21.
Review will also be posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com on 5/11/21.
April 25, 2024
—— 3.5 ✰ stars.
Okay!! This book wasn't bad at all! I think it's very difficult to make interesting reviews of mystery books without spoilers, so let's try it hehehehe!! Cmon Watson follow me to this review.
A woman and her six-year-old daughter, Delilah, disappear without a trace, the neighborhood is filled with fear, how is it possible that this could happen in a place like this?
Eleven years later, Delilah reappears. Everyone wants to know what happened, but there is more than one secret that surrounds this case and the truth can destroy more than one life. (insert dramatic music)
Mary Kubica's writing is simple and fast, and it has kept me trapped in the story. If I haven't read it faster it's because I'm busy and I've only been able to read it between classes and on my breaks.
The pace of the story starts off slow, I have to be honest and admit that the first 60 pages were tedious, but once you pass that mark, everything goes more smoothly.
I have to say that this was my first audio book! I don't know if the experience completely convinces me since I am very impatient and I have to put the speed at 2x, otherwise I get bored and stressed.
In general, I liked the book, the reason why it does not have more rating was that the author left a couple of things open on purpose, nothing in the main plot, very very small details of which I expected something more, and then, towards the ending, there comes a point where it is already obvious what happened, and sure enough, the theories were correct, so when the big reveal came, I just said: ok, I knew it.
Even so, I would 100% recommend this thriller to anyone, I thought it was good and I liked how the author closed the main plot, and how everything connected around it. I felt like I was watching a mystery series.
And... there's little more left for me to say, I think that the best thing you can do with a thriller is to go in blind, therefore, we've come this far, I hope that if you read the book you like it!! Thanks for reading my review.
⤳ Old updates:
rtc!!
march 3: lets play Sherlock bitches ☝🏻🤓
‘ I know what you did. I hope you die’
Okay!! This book wasn't bad at all! I think it's very difficult to make interesting reviews of mystery books without spoilers, so let's try it hehehehe!! Cmon Watson follow me to this review.
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ 𝓅𝓁ℴ𝓉ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
A woman and her six-year-old daughter, Delilah, disappear without a trace, the neighborhood is filled with fear, how is it possible that this could happen in a place like this?
Eleven years later, Delilah reappears. Everyone wants to know what happened, but there is more than one secret that surrounds this case and the truth can destroy more than one life. (insert dramatic music)
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ 𝓅𝒶𝒸ℯ 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓌𝓇𝒾𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔 ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
Mary Kubica's writing is simple and fast, and it has kept me trapped in the story. If I haven't read it faster it's because I'm busy and I've only been able to read it between classes and on my breaks.
The pace of the story starts off slow, I have to be honest and admit that the first 60 pages were tedious, but once you pass that mark, everything goes more smoothly.
I have to say that this was my first audio book! I don't know if the experience completely convinces me since I am very impatient and I have to put the speed at 2x, otherwise I get bored and stressed.
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ 𝓂𝓎 𝓉𝒽ℴ𝓊𝑔𝒽𝓉𝓈 ℴ𝓋ℯ𝓇𝒶𝓁𝓁 ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
In general, I liked the book, the reason why it does not have more rating was that the author left a couple of things open on purpose, nothing in the main plot, very very small details of which I expected something more, and then, towards the ending, there comes a point where it is already obvious what happened, and sure enough, the theories were correct, so when the big reveal came, I just said: ok, I knew it.
Even so, I would 100% recommend this thriller to anyone, I thought it was good and I liked how the author closed the main plot, and how everything connected around it. I felt like I was watching a mystery series.
And... there's little more left for me to say, I think that the best thing you can do with a thriller is to go in blind, therefore, we've come this far, I hope that if you read the book you like it!! Thanks for reading my review.
⤳ Old updates:
rtc!!
march 3: lets play Sherlock bitches ☝🏻🤓
May 30, 2021
Mary Kubica, you've really gone into the tall weeds in this one.
Initially, I was drawn in by the superb writing and the match lit on this storyline. Your descriptions of a missing six year old and her mother had me leaning in on edge. But as this train was entering the station, it seemed out of control and careened off the track. There was no way I was buying a 180 flip on one of these characters and the deflated balloon you handed me in the wrap-up.
Local Woman Missing walks right in the direction of its title. Shelby Tebow, a mother with a newborn, decides to go out for a run at 10 pm. New mothers don't have much "me" time until after hours. But Shelby doesn't return that night. Lightning seems to strike once again when another mother, Meredith Dickey, doesn't return home. Along with Meredith, her six year old daughter, Delilah, has been taken as well. Kubica introduces us to neighbors and friends and Meredith's husband and young son who are beside themselves with worry.
Our story will revert from the present to eleven years ago in a back and forth fashion. We will relive the lead-up of events to the missing Shelby and Meredith and her child. Kubica jolts us in the first few chapters with the return of Delilah eleven years later. But where are Shelby and Meredith? And where has Delilah been all this time? Her filthy appearance and mightily confused mindset says it all.
It's me. I have a hard time with authors who swerve so far from a plausible storyline just in order to get a gasp out of their readers. You did a major amount of work in setting up these characters and their intricate backstories. Then with a flick of the wrist, it was all for naught. Why did you even go there?
I'd encourage you to take this one out for a spin. It's a worthy read all the way through until the ending. You be the judge. Just didn't appreciate riding this graceful horse and then getting thrown into a briar patch at the end. Much too painful. Coulda, shoulda, woulda.......
Initially, I was drawn in by the superb writing and the match lit on this storyline. Your descriptions of a missing six year old and her mother had me leaning in on edge. But as this train was entering the station, it seemed out of control and careened off the track. There was no way I was buying a 180 flip on one of these characters and the deflated balloon you handed me in the wrap-up.
Local Woman Missing walks right in the direction of its title. Shelby Tebow, a mother with a newborn, decides to go out for a run at 10 pm. New mothers don't have much "me" time until after hours. But Shelby doesn't return that night. Lightning seems to strike once again when another mother, Meredith Dickey, doesn't return home. Along with Meredith, her six year old daughter, Delilah, has been taken as well. Kubica introduces us to neighbors and friends and Meredith's husband and young son who are beside themselves with worry.
Our story will revert from the present to eleven years ago in a back and forth fashion. We will relive the lead-up of events to the missing Shelby and Meredith and her child. Kubica jolts us in the first few chapters with the return of Delilah eleven years later. But where are Shelby and Meredith? And where has Delilah been all this time? Her filthy appearance and mightily confused mindset says it all.
It's me. I have a hard time with authors who swerve so far from a plausible storyline just in order to get a gasp out of their readers. You did a major amount of work in setting up these characters and their intricate backstories. Then with a flick of the wrist, it was all for naught. Why did you even go there?
I'd encourage you to take this one out for a spin. It's a worthy read all the way through until the ending. You be the judge. Just didn't appreciate riding this graceful horse and then getting thrown into a briar patch at the end. Much too painful. Coulda, shoulda, woulda.......
June 10, 2021
Meredith and her daughter Delilah have mysteriously vanished. And it isn’t the first time someone went missing in this particular neighborhood. Shelby made that list after disappearing without a trace. It would certainly seem the two cases could be linked.
The one person who may have all the answers is the daughter Delilah, suddenly reappearing eleven years later. So where has she been all this time? Can she, will she, answer the looming question regarding what happened to she and her mother?
The one person who may have all the answers is the daughter Delilah as she reappears eleven years later. Where has she been? Can she answer the question of what happened to her and her mother?
Mary Kubica writes gripping, suspenseful thriller that you won’t be able to put down. The tension is palpable as the pages fly by. I was totally immersed and captivated by this book beginning to end.
This was only my second read by Mary Kubica and I’m already a huge fan of her work and will definitely be going back to read some of her previous books.
Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin – Park Row
The one person who may have all the answers is the daughter Delilah, suddenly reappearing eleven years later. So where has she been all this time? Can she, will she, answer the looming question regarding what happened to she and her mother?
The one person who may have all the answers is the daughter Delilah as she reappears eleven years later. Where has she been? Can she answer the question of what happened to her and her mother?
Mary Kubica writes gripping, suspenseful thriller that you won’t be able to put down. The tension is palpable as the pages fly by. I was totally immersed and captivated by this book beginning to end.
This was only my second read by Mary Kubica and I’m already a huge fan of her work and will definitely be going back to read some of her previous books.
Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin – Park Row
June 13, 2021
Ahhhhh this was SO GOOD. I didn't expect to love this as much as I did. Totally didn't see any of that coming. Reading vlog where I read it: https://youtu.be/IBmz8kzf7DY
May 29, 2021
I'm actually kind of shocked that this book has a 4 star average. In terms of mysteries, I suppose it was interesting, but it didn't quite stick the landing at the end.
Basically the premise is that within two weeks of each other, two women and a child go missing in a small town. 11 years later, the child seemingly reappears and stirs up interest in the circumstances of her disappearance again.
My complaints with this book are many. I will attempt to list and explain them:
1. This one is minor, but irritating to me. They're supposedly in a smallish suburb of Chicago that is somehow only 30mins from downtown by train, but is susceptible to tornadoes? Did no one think to research this factoid when going through edits? I live in Chicago and am 30mins from downtown by Amtrak. There isn't a suburb, even north of here, that is tornado central and that close by commute.
2. The story really makes you connect with the little girl through her chapters while she's imprisoned in the basement, but once she gets free we literally do not get her perspective again for the rest of the novel??? I don't care about Leo. I'm sorry, but all the other perspectives were female and it would've made the book stronger to keep it that way. OR still include her POV and keep Leo's as a contrast to what their experiences are. It was such a disservice to what we had to experience alongside her, just to have her swept neatly aside when the author obviously didn't know how to bury the lede from her POV.
I also didn't appreciate how they just wrote off Gus in a few sentences. No follow up on the trauma there, just a neat little, "oh it was a coping mechanism because of her sensory deprivation, ho hum! We won't focus anymore on this and will act like it never happened moving forward!"
3. Basically, there was a lot of early build up re: plotlines that are never actually resolved. We assume Marty is "Sam," so does that mean he's the father of Shelby's baby? There's a throwaway like about how a paternity test showed it was Jason's kid and the baby was sent to be with "the real father." Like, what?? Explain this please! You invested readers in this mystery and then don't even give is the courtesy of a resolution.
There was also a lot of focus on Leo being bullied at daycare that added nothing to the plot. You could take that out and still have the story remain the same, especially since he never mentions it in his chapters.
4. The ENDING my god, the ending. The reveal that the girl isn't Delilah but is Carly, another missing girl who conveniently looks passingly like Delilah/Meredith. And that this was only discovered by Leo being told about a cleft chin? Gimme a break. I know the police are incompetent, but the second that DNA test came back as not a match, child see ices would've swept that kid up and taken her out of that home. One officer couldn't cover that up on her own.
And then Delilah gets broken free from the garage closet, and oh wow! Look at how well adjusted she is, going right back to playing with her brother and being a normal, pretty teenager! As if she hasn't been kept captive by her neighbor who and witnessed hitting her mother in the head with a hammer and will have no issues. Lucky that she is okay and not wild and uneducated like that OTHER girl, who had to stab her way out and readjust to sunlight and real food and society as a whole after being treated worse than an animal for 11 years.
Speaking of poor Carly, she is another example of an unsatisfying ending. There's a quick blurb about how they identified her and the people who took her were copycats of the Delilah abduction case, and she was being reunited with her family. Not even being able to see that, and again being completely blocked from her perspective for the majority of the book, is such a disservice to her character.
Anyway, all in all I didn't love this book. The premise was interesting, and the actual perpetrator was okay, but it didn't feel like it earned it and it felt like it came out of absolutely nowhere. Another modern mystery novel that throws a thousand distractions in a reader's way, and it turns out to be an accident that caused it all.
Basically the premise is that within two weeks of each other, two women and a child go missing in a small town. 11 years later, the child seemingly reappears and stirs up interest in the circumstances of her disappearance again.
My complaints with this book are many. I will attempt to list and explain them:
1. This one is minor, but irritating to me. They're supposedly in a smallish suburb of Chicago that is somehow only 30mins from downtown by train, but is susceptible to tornadoes? Did no one think to research this factoid when going through edits? I live in Chicago and am 30mins from downtown by Amtrak. There isn't a suburb, even north of here, that is tornado central and that close by commute.
2. The story really makes you connect with the little girl through her chapters while she's imprisoned in the basement, but once she gets free we literally do not get her perspective again for the rest of the novel??? I don't care about Leo. I'm sorry, but all the other perspectives were female and it would've made the book stronger to keep it that way. OR still include her POV and keep Leo's as a contrast to what their experiences are. It was such a disservice to what we had to experience alongside her, just to have her swept neatly aside when the author obviously didn't know how to bury the lede from her POV.
I also didn't appreciate how they just wrote off Gus in a few sentences. No follow up on the trauma there, just a neat little, "oh it was a coping mechanism because of her sensory deprivation, ho hum! We won't focus anymore on this and will act like it never happened moving forward!"
3. Basically, there was a lot of early build up re: plotlines that are never actually resolved. We assume Marty is "Sam," so does that mean he's the father of Shelby's baby? There's a throwaway like about how a paternity test showed it was Jason's kid and the baby was sent to be with "the real father." Like, what?? Explain this please! You invested readers in this mystery and then don't even give is the courtesy of a resolution.
There was also a lot of focus on Leo being bullied at daycare that added nothing to the plot. You could take that out and still have the story remain the same, especially since he never mentions it in his chapters.
4. The ENDING my god, the ending. The reveal that the girl isn't Delilah but is Carly, another missing girl who conveniently looks passingly like Delilah/Meredith. And that this was only discovered by Leo being told about a cleft chin? Gimme a break. I know the police are incompetent, but the second that DNA test came back as not a match, child see ices would've swept that kid up and taken her out of that home. One officer couldn't cover that up on her own.
And then Delilah gets broken free from the garage closet, and oh wow! Look at how well adjusted she is, going right back to playing with her brother and being a normal, pretty teenager! As if she hasn't been kept captive by her neighbor who and witnessed hitting her mother in the head with a hammer and will have no issues. Lucky that she is okay and not wild and uneducated like that OTHER girl, who had to stab her way out and readjust to sunlight and real food and society as a whole after being treated worse than an animal for 11 years.
Speaking of poor Carly, she is another example of an unsatisfying ending. There's a quick blurb about how they identified her and the people who took her were copycats of the Delilah abduction case, and she was being reunited with her family. Not even being able to see that, and again being completely blocked from her perspective for the majority of the book, is such a disservice to her character.
Anyway, all in all I didn't love this book. The premise was interesting, and the actual perpetrator was okay, but it didn't feel like it earned it and it felt like it came out of absolutely nowhere. Another modern mystery novel that throws a thousand distractions in a reader's way, and it turns out to be an accident that caused it all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2021
If you are looking for a twisty ride that will keep you guessing, look no more. The latest thriller by Mary Kubica had me reading way past my bedtime. Told through multiple POVs, we learn about a missing woman and a missing mother and daughter. From perspectives, both past and present, suspects are introduced and motives are revealed. The book is fast paced and suspenseful with a constant underlying feeling of foreboding and dread. The ending seemed slightly rushed and a little implausible, but I still enjoyed the read. There is a trigger warning of child abuse. I would also recommend that all mothers to be wait to read this after delivery.
Thank you Goodreads and Park Row for my ARC. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you Goodreads and Park Row for my ARC. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
March 16, 2021
Shelby Tebow is the first to go missing and shortly afterwards Meredith Dickey and her six year old daughter Delilah also disappear. Eleven years later a girl is found who is identified as Delilah. The story is told in two timelines from eleven years ago and now and by Meredith, Delilah, Leo her younger brother and by neighbour Kate.
Mary Kubica writes cracking thrillers which I always enjoy reading. Delilah’s storyline is dark, intense and horrifying and she’s beyond brave. Some of the descriptions of her situation are very sobering as you appreciate the depth of her trauma and suffering. Meredith’s point of view becomes increasingly intense, tense, frightening and suspenseful as we reach the conclusion. Leo’s perspective is very illuminating as it demonstrates the destruction that serious crime has on individuals and on family dynamics, it’s heartbreaking. Kate’s neighbourly perspective is interesting as the viewpoint of onlookers is often intriguing. The novel contains powerful emotions in the storytelling with everything from shame and guilt to shock, torment and horror. The novel is gripping, the pace is fast, the storytelling taut and full of suspense and tension with major twists that are very disturbing. My reservation of the book lies in the ending which I find far fetched and somewhat unrealistic and I think it lets the previous incendiary storytelling down. It deserves better!
Overall though, reservation aside it’s very hard to put down as it grips in a vice like hold! It’s a well written thriller as you’d expect from Mary
With thanks to NetGalley and HQ for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Mary Kubica writes cracking thrillers which I always enjoy reading. Delilah’s storyline is dark, intense and horrifying and she’s beyond brave. Some of the descriptions of her situation are very sobering as you appreciate the depth of her trauma and suffering. Meredith’s point of view becomes increasingly intense, tense, frightening and suspenseful as we reach the conclusion. Leo’s perspective is very illuminating as it demonstrates the destruction that serious crime has on individuals and on family dynamics, it’s heartbreaking. Kate’s neighbourly perspective is interesting as the viewpoint of onlookers is often intriguing. The novel contains powerful emotions in the storytelling with everything from shame and guilt to shock, torment and horror. The novel is gripping, the pace is fast, the storytelling taut and full of suspense and tension with major twists that are very disturbing. My reservation of the book lies in the ending which I find far fetched and somewhat unrealistic and I think it lets the previous incendiary storytelling down. It deserves better!
Overall though, reservation aside it’s very hard to put down as it grips in a vice like hold! It’s a well written thriller as you’d expect from Mary
With thanks to NetGalley and HQ for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
June 26, 2021
Mary Kubica sure knows how to write an edge of your seat suspenseful novel! I listened to the audio which was perfectly narrated.
A woman goes missing one night while out jogging in a small town. Then shortly another lady and her child go missing as well.
This book is told through changing timelines and surprisingly it works and is easy to follow. The timeline switched to eleven years prior when the women go missing to present day. There are four points of views. One is Delilah, who has been held captive for eleven years and her subsequent escape. Then there is, Leo (Delilah's brother,) Meredith (Delilah's mother) and Kate (a neighbour of Delilah's.)
This book was both entertaining and suspenseful. My only problem was the ending. It was both wrapped up a little too neatly and unbelievable but it did not take away from my enjoyment. Still a clever book that suspense fans will surely enjoy.
A woman goes missing one night while out jogging in a small town. Then shortly another lady and her child go missing as well.
This book is told through changing timelines and surprisingly it works and is easy to follow. The timeline switched to eleven years prior when the women go missing to present day. There are four points of views. One is Delilah, who has been held captive for eleven years and her subsequent escape. Then there is, Leo (Delilah's brother,) Meredith (Delilah's mother) and Kate (a neighbour of Delilah's.)
This book was both entertaining and suspenseful. My only problem was the ending. It was both wrapped up a little too neatly and unbelievable but it did not take away from my enjoyment. Still a clever book that suspense fans will surely enjoy.
June 12, 2021
4.0 stars— “Local Woman Missing” is the third book by Mary Kubica that I have read. Ms. Kubica is a very talented writer who does a good job of juggling multiple characters and writing from different, distinct perspectives in all of her books. “Woman” is no different as it tells the story of two women and a young girl who all go missing within a short timespan. The book alternates from the perspectives of one of the friends of the missing mother, the missing mother herself, the missing girl and the missing girl’s brother. Despite these multiple narratives, Kubica does a great job of tying the story together and building a great mystery. The book starts off very strong with Delilah, the missing girl, describing the horror of her life after being kidnapped and her planned escape. Kubica also does an excellent job with Meredith’s narrative as she makes you feel her fear of being stalked by an apparent psycho. Then there was the ending —which just didn’t ring true after such a great buildup for the first 80% of the novel. However, Kubica writes so well and is so good at building tension in her stories, I will definitely be reading her next book.
July 5, 2021
Yesssssss. Thrill meter has swung over to the green. A thriller that finally thrilled. My first Kubica and I’m delighted I was not disappointed. Thrillers and mysteries haven’t satisfied me this year but this one did it in spades.
A woman and her daughter go missing. The daughter appears 11 years later after being held in a basement.
The deceit and drama in this neighbourhood will make your head whirl.
A fast page turner with all the elements to make it a necessary. Twisty - yes. Didn’t see it coming- yes.
There was a flaw which did momentarily give me pause but I was able to move past it and get on with the story.
Two thumbs up for this one. Yippee!
4⭐️
A woman and her daughter go missing. The daughter appears 11 years later after being held in a basement.
The deceit and drama in this neighbourhood will make your head whirl.
A fast page turner with all the elements to make it a necessary. Twisty - yes. Didn’t see it coming- yes.
There was a flaw which did momentarily give me pause but I was able to move past it and get on with the story.
Two thumbs up for this one. Yippee!
4⭐️
August 26, 2022
Local World Missing is a solid and entertaining mystery with ample twists and turns. Unfortunately, however, there are a lot of elements that felt unnecessary.
A small town is devastated when doula Meredith Dickey and her six-year-old daughter, Delilah, mysteriously vanish. Meredith’s dead body is found days later. Eleven years later after she was reported missing, Delilah reappears. Visibly traumatized, she must try to help investigators piece together what happened to her and her mother that fateful day.
The story is told from multiple perspectives across multiple time periods. The story is dictated from Meredith’s point of view in the lead-up to her death, Meredith’s neighbor Kate shortly after the disappearance occurs, and Meredith’s son Leo in the present day. This nonlinear style of writing made it a bit difficult to mentally timeline what happened when. Additionally, Leo’s perspective didn’t add much – if anything – to the story.
The mystery itself was well-written and engaging. Mary Kubica includes an abundance of red herrings to keep readers on their toes. While the ultimate reveal itself was a bit underwhelming, reading how everything unfolded was incredibly gripping.
While this isn’t quite as good as some other mysteries – such as The Silent Patient or The Woman in the Window – it is quick, unpredictable, and thrilling.
A small town is devastated when doula Meredith Dickey and her six-year-old daughter, Delilah, mysteriously vanish. Meredith’s dead body is found days later. Eleven years later after she was reported missing, Delilah reappears. Visibly traumatized, she must try to help investigators piece together what happened to her and her mother that fateful day.
The story is told from multiple perspectives across multiple time periods. The story is dictated from Meredith’s point of view in the lead-up to her death, Meredith’s neighbor Kate shortly after the disappearance occurs, and Meredith’s son Leo in the present day. This nonlinear style of writing made it a bit difficult to mentally timeline what happened when. Additionally, Leo’s perspective didn’t add much – if anything – to the story.
The mystery itself was well-written and engaging. Mary Kubica includes an abundance of red herrings to keep readers on their toes. While the ultimate reveal itself was a bit underwhelming, reading how everything unfolded was incredibly gripping.
While this isn’t quite as good as some other mysteries – such as The Silent Patient or The Woman in the Window – it is quick, unpredictable, and thrilling.
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