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Who Will Find Her?
It's been one year since the disappearance of beloved high school track star Melody Anderson. The small town of Hawksboro, North Carolina, has only started to recover from the media frenzy that's being fueled by a self-serving news anchor. As the case goes eerily cold, her suspected captor, a known predator with a history of violence, hasn't been seen in months. On a crisp autumn night, tragedy strikes again.
During a packed high school football game, 14-year-old Cheyenne Holt vanishes from a park bench while spectators cheer on the home team. The sheriff is stunned and incapable of reliving the nightmare of the past year. He immediately labels her a runaway, killing any chances of a public outcry or coordinated search effort.
No one is coming to help.
With the weight of injustice pressing down on her family and friends, those closest to Cheyenne vow to find her by any means necessary. Four friends venture into the vast wilderness searching for answers and willing to face whatever monsters await. Whether it's the lead suspect in Melody's case or someone worse and far more dangerous.
Someone closer to home.
During a packed high school football game, 14-year-old Cheyenne Holt vanishes from a park bench while spectators cheer on the home team. The sheriff is stunned and incapable of reliving the nightmare of the past year. He immediately labels her a runaway, killing any chances of a public outcry or coordinated search effort.
No one is coming to help.
With the weight of injustice pressing down on her family and friends, those closest to Cheyenne vow to find her by any means necessary. Four friends venture into the vast wilderness searching for answers and willing to face whatever monsters await. Whether it's the lead suspect in Melody's case or someone worse and far more dangerous.
Someone closer to home.
- GenresThriller
300 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 22, 2023
1 person is currently reading
131 people want to read
About the author
Ryan Young
3 books27 followersRyan Young is a writer and video producer with nearly twenty years of experience in the creative industry. After graduating from the inaugural Film Bachelor's program at Full Sail University, he fell in love with writing, producing, directing, and editing. Ryan lives in Orlando, Florida with his wife and kids. When he's not writing or filming, he's reading, cooking, working out, or traveling to places with some elevation.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
April 4, 2024
3.5 rounded up
September 15, 2023
Who Will Find Her – Ryan Young
*Book provided for an honest review*
“Murder is the third leading cause of death for Native women.” (Nativehope.org)
I’ve read a lot of thrillers, and even more police procedural books. I got stuck on that topic a few years ago and went all in for a while. So, when I say this book is unlike any police procedural I have read before, that means something. This book is definitely an adult book but is told largely from the perspective of children. It is fairly low on violence and dark material but has its moments.
The book starts a year after the disappearance of a teenage girl who was pretty, popular, and most importantly – white. The town has mourned her, demanded justice, held vigils, and memorials, and completed searches trying to bring her home. This year an indigenous girl is taken, and her disappearance is met with no commotion. The media doesn’t care, the town doesn’t care, and the police don’t care. She is labeled as a runaway from the beginning.
Her family cares. Her friends care. Her boyfriend cares. So, it is up to them to find her. This perspective of looking at the situation and having it be the children/teenagers who are trying to unravel the mystery was refreshing. Of course, there’s still a cop whose career is washed up and struggles with drinking, like every police book. But I don’t mind it so much here since it is not the focus of the story. And it is a good solid, mystery. I liked the choices the author made in the plot to not have a predictable bad guy.
The book does have pedophilia in it, so a heads-up on that one.
I realize I am talking more about the plot here than usual in my reviews, but I want to discuss the reality of this situation. The book is very good, you know what a thriller is, I think people should read it. 4 Stars
But what I appreciate the most about this story is Young’s decision to bring attention to a very real problem.
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) is a movement to combat the very real problem the book outlines. As Native Hope says, “It stands for all the missing sisters whose voices are not heard. It stands for the silence of the media and law enforcement in the midst of this crisis. It stands for the oppression and subjugation of Native women who are now rising up to say #NoMoreStolenSisters.”
“Not only is the murder rate ten times higher than the national average for women living on reservations but murder is the third leading cause of death for Native women.” (Nativehope.org). This lack of care or even interest Young talks about in the book is very real and incredibly harmful. No one can fix a problem people won’t even speak about.
Often their disappearances are written off as drugs, runaways, or not even investigated at all. “The youngest MMIW victim was a baby less than one year old and the oldest victim was an 83-year-old.” (Nativehope.org). Native women and children deserve just as much effort as anyone. This is a common problem for POC and is often left to their own communities to deal with, rather than having the resources of law enforcement. This needs to change.
If you want to find out more about this or have the urge to help, please visit the following links to learn more:
https://www.nativehope.org/missing-an...
https://pages.nativehope.org/mmiw-fun...
*Book provided for an honest review*
“Murder is the third leading cause of death for Native women.” (Nativehope.org)
I’ve read a lot of thrillers, and even more police procedural books. I got stuck on that topic a few years ago and went all in for a while. So, when I say this book is unlike any police procedural I have read before, that means something. This book is definitely an adult book but is told largely from the perspective of children. It is fairly low on violence and dark material but has its moments.
The book starts a year after the disappearance of a teenage girl who was pretty, popular, and most importantly – white. The town has mourned her, demanded justice, held vigils, and memorials, and completed searches trying to bring her home. This year an indigenous girl is taken, and her disappearance is met with no commotion. The media doesn’t care, the town doesn’t care, and the police don’t care. She is labeled as a runaway from the beginning.
Her family cares. Her friends care. Her boyfriend cares. So, it is up to them to find her. This perspective of looking at the situation and having it be the children/teenagers who are trying to unravel the mystery was refreshing. Of course, there’s still a cop whose career is washed up and struggles with drinking, like every police book. But I don’t mind it so much here since it is not the focus of the story. And it is a good solid, mystery. I liked the choices the author made in the plot to not have a predictable bad guy.
The book does have pedophilia in it, so a heads-up on that one.
I realize I am talking more about the plot here than usual in my reviews, but I want to discuss the reality of this situation. The book is very good, you know what a thriller is, I think people should read it. 4 Stars
But what I appreciate the most about this story is Young’s decision to bring attention to a very real problem.
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) is a movement to combat the very real problem the book outlines. As Native Hope says, “It stands for all the missing sisters whose voices are not heard. It stands for the silence of the media and law enforcement in the midst of this crisis. It stands for the oppression and subjugation of Native women who are now rising up to say #NoMoreStolenSisters.”
“Not only is the murder rate ten times higher than the national average for women living on reservations but murder is the third leading cause of death for Native women.” (Nativehope.org). This lack of care or even interest Young talks about in the book is very real and incredibly harmful. No one can fix a problem people won’t even speak about.
Often their disappearances are written off as drugs, runaways, or not even investigated at all. “The youngest MMIW victim was a baby less than one year old and the oldest victim was an 83-year-old.” (Nativehope.org). Native women and children deserve just as much effort as anyone. This is a common problem for POC and is often left to their own communities to deal with, rather than having the resources of law enforcement. This needs to change.
If you want to find out more about this or have the urge to help, please visit the following links to learn more:
https://www.nativehope.org/missing-an...
https://pages.nativehope.org/mmiw-fun...
July 7, 2025
Ryan Young is at it again with another tale that keeps you on the edge of your seat. I didn’t even know that a thriller was what I needed in my life until I started reading this book. I was immediately caught up in the case of a missing high school girl, someone who’s beautiful, popular, and whose disappearance absolutely rocks the small town she lives in.
Young builds the town around us by introducing prominent figures, the sheriff, high school kids who went to school with the missing girl, and the reporters covering the case. However, the case goes cold with no leads and no location for their one suspect. A sad and frustrated town is left to deal with the fact that she may never come home.
Another girl from the same town, the same high school, ends up missing. Though Cheyenne doesn’t quite have the reputation of the first girl, so she’s quickly chalked up as a runaway.
What ensues is the emotional journey friends and family endure to get her back.
From the beginning, Cheyenne has a love interest, Donovan, who is probably my favorite character. He never backs down from doing the right thing, and he never gives up on Cheyenne. Despite the news not giving Cheyenne’s disappearance any coverage, and the police not putting forth any effort to find her, Donovan persists and is the driving force behind the group of friends that take matters into their own hands. From there, Young writes a tense journey as the group stops at nothing to find their friend. They bond, they argue, they overcome fears.
Another perspective offered is from Cheyenne herself as she navigates her capture and displays incredible bravery in the face of the utmost terrifying event.
I had the pleasure of listening to this on audiobook. I listen to many audiobooks a month, and Young’s audiobooks are the only ones I’ve ever heard that contain soft music and sound effects. The narrator was impeccable.
I could not stop listening—I breezed through this book in 3 days. I had to know what happened, and I could not get enough of this story. An intense thriller, Who Will Find Her? delivers captivating characters, a twisty plot, and formidable friendships.
A FanFi Addict review
Young builds the town around us by introducing prominent figures, the sheriff, high school kids who went to school with the missing girl, and the reporters covering the case. However, the case goes cold with no leads and no location for their one suspect. A sad and frustrated town is left to deal with the fact that she may never come home.
Another girl from the same town, the same high school, ends up missing. Though Cheyenne doesn’t quite have the reputation of the first girl, so she’s quickly chalked up as a runaway.
What ensues is the emotional journey friends and family endure to get her back.
From the beginning, Cheyenne has a love interest, Donovan, who is probably my favorite character. He never backs down from doing the right thing, and he never gives up on Cheyenne. Despite the news not giving Cheyenne’s disappearance any coverage, and the police not putting forth any effort to find her, Donovan persists and is the driving force behind the group of friends that take matters into their own hands. From there, Young writes a tense journey as the group stops at nothing to find their friend. They bond, they argue, they overcome fears.
Another perspective offered is from Cheyenne herself as she navigates her capture and displays incredible bravery in the face of the utmost terrifying event.
I had the pleasure of listening to this on audiobook. I listen to many audiobooks a month, and Young’s audiobooks are the only ones I’ve ever heard that contain soft music and sound effects. The narrator was impeccable.
I could not stop listening—I breezed through this book in 3 days. I had to know what happened, and I could not get enough of this story. An intense thriller, Who Will Find Her? delivers captivating characters, a twisty plot, and formidable friendships.
A FanFi Addict review
September 8, 2023
My first thriller of the spooky months! Thank you so much to author Ryan Young for reaching out and sending me a copy of Who Will Find Her? in exchange for an honest review. This one kept me on my toes the whole time!
The small town of Hawksboro is thrown into a panic when a young girl disappears while on her daily run. To make matters scarier, a known predator has just been released from prison in the area and has skipped parole and disappeared. Both the town and the media immediately assume he’s involved. A year later and after no new leads, a second young woman named Cheyenne disappears. Frustrated with the authorities, four of Cheyenne’s closest friends take matters into their own hands and venture into the mountains surrounding the town to try and find her themselves.
This book was chilling! The moments that described the abductions from the young women’s perspectives were hard to read, but really helped further the urgency of the whole story. I can honestly say that I didn’t guess the big reveal until a few minutes before. I wouldn’t say that there were a ton of twists and turns in the traditional sense… more like a slow gathering of facts that forms the full picture. The suspense was definitely found in the situations the characters find themselves in and the imagery. There were some scenes I would describe as straight up horror honestly. He definitely knows how to paint a (gruesome) picture!
Overall, I really enjoyed this one! Who Will Find Her? comes out on September 22nd of this year!
The small town of Hawksboro is thrown into a panic when a young girl disappears while on her daily run. To make matters scarier, a known predator has just been released from prison in the area and has skipped parole and disappeared. Both the town and the media immediately assume he’s involved. A year later and after no new leads, a second young woman named Cheyenne disappears. Frustrated with the authorities, four of Cheyenne’s closest friends take matters into their own hands and venture into the mountains surrounding the town to try and find her themselves.
This book was chilling! The moments that described the abductions from the young women’s perspectives were hard to read, but really helped further the urgency of the whole story. I can honestly say that I didn’t guess the big reveal until a few minutes before. I wouldn’t say that there were a ton of twists and turns in the traditional sense… more like a slow gathering of facts that forms the full picture. The suspense was definitely found in the situations the characters find themselves in and the imagery. There were some scenes I would describe as straight up horror honestly. He definitely knows how to paint a (gruesome) picture!
Overall, I really enjoyed this one! Who Will Find Her? comes out on September 22nd of this year!
September 22, 2023
Content/trigger warnings: murder, pedophilia, violence, racism/racial discrimination, alcoholism, depression. Please also see Review Cat's review for more information about the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) movement.
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Ryan won me over through his debut novel, Keeper of the Dead, and he continues to impress with his latest thriller, Who Will Find Her? — which also happens to be out today! Happy book birthday! 🥳
I love multi-POV stories but this one had more than the usual amount. It worried me at first, because that could get confusing and unwieldy very quickly, but in no time, Ryan proved that he could tell a story just as effectively with an ensemble cast that ranged from children to adults. (I'm doubly impressed because I also write, and I know for a fact that juggling all those POVs is hard.) It was a great way to get to know the different characters (some I loathed more than others, LOL) while moving the story forward. Hawksboro might be a small town, but big things are happened there.
Now, unpopular opinions time: I thought the use of present tense was great. I could really feel the urgency, the tension. And I also liked the ending and how guttingly realistic some parts of it were... which is to say, Ryan made me feel things, as he did in Keeper of the Dead. I was happy and sad and upset and angry and disgusted. I worried about how the story could easily happen in real life — with perhaps an even gloomier, or worse, no resolution — which would really really suck. And I certainly felt that some of the things that happened and how they turned out were unfair. But, hey, I didn't pick this book up for escapism.
---
Ryan won me over through his debut novel, Keeper of the Dead, and he continues to impress with his latest thriller, Who Will Find Her? — which also happens to be out today! Happy book birthday! 🥳
I love multi-POV stories but this one had more than the usual amount. It worried me at first, because that could get confusing and unwieldy very quickly, but in no time, Ryan proved that he could tell a story just as effectively with an ensemble cast that ranged from children to adults. (I'm doubly impressed because I also write, and I know for a fact that juggling all those POVs is hard.) It was a great way to get to know the different characters (some I loathed more than others, LOL) while moving the story forward. Hawksboro might be a small town, but big things are happened there.
Now, unpopular opinions time: I thought the use of present tense was great. I could really feel the urgency, the tension. And I also liked the ending and how guttingly realistic some parts of it were... which is to say, Ryan made me feel things, as he did in Keeper of the Dead. I was happy and sad and upset and angry and disgusted. I worried about how the story could easily happen in real life — with perhaps an even gloomier, or worse, no resolution — which would really really suck. And I certainly felt that some of the things that happened and how they turned out were unfair. But, hey, I didn't pick this book up for escapism.
September 23, 2023
This is a murder mystery thriller based in the small town of Hawksboro, North Carolina. One year ago Melody Anderson went missing but there has been no sight of her. Suspicion, led by the media and in particular a determined newsreader, fell on a known predator who was recently released from prison. But he too is missing. A fast paced and exciting read with a good plot and well executed.
Briefly, at a local school football game 14 year old Cheyenne, a bullied cheerleader, disappears. The local police believe she has simply run away. Believing they are wrong a foursome of her friends including her brother, decide to check the nearby woods for themselves. What they don’t know is what awaits them.
A chilling read with very few likeable characters but the loyalty of the 4 kids in facing adversity is full of suspense, but what a shock in store for them! A riveting read with good twists and turns, very entertaining.
Briefly, at a local school football game 14 year old Cheyenne, a bullied cheerleader, disappears. The local police believe she has simply run away. Believing they are wrong a foursome of her friends including her brother, decide to check the nearby woods for themselves. What they don’t know is what awaits them.
A chilling read with very few likeable characters but the loyalty of the 4 kids in facing adversity is full of suspense, but what a shock in store for them! A riveting read with good twists and turns, very entertaining.
August 6, 2023
Who Will Find Her is my first time reading Young’s work. It’s a promising thriller that has me excited to check out his first novel, Keeper of the Dead. Sticking with this novel, WWFH is a harrowing thriller that has some serious The Body by Stephen King vibes. After two young girls go missing in a small North Carolina town, law enforcement proves to be little help, and a group of teens band together to find their missing friend. The book’s cast of characters were all well fleshed out and believable, even if I spent most of the book waiting for a certain news anchor to get their comeuppance. The sheriff was a particular favorite character. The disappearances had worn him down and Young did a masterful job portraying this. The mystery kept me guessing and the last forty pages had me racing to the finish to find out the fates of our young heroes.
August 21, 2023
To be released September 2023
Perfect for thriller and mystery lovers, Who Will Find Her? is a fast-paced nail-biter of a story.
I thought in the beginning that there were some unnecessary details that could have been weeded out, but the more I read, the more it all made sense.
I liked how well some of the characters were developed and not static. We are able to see the truly human side of them.
I do feel like the secondary storyline could have been left out as it added little, but this is a minor complaint as it did not take up a lot of the book.
I felt like the twist of the "whodunnit" was great, and there were so many moments of gasping and heart racing as it all unfolded. The ending was truly great.
I was pleasantly surprised, and I'd love to see more from this author!
I was given an electronic copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Perfect for thriller and mystery lovers, Who Will Find Her? is a fast-paced nail-biter of a story.
I thought in the beginning that there were some unnecessary details that could have been weeded out, but the more I read, the more it all made sense.
I liked how well some of the characters were developed and not static. We are able to see the truly human side of them.
I do feel like the secondary storyline could have been left out as it added little, but this is a minor complaint as it did not take up a lot of the book.
I felt like the twist of the "whodunnit" was great, and there were so many moments of gasping and heart racing as it all unfolded. The ending was truly great.
I was pleasantly surprised, and I'd love to see more from this author!
I was given an electronic copy of this book in return for an honest review.
February 15, 2024
When a beautiful young girl is taken from the small community of Hawksboro during her morning jog, the entire town searches for her and the abduction makes national news. Despite their best efforts, Melody isn't found and the case all but goes cold. The abductor is still out there, and nobody knows when he will strike next. Who, if anyone, will find her?
I enjoyed this one. Young's writing style is very character led, which is different from some of the popular thrillers at the moment, and features multiple POV. Young touches on subjects such as police incompetence, media bias and bullying in this engaging and suspenseful novel. I'll happily recommend to anyone looking for their next thrill!
I enjoyed this one. Young's writing style is very character led, which is different from some of the popular thrillers at the moment, and features multiple POV. Young touches on subjects such as police incompetence, media bias and bullying in this engaging and suspenseful novel. I'll happily recommend to anyone looking for their next thrill!
September 19, 2024
Small town murder mystery, a gaggle of brave friends and a serial killer…well, if that doesn’t sound perfect….I’m not sure what will. Lol
This is an extremely fast paced cat and mouse story. Girls are going missing and we have a dejected sheriff trying to solve a case as well as the most recent missing girls group of teenagers. All of the characters are flawed, likeable and you just can’t help rooting for them. I finished this in one sitting because I had to see the end result and I must say, I was surprised. This is great to add to your spooky season TBR and for fans of twisty thrillers and found family. Thank you so much to @ryanyoungwriter for my copies! Can’t wait to read Keeper of the Dead.
This is an extremely fast paced cat and mouse story. Girls are going missing and we have a dejected sheriff trying to solve a case as well as the most recent missing girls group of teenagers. All of the characters are flawed, likeable and you just can’t help rooting for them. I finished this in one sitting because I had to see the end result and I must say, I was surprised. This is great to add to your spooky season TBR and for fans of twisty thrillers and found family. Thank you so much to @ryanyoungwriter for my copies! Can’t wait to read Keeper of the Dead.
August 4, 2023
We've all thought about it, especially if you're a parent. A child disappears and the trail goes cold. What do you do? Do you wait on law enforcement? Do you take matters into your own hands? In Who Will Find Here? author Ryan Young weaves an enthralling web of narratives as the citizens of Hawksboro, NC grapple with not one but two disappearances over the course of a year. From the lies we tell ourselves to get by, to the lengths we'll go for the ones we love, Who Will Find Her? will rivet you from start to finish with a story that's both new and thrilling, and terrifyingly familiar. This is a thrill you don't want to miss!
August 25, 2023
👻 Book Review 👻
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Small town life meets girls going missing, a police department with no leads, and a group of friends determined to find their friend Cheyenne, who is believed to have run away, but her friends know that isn’t the case. As the town is gripped with terror Cheyenne’s friends set off on their own investigation to find her. What the find will have you questioning everyone you know and everyone you trust.
Fast paced, edge of your seat thriller that will keep you wanting more until the very last page!
On sale September 22, 2023! Just in time for spooky season!
Thanks to @ryanyoungwriter for the ARC! Available for preorder now!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Small town life meets girls going missing, a police department with no leads, and a group of friends determined to find their friend Cheyenne, who is believed to have run away, but her friends know that isn’t the case. As the town is gripped with terror Cheyenne’s friends set off on their own investigation to find her. What the find will have you questioning everyone you know and everyone you trust.
Fast paced, edge of your seat thriller that will keep you wanting more until the very last page!
On sale September 22, 2023! Just in time for spooky season!
Thanks to @ryanyoungwriter for the ARC! Available for preorder now!
October 21, 2023
Thanks so much to the author for sending me a copy of this to check out! I really enjoyed it. I love a good thriller and this is one of them. Young does a great job creating twists you don’t see coming. I definitely didn’t predict who the killer was! The story and characters were great and you really care for them and root for them and they had great chemistry. Would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves thrillers and horror.
August 6, 2023
Unfolding in North Carolina, Who Will Find Her? is an engrossing tale of crime, corruption, and the pursuit of justice for loved ones. Young captures the angry hell of loss without closure, senseless murder, and blood-wrought justice, wrapping it all in a grand mystery. An excellent novel that you'll want to binge like a true crime documentary.
September 18, 2023
Unputdownable. This book was intense straight from the start. It kept me guessing and I was shook at who actually dunnit. I seriously didn’t see that coming. This was my first book by the author and it won’t be my last.
April 19, 2024
An engaging crime thriller that fills you with questions from the beginning. Great story that takes a group of teenagers on an adventure. Heart warming and a fantastic twist at the end which I did not see coming.
November 3, 2023
Good story.
November 10, 2023
Who Will Find Her? is a harrowing crime novel that will leave even the bravest readers double-checking the locks at night. Ryan Young has written the binge-read Southern thriller of the year.
October 16, 2025
What a great Duo- I listened to this book- Hoover Lynn is a gem and Young is definitely talented.
June 10, 2025
This was a great audiobook experience! The added sound effects really transformed the scenes and drew me in even more! The characters were well written and it was thrilling watching the kids be brave and adventurous. I kept waiting for the reveal and was pleasantly surprised by how it turned out.
September 24, 2023
Who Will Find Her is the perfect read for thriller/mystery/crime fans. It’s a fast paced thriller with a great and unexpected twist at the end - it has kept me on the edge of my seat! I also very much enjoyed that it was written from multiple perspectives, the sheriff‘s, Cheyenne‘s (although due to the subject matter, these passages were a bit difficult to read at times, so that’s something to be aware of!) as well as her family and friends’ who are looking for her.
(free arc in exchange for an honest review)
(free arc in exchange for an honest review)
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews