Missing White Woman

by Kellye Garrett, Ariel Blake (Narrator)

12 hours

A "propulsive page-turner" (Alyssa Cole) and "thriller not to be missed" (Michael Connelly) from the award-winning author of Like a Sister, in which a woman thinks she’s waking up to a romantic vacation—only to find a body in her rental home and her boyfriend gone.

The truth is never skin deep.

It was supposed to be a romantic getaway weekend in New York City. Breanna’s new boyfriend, Ty, took care of everything—the train tickets, the dinner reservations, the rented four-story luxury rowhouse in Jersey City with a beautiful view of the Manhattan skyline. But when Bree comes downstairs their final morning, she’s shocked. There’s a stranger laying dead in the foyer, and Ty is nowhere to be found.

A Black woman alone in a new city, Bree is stranded and out of her depth—especially when it becomes clear the dead woman is none other than Janelle Beckett, the missing woman the entire Internet has become obsessed with. There’s only one person Bree can turn to: her ex-best friend, a lawyer with whom she shares a very complicated past. As the police and a social media mob close in, all looking for #JusticeForJanelle, Bree realizes that the only way she can help Ty—or herself—is to figure out what really happened that last night.

But when people only see what they want to see, can she uncover the truth hiding in plain sight?

"Fantastic. Only Garrett could craft a tale so adroitly attuned to our everyday fears." —S. A. Cosby, New York Times bestselling author of All the Sinners Bleed

“Taut, suspenseful, and packed with heart.” —Meg Gardiner, New York Times bestselling author of Heat 2

"Expertly mixes sorrow and grief, humor and identity, with the chaos of social media." —Rachel Howzell Hall, New York Times bestselling author of What Never Happened

"Bree is unforgettable . . . you are in for such a ride." —Rachel Hawkins, New York Times bestselling author of The Villa

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Audiobook, Contemporary, Adult

Audiobook

First published April 30, 2024

About the author

Kellye Garrett’s crime fiction novels have been featured on the Today Show, won numerous awards, and named to Time Magazine’s 100 Best Mystery & Thrillers of All Time. After breaking into publishing with the Detective by Day lightweight mystery series, she transitioned into standalone suspense. The latest is Missing White Woman, a twisty thriller and "compulsive page-turner" (Harlan Coben) about a woman who thinks she’s waking up to a romantic vacation—only to find a body in her rental home and her boyfriend gone. It was an Apple Books Staff Pick, Amazon Editors’ Pick, Reader's Digest June 2024 Book Club selection and the CBS New York Club Calvi Spring Book Club pick.In addition, Kellye is a co-founder of Crime Writers of Color, which received the 2023 Raven Award from MWA. You can learn more at https://kellyegarrett.com.

Reviews

[Laura Lovesreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book felt all too real, I had to double check it was fiction.

Imagine going away for a romantic getaway with your boo and the whole time spent he is busy working and giving you half assed attention, but you try not to let it get to you because he is a hardworking man and your just such an understanding person… blah blah blah. But then on your last day of the getaway you wake up to not only find your man MIA but there is a woman completely disfigured, bloodied up and deceased in your foyer! OH HELLLLLLL NAWWWWW ‘what the frig is going on?’

Well this is poor Breeana’s issue here! She is all by herself with no answers and the police are treating her like a perpetrator and its only fueled worse by YouTube phenomenon Billie who is covering the case and the herd mentality is REAL!
With the help of her ex best friend Adore (who is a Lawyer) Bree is going to try and get to the bottom of all of this!

⋆｡°✩WHAT I LIKED⋆｡°✩
➽ Bree! She is not perfect; she is flawed and it made it so easy to root for her (for the most part!)
The mixed media
➽The accuracy of how internet sleuths can mess up investigations with all their conspiracy theories
➽I did not guess the twist, so added bonus!
➽The social commentary of how hard it is for BIPOC women to survive or even be taken seriously in today’s society.
➽The ending

⋆｡°✩WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE⋆｡°✩
➽Slow paced book
➽The metaphors used were borderline cringe and had me squirming with second hand embarrassment.
➽Ty’s backstory or present story really would have benefited to be told.
➽The ending

Missing White Woman had me consuming this in two sittings. Had it been a fast paced book, I would have seriously struggled to put it down. It worked for me because it’s relatable and I could empathise with Bree’s fear and frustration.
The relationship between Bree and Adore was interesting to read, personally Bree is better than me, because Adore would’ve been put in a severe headlock, but everyone’s choices and decisions are different I guess.
Billie the youtuber with her performative ass was irritating AF! But again, her character felt very real, and I couldn’t help but just laugh at her ways because I’m pretty sure this is how a lot of content creators behave behind the scenes in real life.
This is more of a character driven book than plot and reads more contemporary focusing on social and cultural issues.
I’m a bit conflicted with the ending as I would have liked a bit more of the aftermath, but I also understand what it was done that way because in real life I can see it exactly getting played out as such.
Overall this was a good solid thriller

3.5 ⭐






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⋆｡°✩pre read⋆｡°✩
Imagine going on a romantic getaway with your partner only to wake up the morning after with him missing and a deceased woman in your foyer!!!!
This sounds like it’s going to be juicy AF!!!🤞🏾🤞🏾❤️

[Jessica Woodbury · Rating 2 out of 5]

The pieces were all there but this never gelled for me. Disliked the boyfriend from the jump, which really didn't help matters. The central mystery was much less interesting than the friendship drama, but then the friendship drama gets mostly dropped near the end.

[Linzie (suspenseisthrillingme) · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was supposed to be a romantic getaway weekend in New York City. Breanna’s new boyfriend, Ty, took care of everything—the train tickets, the dinner reservations, the rented four-story luxury rowhouse in Jersey City with a beautiful view of the Manhattan skyline. But when Bree comes downstairs their final morning, she’s shocked. There’s a stranger laying dead in the foyer, and Ty is nowhere to be found.

A Black woman alone in a new city, Bree is stranded and out of her depth—especially when it becomes clear the dead woman is none other than Janelle Beckett, the missing woman the entire Internet has become obsessed with. There’s only one person Bree can turn to: her ex-best friend, a lawyer with whom she shares a complicated past. As the police and a social media mob close in, all looking for #JusticeForJanelle, Bree realizes that the only way she can help Ty—or herself—is to figure out what really happened that last night.

But when people only see what they want to see, can she uncover the truth hiding in plain sight?

Stupendously twisty. Seriously unputdownable. Downright addictive. All three of those statements describe Missing White Woman to a T. After all, with a plot that grabbed me right from the start and a premise layered with serious topics, there simply wasn’t a thing not to love. I mean, the characters were even divine. More than anything, however, Bree was my favorite. Relatable and true-to-life, her flaws made her shine and her personality had me rooting for her from beginning to end.

A character-driven tale if there ever was one, that’s not to say that the suspense wasn’t palpable. Overlaying that was a plot that twisted and turned as revelations fell like dominos. More than once I was convinced that I knew what had happened, but each and every time I was pleased to be shocked to my core when I was utterly wrong. Better still was how each scene seemed to unfold before me as if on a screen. Realistic yet also perfectly dramatized, each hit just the right chord.

I can’t forget to mention the insight into two serious matters. Namely that of the difficulties of being BIPOC in our society and the very real ramifications of social media on the truth. Experiencing the entire situation from Bree’s POV was a novel and new take on a missing person’s case as well as a rare look into what being Black in America must be like for many. Both gave the plot a startlingly original slant to a tried and true premise that underlined the realistic feel to this book.

All in all, this Hitchcockian storyline rife with surprises also contained plenty of wit to make this book a star. From its perfectly timed climax to the dynamite conclusion, everything just slotted into place with perfection. I promise, I’m not exaggerating. So if you like a riveting tale of suspense alongside some true in your face realism, this book is for you. As for me, I’ll just be adding all of Garrett’s backlist to my TBR ASAP. Rating of 5 stars.

Thank you to Kellye Garrett and Mulholland Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

PUB DATE: April 30, 2024

Trigger warning: racism, being framed by police, getting doxed

[Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kellye Garrett is an auto-read author for me through and through. I fell in love with her storytelling after her previous novel, LIKE A SISTER, was released so I knew that I needed to read MISSING WHITE WOMAN. If you aren't on the Kellye Garrett train, all aboard!!

The story is centered around Breanna (Bree) and her boyfriend Ty and the development of their relationship when a missing woman (Janelle Beckett) ends up dead in their airbnb. This woman has been in the news lately for her disappearance, and it has to be noted that the media attention has grown immensely because she's white. It's no secret that white women get more attention when missing than BIPOC women (look up the stats and don't drag me for telling the truth). Bree and Ty must navigate the insane media attention now thrust upon their lives. Bree realizes she must reconnect with an ex-best friend, attorney Adore. Adore joins the mix and the story begins a journey of investigation and discovery, dealing with matters that don't want to be exposed.

MISSING WHITE WOMEN dives into the complexities of "missing white woman" syndrome and the difficulties of being Black in America. It is also a compelling character-driven story, more so than any of Garrett's other releases, so if you want to read a slower-paced story, this is your book. That being said, I still read it in two sittings. MISSING WHITE WOMAN touches into everyday fears that many BIPOC women experience, so please go into this book knowing that as it could be triggering for BIPOC women. Bree is a fantastic protagonist and one you will root for from beginning to end. I can't wait to see what Kellye Garrett has in story next!

[Kate · Rating 1 out of 5]

WOW - this is so absurdly bad on so many levels that I truly do not have the words. I will leave you with this:

Writers, please, for the love of Pete do NOT repeat the same phrase over and over and over in your books. Please stop.

[Lynn Peterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. This book really started off start and captured my attention all the way …. Til the last part. Then it just didn’t work any longer. There was just a bit too many “huh?” moments which is too bad bc the premise was really really good.

[JanB · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was smart, fun, and bonkers! Breanna is on a romantic vacation with her new boyfriend Ty in a luxurious rented house. They are having a great time, until she wakes one morning to find Ty missing and a dead body in the living room.

In recent days, the disappearance of a young woman, Janelle, has gone viral and the public and the Internet is obsessed with the case. A famous influencer conducts her own “investigation”.

When a dead white woman shows up in Breanna & Ty’s apartment you can imagine the mob mentality. The public is convinced the dead woman is the missing Janelle.

Meanwhile, Bree is all alone in a new city while being treated like the perp by the police and in the court of public opinion. She’s on a mission to figure out what really happened.

The plot is fast-paced and engaging, and for a popcorn read (meaning just enjoy the ride but don’t look too closely), this was great fun.

[Sherri Burrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just okay. Very plain. The way the MC was obsessed over Ty was so annoying!

[Ceecee · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 can’t decide if rounded up or down so RTC when I’ve mulled. Mulled. Going 4.

Breanna‘s new boyfriend Ty has arranged a gorgeous Airbnb for a romantic weekend get away in New York City. Everything seems okay, although some of Ty’s behaviour is a bit odd. On the final day of her stay, she wakes to find that Ty has gone and there’s a dead body in the living room. This proves to be that of a missing woman Janelle Beckett. What on earth has happened? Is Ty responsible? Eventually, Brianna realises the only way she can help Ty and herself come to that, is to discover the truth.

This is an extremely readable, twisty, character driven thriller, a just go with the flow read. It covers some serious issues such as white victim/black suspect, the impact/influence of social media on criminal investigations and the subsequent media frenzy.

My main criticism of the book is at times the pace is slow. However, the message of the book is really good.

[Demetrius]

DNF & 58% this book was trash and the narration for the audiobook was horrible.

[Michelle’s Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this but unfortunately I only kinda liked it. This was such a good premise, a couple goes on vacation and then someone dies in their airbnb but ugh, Bree the MC absolutely drove me crazy. Also I feel like we went around in circles so many times I cannot tell you how many times we were told that Bree went and went into a hotel like ??? Idk I am sad.

[Keila (speedreadstagram) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was supposed to be a romantic getaway weekend in New York City. Breanna’s new boyfriend Ty took care of everything. But when Bree comes downstairs the final morning, she’s shocked. There’s a stranger lying dead in the foyer, and Ty is nowhere to be found.

A Black woman alone in a new city, Bree is stranded and out of her depth. There’s only one person Bree can turn to, her ex-best friend, a lawyer who shares a very complicated past. As the police and a social media mob close in, Bree realizes the only way she can help Ty, or herself, is to figure out what really happened that night.

This was a compelling read with an interesting premise. I loved the characters, Bree and her relationship with Ty, then getting to know Adore was also a lot of fun. I found the later relationship to be the primary focus of the book and rather nuanced and complex. I also loved the tie ins with the Instagram live episodes. They added some levity to a heavy topic and really helped break the book up and make it a fun read. The problem I had with this one was the pacing. I just can’t see how others are saying it was fast paced, as I found it to be quite the opposite. I found it slow and easy to put down. I struggled with it because it just felt like hardly anything was going on. I hate it when I am trying to get into a thriller and my mind wanders all over because I’m just not pulled in. I wanted to like this one more than I did, because it had so many elements going for it that would work, however, just in the end, the pacing is what did it in for me and made this a four and not a five-star read.

I think that this is a solid thriller, albeit on the slower side pacing wise, and it is a good read.

[Marcela · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had such high hopes for this book, sort of a Get Out-esque commentary if you will on missing white women, but unfortunately the book was terrible all around.

Even when I realized this book wasn’t going to be satirical, taking it for what it is was not helpful at all. The writing was weak, as if I was reading this on Wattpad, and the subplot was ridiculously predictable. Not sure if the first person point of view debilitated the book, but I’m leaning toward the unnecessary dialogue and juvenile narration.

I listened to the audiobook and the very first time the protagonist remembers the moment when she saw the dead body was cool to hear in that echo, that was until the author decided to repeat it a thousand times over and it pissed the hell out of me.

The characters too were beyond annoying, getting themselves in stupid situations and not connecting the dots in reasonable timing. Don’t even talk to me about the ending either, corny as hell.

[Rosa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I *really* wanted to like this one; it's a great concept, but unfortunately I found it to be quite poorly written.

The repetition of 'The hair, the hands, the jeans, the blood covering it all' got really annoying really fast. Although, to be fair to the writer, I was listening to the audiobook and it's possible that it was made more obnoxious by the fact that it sounded like they had just recorded the narrator saying that bit once and just re-used the same clip each time, and they also used this echoey flashback-y effect over it which did get quite grating.

The book was also full of really awkward metaphors. The worst one was along the lines of "I inhaled as sharply as my uncle was dressed at the most recent family cookout." Sometimes, figurative language isn't needed and can just be distracting, especially if it isn't done particularly well.

I also didn't find the characters to be very interesting. I felt like they were all there to represent something about society, but they weren't actually interesting characters by themselves. For example: Ty represents the way society villifies black men and paints them as aggressors against white women. Billie represents the toxicity of Tiktok true crime influencers. Janelle represents the way white women use their white woman-hood as a weapon against black people. That could all be interesting, but who are these characters outside of what they represent? What makes them unique, what makes them feel human? In my opinion, not a lot. I cared about Breanna and Ty because it's terrible that this is the kind of stuff that black people in the US have to go through, but I didn't really care about them as actual characters. And in a work of fiction, that's a pretty big problem.

I also found that the friendship between Breanna and Adore was massively underdeveloped. Again, mostly because there just isn't really a lot to these characters outside of the role they play in the story. I liked the way this plot wrapped up but it would have been *so* much more satisfying if it had been developed more.

TLDR: this is a wonderful concept; the writer wanted to make a point about society and I think she succeeded in that regard. If she had been just as concerned with writing well-rounded characters and relationships, this might have been a good novel. Unfortunately, the lack of development in these areas paired with a clunky writing style and awkward metaphors meant that this one didn't work for me.

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slow burning murder mystery with so many twists and turns that I couldn’t put it down!

Breanna was so looking forward to a romantic weekend away in New York with her boyfriend Ty. He seems preoccupied with work and on his phone all the time. One morning she wakes late, Ty is nowhere to been seen and there is a dead woman in their Air BNB…. And the nightmare begins.

I don’t want to say too much more about the story as it is best just to go with it. It covers themes of racism, social media influence, friendship and so much more. I was so caught up in the story and the situations the characters were in that I lost track of time.

Thanks so much to Mullholland Books for my advanced copy of this book to read. Published on April 30th.

[Jordyn Roesler | Sorry, Booked Solid · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book's initial premise and the overall commentary it's making on the sensationalism behind missing white women cases (especially in the age of social media) and villainization of black suspects and/or victims. I think those elements alone make this book worth a read, because it's a topic not often explored in literature and especially in the mystery/thriller genre. For me, this book's pace stayed pretty slow and as a result my entertainment waned a lot over the course of it, and I think I was less invested by the point of the major reveals than I should have been. I'd still recommend this to anyone who thinks the premise or message sound interesting or important, and I'll be following everything this author continues to write in the future.

[Armoni97]

i didn’t like this at all but i cannot tear her down bc why are there white people in the 1 star reviews saying this book was racist im screaming

[Melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cover and concept immediately grabbed my attention but the execution was just lacking. Stale figurative language and the writing was just unremarkable. The main character felt underdeveloped and I just didn’t care about the plot. I’m sad!

[Kennedy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️

This was a captivating and timely thriller that felt incredibly realistic, especially with its portrayal of TikTok true crime influencers and their herd mentality followers. Garrett does an excellent job highlighting the disparities in how victims and suspects are treated based on various factors, making it a thought-provoking read. While the ending felt a bit abrupt, the book's strong social commentary and engaging narrative made it interesting.

[Aeriell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Talk about a vacation from hell. Nothing like a good ole weekend with you man when you find out he really isn’t who you thought it was…or is he? Missing White Woman had me on the edge of my seat tuned in. I felt like i was solving this case in real time like the internet sleuths. But boy was I irritated with everybody literally. Right off bat I was not feeling the character Billie she irked me and reminded me of several irl content creators lol but I won’t go in too much on her. Bree i was so mad and irritated with how she was moving especially considering her last like girl get it together. And then Adore infinity eye roll emojis her way because she was foul. But the messaging behind this book was great and it highlighted some cons to “viral” moments and the bad behaviors of people on the internet. The real victim was Ty and the whole details of what was going on was explained but the one thing it lacked to me was the why? Why was this plan executed. It would’ve been great to get another POV maybe the male main character.

3.5⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley and Mulholland Books for this e-ARC.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to enjoy this more than I did. I even put this book down for a while in hopes that I would enjoy it more in a different headspace.

Our main character was annoying and dumb. I don't feel like I got to know Ty or care about what was going on with him. The ending was super rushed. The twist was giving bad soap opera.

I still am interested in reading more Kellye Garrett because I think I would probably like another one of her books better.

[Elven Wolf · Rating 1 out of 5]

Done in poor taste. Lest we never forget the victims of male violence regardless of their ethnicity. Missing white women aren’t less of victims because of their ethnicity. In years time this will be one we scrub from history for realizing how vile and narrow minded it is. So many young white women have been abducted and never found whose names you’ve never even heard. They’re victims. Period.

[Berit☀️✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Compelling Stars 📱🩸🗽

This was a compulsive character-driven thriller. Bree is on vacation in Jersey City with her new boyfriend, Ty. On the last day of their trip, she wakes up to find a bloody body in the living room and no sign of Ty. Bree was a great character, flaws and all, and I enjoyed spending time in her head throughout the story. The book touches on some serious issues, such as missing white woman syndrome and racial profiling. It also explores the influence of social media influencers on criminal investigations. With so many of us getting our news on Twitter or Instagram, how accurate is it when an algorithm dictates everything we see? This addictive slow-burn thriller draws you in and makes you think.

[Stacy Pugh · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last third of this book made no sense whatsoever. The tragic tale of a mystery book that starts out red hot and fizzles at the end.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

This premise was fantastic and a fresh take on a missing persons story, Bree is on a weekend getaway with her new boyfriend, Ty and on their last morning she comes downstairs to find a dead body and no sign of Ty. That’s all I’ll share about plot details but this was quite a ride. I wouldn’t say it was super fast paced but it definitely wasn’t slow for me either, more steady with sly reveals and tricky turns along the way. The character development was so strong, I really felt like I knew Bree and the author did a deep dive into how social media and the media in general can impact a flashy case, aka when a pretty white woman disappears. I’ve read two thrillers by the author now and I have to say, she brings something unique and standout to the genre.

[Dakota · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty boring and all over the place. None of the characters were particularly likable. Felt like this story was much longer than it needed to be

[Krazy K · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring. The plot DID NOT THICKEN!

[Bookphile · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one just did not work for me. There was so much going on, and I never felt like it all came together. Bree was far too credulous for me to find her all that believable, and I figured out most of the twists long before they arrived. The murder plot was very convoluted, which would have been okay had there been less of the other stuff going on and more of a fleshing out of the events surrounding the murder.

However, I did think this book had some great things to say about the ways in which social media can really muck things up when it comes to investigations. When I think of all the true crime podcasts out there, and all the amateur sleuths on the internet, I'm honestly amazed that any investigations are successful. My trust in the police is most definitely not implicit, but I do think it would be better for all concerned if there were fewer people poking around into investigations, particularly when those people are using crimes as a platform to increase their own reach and enrich themselves.

I also appreciated the commentary about the ways in which suspects and victims are viewed differently depending on their skin color. While I did appreciate that the author took the trope of the pretty missing white woman and everyone's desperate search to find her and flipped it on its head, I wish that whole aspect of things had been better developed. The concept was so great I was eager to read this book, but I was disappointed in the execution.

[johnny ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

a romantic getaway weekend turns into a murder investigation.

bree and ty are staying in an airbnb, excited to spend some much needed time together. however, after ty goes to work, bree wakes up to find a dead, white, blonde woman. bree finds herself, and her boyfriend, as primary suspects as the media builds a narrative surrounding a "scary" black man stalking and killing a white woman. a beauty influencer's tiktok blows up, and bree feels trapped and pinned into a corner. where is ty? could he possibly have killed someone?

this book has great social commentary about how the media prioritizes missing white women over missing black women. a white woman's story generates more buzz and in a systemically racist society, it is easy for the media to pin the crime on a black person.

however, the beginning is rather slow. the pacing is completely thrown off near the end. bree seems a bit flat at times, like her character wasn't very fleshed out. still, it's a very enjoyable read.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Kendall · Rating 2 out of 5]

The cover and concept immediately grabbed my attention. But then…The synopsis is more interesting than what actually happened in the book. It was basic. Bree (MC) had no depth that developed and was quite flat. The beginning dragged. While the ending blazed through much too quickly. Abruptly it ends and then I was left questioning what the hell actually happened. I would have liked to get more definitive answers on how the murder took place. I appreciate the social commentary on the missing white woman syndrome and internet trolls/vigilantes. Overall, this lacks depth on all fronts for me though. Thanks to NetGalley & Mulholland Books for my ARC!