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Boom Town
Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl meets P-Valley in Nic Stone’s adult thriller debut about two missing erotic dancers from Atlanta’s most notorious gentlemen's club and the woman committed to finding them.
When Damaris “Charm” Wilburn, a new daytime dancer, is missing for her shift at Boom Town, former headliner Michah “Lyriq” Johanssen suspects something more than a “no call, no show.” As Lyriq’s former headline partner and lover—Felice “Lucky” Carothers—also vanished under similar circumstances, Lyriq decides she’s going to find them.
Delving deeper into Charm and Lucky’s disappearances, Lyriq uncovers a tangled web of deceit, privilege, and power. The line between friend and foe blurs, forcing Lyriq to confront the Is finding for these women worth the threat to her own life?
This tantalizing thriller will take you on a heart-pounding and page turning journey through the peaks and valleys of Atlanta’s underworld.
When Damaris “Charm” Wilburn, a new daytime dancer, is missing for her shift at Boom Town, former headliner Michah “Lyriq” Johanssen suspects something more than a “no call, no show.” As Lyriq’s former headline partner and lover—Felice “Lucky” Carothers—also vanished under similar circumstances, Lyriq decides she’s going to find them.
Delving deeper into Charm and Lucky’s disappearances, Lyriq uncovers a tangled web of deceit, privilege, and power. The line between friend and foe blurs, forcing Lyriq to confront the Is finding for these women worth the threat to her own life?
This tantalizing thriller will take you on a heart-pounding and page turning journey through the peaks and valleys of Atlanta’s underworld.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 14, 2025
223 people are currently reading
37100 people want to read
About the author
Nic Stone
47 books4,625 followersNic Stone was born and raised in a suburb of Atlanta, GA, and the only thing she loves more than an adventure is a good story about one. After graduating from Spelman College, she worked extensively in teen mentoring and lived in Israel for a few years before returning to the US to write full-time. Growing up with a wide range of cultures, religions, and backgrounds, Stone strives to bring these diverse voices and stories to her work.
Stone lives in Atlanta with her husband and two sons. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram at @getnicced or on her website nicstone.info.
Stone lives in Atlanta with her husband and two sons. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram at @getnicced or on her website nicstone.info.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 532 reviews
December 4, 2025
Boom Town is a gritty, haunting, and emotionally charged thrill ride that peels back the layers of glitz, power, and pain in Atlanta’s underground nightlife. In her adult thriller debut, Nic Stone delivers a bold and fearless narrative that doesn’t just entertain—it confronts, questions, and cuts deep.
From the opening chapter, you know this isn’t your average whodunnit. The mystery begins when Damaris “Charm” Wilburn—one of the newer dancers at Boom Town, the city’s most infamous gentlemen’s club—fails to show up for her shift. For most, it might be written off as a no-show. But for Michah “Lyriq” Johanssen, a former headliner who’s danced her way through pain and power struggles alike, it triggers something deeper. Especially because another dancer—Lyriq’s former partner and secret lover, Felice “Lucky” Carothers—disappeared in eerily similar fashion not long before.
What begins as a search turns into a descent—into a maze of hidden agendas, buried trauma, and the invisible ways society fails to protect women like Charm and Lucky. As Lyriq starts asking questions no one wants to answer, the tension escalates fast, and so does the danger. Every lead opens another door, every conversation adds a new piece to the puzzle, and every answer seems to reveal a darker truth.
Stone writes with intensity and empathy, illuminating the spaces where justice is often an afterthought—particularly when the missing are Black women working in industries that society deems disposable. But here, these women aren’t background noise—they are the heart of the story. Complicated, strong, flawed, loving, angry, afraid, and determined. Lyriq, in particular, is a standout—a woman shaped by loss, fueled by loyalty, and unafraid to dive into the fire to get the truth, even when the world around her would rather she disappear too.
The pacing ebbs and flows—some parts burn slow while others hit with explosive force—but that uneven rhythm feels reflective of real investigation: moments of frustration, followed by breakthroughs, then the weight of what those discoveries mean. The multiple points of view and time jumps require your attention, but they also reward it, adding depth and complexity to the unfolding narrative. Each layer you peel back reveals something more unsettling than the last.
What struck me most was how Boom Town walks a fine line between thriller and social commentary. It grips you with suspense, then quietly delivers gut punches of truth—about gender, race, class, power, and the silence that protects abusers. It's unapologetically raw, unapologetically Black, and deeply resonant.
This isn’t just a story about missing women. It’s a story about who’s allowed to go missing without consequence—and who dares to refuse invisibility. Lyriq’s relentless pursuit of answers becomes a powerful act of resistance, of care, and ultimately, of justice.
A very huge thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for sharing this thought-provoking, intense thriller’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts. This one will linger long after the final page—it’s bold, it’s fierce, and it matters.
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From the opening chapter, you know this isn’t your average whodunnit. The mystery begins when Damaris “Charm” Wilburn—one of the newer dancers at Boom Town, the city’s most infamous gentlemen’s club—fails to show up for her shift. For most, it might be written off as a no-show. But for Michah “Lyriq” Johanssen, a former headliner who’s danced her way through pain and power struggles alike, it triggers something deeper. Especially because another dancer—Lyriq’s former partner and secret lover, Felice “Lucky” Carothers—disappeared in eerily similar fashion not long before.
What begins as a search turns into a descent—into a maze of hidden agendas, buried trauma, and the invisible ways society fails to protect women like Charm and Lucky. As Lyriq starts asking questions no one wants to answer, the tension escalates fast, and so does the danger. Every lead opens another door, every conversation adds a new piece to the puzzle, and every answer seems to reveal a darker truth.
Stone writes with intensity and empathy, illuminating the spaces where justice is often an afterthought—particularly when the missing are Black women working in industries that society deems disposable. But here, these women aren’t background noise—they are the heart of the story. Complicated, strong, flawed, loving, angry, afraid, and determined. Lyriq, in particular, is a standout—a woman shaped by loss, fueled by loyalty, and unafraid to dive into the fire to get the truth, even when the world around her would rather she disappear too.
The pacing ebbs and flows—some parts burn slow while others hit with explosive force—but that uneven rhythm feels reflective of real investigation: moments of frustration, followed by breakthroughs, then the weight of what those discoveries mean. The multiple points of view and time jumps require your attention, but they also reward it, adding depth and complexity to the unfolding narrative. Each layer you peel back reveals something more unsettling than the last.
What struck me most was how Boom Town walks a fine line between thriller and social commentary. It grips you with suspense, then quietly delivers gut punches of truth—about gender, race, class, power, and the silence that protects abusers. It's unapologetically raw, unapologetically Black, and deeply resonant.
This isn’t just a story about missing women. It’s a story about who’s allowed to go missing without consequence—and who dares to refuse invisibility. Lyriq’s relentless pursuit of answers becomes a powerful act of resistance, of care, and ultimately, of justice.
A very huge thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for sharing this thought-provoking, intense thriller’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts. This one will linger long after the final page—it’s bold, it’s fierce, and it matters.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
September 28, 2025
Nic Stone’s foray into the world of adult fiction in the form of a sapphic literary thriller, featuring pitch perfect social commentary on the lack of attention missing women of color receive, was just as good as I anticipated it to be. Those who enjoyed We Don’t Talk About Carol should add this to their radar.
📆 Pubs: October 14, 2025
Thank you Simon Books and Simon Audio for the advanced copies.
📆 Pubs: October 14, 2025
Thank you Simon Books and Simon Audio for the advanced copies.
October 4, 2025
This book has such an interesting premise, I was drawn to the synopsis and real life events this book shadows. We are launched into two main characters, Lucky and Lyriq in a dual POV. Lucky and Lyriq are dancers at the hottest strip club in Atlanta. Lucky mysteriously disappears and Lyriq is forced to move on. Another young dancer goes missing under similar circumstances and Lyriq resolves to find out what happened.
I struggled with this one and I can’t put my finger on why. The dual POV was also a time skip, so you were going back in time for Lucky’s POV and then forward for Lyriq’s. And of course, Lucky and Lyriq are stage names, however the author uses their real and stage names somewhat interchangeably. Often there’s nicknames thrown in, too. I felt like a few times I couldn’t figure out who was telling the story or who they were talking to. I love what Nic Stone was going for, but I don’t think it quite got there for me. There were quite a few times I felt like this was hard to read, the prose was clunky and overly descriptive on minor plot points and not descriptive enough on the big ones. I have to give Stone props. It’s hard to be a YA author and make the transition to adult fiction. While this book wasn’t for me, I feel like she’s going to find her sweet spot soon and be a powerhouse. I will be looking out for her future works!
Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I struggled with this one and I can’t put my finger on why. The dual POV was also a time skip, so you were going back in time for Lucky’s POV and then forward for Lyriq’s. And of course, Lucky and Lyriq are stage names, however the author uses their real and stage names somewhat interchangeably. Often there’s nicknames thrown in, too. I felt like a few times I couldn’t figure out who was telling the story or who they were talking to. I love what Nic Stone was going for, but I don’t think it quite got there for me. There were quite a few times I felt like this was hard to read, the prose was clunky and overly descriptive on minor plot points and not descriptive enough on the big ones. I have to give Stone props. It’s hard to be a YA author and make the transition to adult fiction. While this book wasn’t for me, I feel like she’s going to find her sweet spot soon and be a powerhouse. I will be looking out for her future works!
Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
October 8, 2025
First thing, I want to say this book has some trigger warnings for sexual abuse and domestic violence.
This book was a fairly good read. It was really kind of an odd story of strange obsession, from several different characters. There is a couple of different story lines that merge at the end, but there were a few times I was like, how is this important? But it was a well written, quick read, just make sure you can handle the subject content.
Thank you to Net Galley and Simon and Schuster for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This book was a fairly good read. It was really kind of an odd story of strange obsession, from several different characters. There is a couple of different story lines that merge at the end, but there were a few times I was like, how is this important? But it was a well written, quick read, just make sure you can handle the subject content.
Thank you to Net Galley and Simon and Schuster for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 20, 2025
Friends, this book was not for me. This is a novel about a group of exotic dancers at a club in Atlanta called Boom Town. I really appreciate that the author wanted to tell the story of women who go missing that are the ones no one talks about. Women of color, exotic dancers, sex workers. However, I had a hard time following this one.
The main reason why is because I had a tough time keeping the character straight. All of the women dancers have a given name, as well as a stage name, and sometimes also a nickname. I could really remember their storylines and kept having to go back and re-read. The narrative also jumps back-and-forth between the present time and a year ago, and reading on Kindle. It was easy to get mixed up in what time period i was reading. I also Didn’t really visualize the age differences appropriately, which made the ending a little more confusing.
The characters in general just didn’t seem well developed to me, and I did find the nature of the book to be a bit disturbing.
So while this story wasn’t my favorite, I could see others enjoying it due to the provocative, gritty setting.
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC. Book to be published 10/14/25
The main reason why is because I had a tough time keeping the character straight. All of the women dancers have a given name, as well as a stage name, and sometimes also a nickname. I could really remember their storylines and kept having to go back and re-read. The narrative also jumps back-and-forth between the present time and a year ago, and reading on Kindle. It was easy to get mixed up in what time period i was reading. I also Didn’t really visualize the age differences appropriately, which made the ending a little more confusing.
The characters in general just didn’t seem well developed to me, and I did find the nature of the book to be a bit disturbing.
So while this story wasn’t my favorite, I could see others enjoying it due to the provocative, gritty setting.
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC. Book to be published 10/14/25
August 6, 2025
FIVE FREAKING STARS!!!!! I will be recommending this book to anyone that listens!
Wow that ending just had me floored!! I absolutely devoured this book. It's a mystery + psychological thriller + plus women's fiction & that combo was literally the perfect balance.
The multiple POVs provide an insight into the mindset of each character and honey that epilogue really brought me to tears. Getting a peek into the past & present also heightened my questions of what really happened to Charm & Lucky. The fact that two missing dancers are linked to the same person had me on the edge of my seat. And the interconnectedness of them all came together in the best way possible.
And let's be honest, any book set in ATL has me intrigued. I love the small nuances like Boom Town, Purple Unicorn and the descriptions of areas I know.
Nic Stone is an auto-buy author for me and her first adult novel really took it up a notch!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. Opinions are completely my own.
Wow that ending just had me floored!! I absolutely devoured this book. It's a mystery + psychological thriller + plus women's fiction & that combo was literally the perfect balance.
The multiple POVs provide an insight into the mindset of each character and honey that epilogue really brought me to tears. Getting a peek into the past & present also heightened my questions of what really happened to Charm & Lucky. The fact that two missing dancers are linked to the same person had me on the edge of my seat. And the interconnectedness of them all came together in the best way possible.
And let's be honest, any book set in ATL has me intrigued. I love the small nuances like Boom Town, Purple Unicorn and the descriptions of areas I know.
Nic Stone is an auto-buy author for me and her first adult novel really took it up a notch!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. Opinions are completely my own.
September 9, 2025
Nic Stone’s adult debut BOOM TOWN was one of my most anticipated fall 2025 reads so I was floored when @simonbooks sent me a copy for review, thank you! I love any book set in at a strip club and I knew that the messaging was of subject matter that needs to be talked about—when Black women go missing, they do not receive the same media outrage that white women do.
When two erotic dancers vanish from Atlanta’s notorious Boom Town club, former headliner Michah “Lyriq” Johanssen sets out to uncover the truth, drawn in by the disappearance of her former partner and lover as well. As Lyriq searches, she’s forced to navigate a dangerous web of deceit, privilege, and power, questioning whether finding the missing women is worth risking her own life.
This book isn’t really a deeply intricate mystery—you kind of know early on what’s happening. That doesn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story, but go into this book knowing it’s more of a literary fiction than a mystery/thriller. It’s a slower paced novel that took longer than I wanted to given how short it is, but I enjoyed the ride and I hope Nic Stone continues to write adult fiction.
When two erotic dancers vanish from Atlanta’s notorious Boom Town club, former headliner Michah “Lyriq” Johanssen sets out to uncover the truth, drawn in by the disappearance of her former partner and lover as well. As Lyriq searches, she’s forced to navigate a dangerous web of deceit, privilege, and power, questioning whether finding the missing women is worth risking her own life.
This book isn’t really a deeply intricate mystery—you kind of know early on what’s happening. That doesn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story, but go into this book knowing it’s more of a literary fiction than a mystery/thriller. It’s a slower paced novel that took longer than I wanted to given how short it is, but I enjoyed the ride and I hope Nic Stone continues to write adult fiction.
May 28, 2025
CW: human trafficking, rape, sexual assault,
Boom Town is a twisty, deep and gripping story on the dark side of Atlanta, Georgia. Two dancers who go missing and a third who commits to solving the mystery of what happened to them. Throughout the novel we get various perspectives, slowly revealing what happened before and after each woman goes missing. It focuses on the intriguing world of strip/dance clubs, sisterhood, survival and safety. This is Nic Stone’s first adult novel. Stone highlights the sights and sounds of Atlanta.
The issues that the book brings up are the social commentary of racial and sexual power dynamics, the invisibility of Black women.
September 16, 2025
Boom Town by Nic Stone is a mystery thriller centered on three exotic dancers in Atlanta, told from all of their perspectives. The book dives into the darker side of the industry, touching on the dangers of sex trafficking while layering in mystery and suspense. I really enjoyed the thriller aspects, the tension, the danger, and the sense that something sinister was always just beneath the surface.
That said, I did find myself wishing for more from the characters. With so many nicknames being used, it sometimes became confusing to keep track of who was who, and it kept me from connecting with them in a deeper way. I also thought the book might explore Atlanta itself more fully, giving the city a stronger presence as a backdrop to the story.
Overall, Nic Stone captures the stakes of the world these women live in, but I felt the execution left room for a richer understanding of the workers themselves. Still, the mystery held my attention and kept me reading through to the end.
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the advanced readers’ copy of the book.
That said, I did find myself wishing for more from the characters. With so many nicknames being used, it sometimes became confusing to keep track of who was who, and it kept me from connecting with them in a deeper way. I also thought the book might explore Atlanta itself more fully, giving the city a stronger presence as a backdrop to the story.
Overall, Nic Stone captures the stakes of the world these women live in, but I felt the execution left room for a richer understanding of the workers themselves. Still, the mystery held my attention and kept me reading through to the end.
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the advanced readers’ copy of the book.
October 20, 2025
4.25 Stars ✨
If you’re needing a quick and captivating story — pick this one up! I easily binged this one over a few hours. The audiobook has several narrators and was well done.
I found this the tiniest bit predictable and it took a little bit to settle into the character names (we get stage names, real names, pet names, etc to identify characters), which is why this didn’t get a full 5 stars from me.
Note: I read this immersively (audio and ebook) to make sure I was retaining all the info. Between the various names, POV changes, and Before vs Current timelines, I could see this becoming confusing for some.
Nonetheless, this was enjoyable and had solid pacing for a thriller!
📚Eeekk just realized this is my 200th book of 2025! This is certainly a memorable one to hit that milestone!📚
If you’re needing a quick and captivating story — pick this one up! I easily binged this one over a few hours. The audiobook has several narrators and was well done.
I found this the tiniest bit predictable and it took a little bit to settle into the character names (we get stage names, real names, pet names, etc to identify characters), which is why this didn’t get a full 5 stars from me.
Note: I read this immersively (audio and ebook) to make sure I was retaining all the info. Between the various names, POV changes, and Before vs Current timelines, I could see this becoming confusing for some.
Nonetheless, this was enjoyable and had solid pacing for a thriller!
📚Eeekk just realized this is my 200th book of 2025! This is certainly a memorable one to hit that milestone!📚
December 15, 2025
The multiple POVs threw me off. You have to really focus when listening. I’m going to have to listen again 😩
June 28, 2025
Rule #245 NO CRYING AT THE PYNK
Special thanks to the author & @simonandschuster for my gifted copy‼️
Most people know Nic Stone for being a YA author but sis took a step on the wild side with her new adult thriller debut Boom Town. They said this was Gone Girl meets P-Valley but it’s more like Players Club meets P-Valley.
When former headliner Michah aka Lyriq returns to work her dance partner in crime and secret lover Felice “Lucky” is nowhere to be found. Lyriq doesn’t find it suspicious until another dancer Damaris “Charm” also goes missing. This could’ve just been a coincidence but Lyriq knew better than that. And when she discovers the two may have been involved with the same club regular red flags go up and she’s determined to get to the bottom of it.
The book does start off a bit slow and may confuse you because the author uses their real names and stage names. But when things hit the fan there’s an overflow of drama, tension, and a bit of violence thrown in the mix. Bones was a shady business owner and I felt like he always knew more than he was willing to say. Once Thomas McIntyre is introduced his character is exactly who you think he’s gonna be. All I will say is he is Myron from Player’s Club but white lol.
The author did a great job building up the suspense but by part 4 things start to fall flat. I loved the direction she was going with it and how she continuously twisted the plot to make things connect. But there still ended up being too many plot holes and I hate being left with unanswered questions. The author failed to give us the why behind it all. I also didn’t like how the book ended but that could just be me.
Overall, this was very entertaining just be prepared for the multitude of characters and how quickly things transition from one character to the next. The pacing was up and down and with the book being broken into 4 parts things really didn’t pick up until we get closer to part 2. I get why the author chose to write such a story but I don’t think her message came across clearly. However, I loved it and recommend you guys read it.
Special thanks to the author & @simonandschuster for my gifted copy‼️
Most people know Nic Stone for being a YA author but sis took a step on the wild side with her new adult thriller debut Boom Town. They said this was Gone Girl meets P-Valley but it’s more like Players Club meets P-Valley.
When former headliner Michah aka Lyriq returns to work her dance partner in crime and secret lover Felice “Lucky” is nowhere to be found. Lyriq doesn’t find it suspicious until another dancer Damaris “Charm” also goes missing. This could’ve just been a coincidence but Lyriq knew better than that. And when she discovers the two may have been involved with the same club regular red flags go up and she’s determined to get to the bottom of it.
The book does start off a bit slow and may confuse you because the author uses their real names and stage names. But when things hit the fan there’s an overflow of drama, tension, and a bit of violence thrown in the mix. Bones was a shady business owner and I felt like he always knew more than he was willing to say. Once Thomas McIntyre is introduced his character is exactly who you think he’s gonna be. All I will say is he is Myron from Player’s Club but white lol.
The author did a great job building up the suspense but by part 4 things start to fall flat. I loved the direction she was going with it and how she continuously twisted the plot to make things connect. But there still ended up being too many plot holes and I hate being left with unanswered questions. The author failed to give us the why behind it all. I also didn’t like how the book ended but that could just be me.
Overall, this was very entertaining just be prepared for the multitude of characters and how quickly things transition from one character to the next. The pacing was up and down and with the book being broken into 4 parts things really didn’t pick up until we get closer to part 2. I get why the author chose to write such a story but I don’t think her message came across clearly. However, I loved it and recommend you guys read it.
December 30, 2025
A well planned, researched look at professional dancers in a thriving city.
This book is going to live in my heart for years.
Stone wastes no words on the brutal reality of women, BIPOC women, disappearing. Their shocking lack of resources.
When are we going to invest in our women?
Women save Women. BIPOC save BIPOC.
These women have no choice but play a demure role to survive with the rage and community they create.
This book is going to live in my heart for years.
Stone wastes no words on the brutal reality of women, BIPOC women, disappearing. Their shocking lack of resources.
When are we going to invest in our women?
Women save Women. BIPOC save BIPOC.
These women have no choice but play a demure role to survive with the rage and community they create.
November 4, 2025
When young adult authors make the leap into adult fiction, the transition can sometimes feel like a half-step—the youthfulness of YA just with aged up characters. But, Nic Stone has kicked the door down with her adult debut novel, Boom Town, a dark investigative thriller.
Part Gone Girl, part P Valley, with echoes of Player’s Club and Hustle and Flow, Boom Town plunges readers into the neon-lit underworld of Atlanta’s most infamous Black strip club. When two erotic dancers vanish without a trace, one woman determined to uncover the truth. What unfolds is a dark, moody, socially aware mystery that delves into who holds power, who disappears, and how race and sex dictate the rules of the game.
What I especially appreciated was that Stone doesn’t frame the world of exotic dancing as negative or positive -- she simply lays out the facts and lets the story speak for itself. That level of narrative restraint is uncommon and powerful.
Boom Town was everything I hoped and expected it to be. It is dark, moody, and unapologetically raw. I was hooked from the very first sentence—I couldn't turn the pages fast enough and devoured this book in one day.
Boom Town is out now.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Simon & Schuster, and Nic Stone for the advanced digital copy.
Part Gone Girl, part P Valley, with echoes of Player’s Club and Hustle and Flow, Boom Town plunges readers into the neon-lit underworld of Atlanta’s most infamous Black strip club. When two erotic dancers vanish without a trace, one woman determined to uncover the truth. What unfolds is a dark, moody, socially aware mystery that delves into who holds power, who disappears, and how race and sex dictate the rules of the game.
What I especially appreciated was that Stone doesn’t frame the world of exotic dancing as negative or positive -- she simply lays out the facts and lets the story speak for itself. That level of narrative restraint is uncommon and powerful.
Boom Town was everything I hoped and expected it to be. It is dark, moody, and unapologetically raw. I was hooked from the very first sentence—I couldn't turn the pages fast enough and devoured this book in one day.
Boom Town is out now.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Simon & Schuster, and Nic Stone for the advanced digital copy.
October 19, 2025
Thank you Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for providing a free advance digital copy!
3.75⭐️ out of 5
Two exotic dancers working at Atlanta’s Boom Town strip club have gone missing. A former headliner at the place, Micah “Lyriq” Johanssen is searching for answers in regards to their disappearance but digging deep for the truth might come at a terrible cost.
I read mysteries and thrillers fairly often and I appreciate the author offering something different for readers. It’s important to note that so many victims involved in the sex industry are often dismissed, overlooked, forgotten, you name it. They are people who have hopes and dreams and fears just like the rest of us. I like how they were given a voice in this story and it serves as a reminder we as a society need to stop latching on to this so called perfect victim bs.
As much as I liked what this novel brought to the table, some things got lost in the shuffle. There was some room for development with both the plot and characters. Even with that small criticism, I still say it’s a book worth reading.
3.75⭐️ out of 5
Two exotic dancers working at Atlanta’s Boom Town strip club have gone missing. A former headliner at the place, Micah “Lyriq” Johanssen is searching for answers in regards to their disappearance but digging deep for the truth might come at a terrible cost.
I read mysteries and thrillers fairly often and I appreciate the author offering something different for readers. It’s important to note that so many victims involved in the sex industry are often dismissed, overlooked, forgotten, you name it. They are people who have hopes and dreams and fears just like the rest of us. I like how they were given a voice in this story and it serves as a reminder we as a society need to stop latching on to this so called perfect victim bs.
As much as I liked what this novel brought to the table, some things got lost in the shuffle. There was some room for development with both the plot and characters. Even with that small criticism, I still say it’s a book worth reading.
December 18, 2025
I liked how this was less "whodunnit" and more "wake up!! and see what the world ignores".
2025
October 3, 2025Black History Month TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster
October 27, 2025
I love that Stone is writing for adults, and this is so well done. A lot of YA authors try for adult books but it’s just YA with a 27-year-old protagonist who acts 17… (Looking at you Holly Jackson, sorry). But Stone’s characters feel adult and the story was really compelling. Unfortunately, I feel like it’s a lot of build-up (excellent suspense) just to totally gloss over the critical action and the emotional beat that should have ended the book. I think even 10 extra pages - 5 for the climax and 5 for the emotional ending - would have completely elevated this book.
But while I'm picking it apart, I have thoughts...
That said, the writing was great and fully pulled me in. I read it in just a few hours because I wanted to know what happened.
But while I'm picking it apart, I have thoughts...
That said, the writing was great and fully pulled me in. I read it in just a few hours because I wanted to know what happened.
January 13, 2026
Synopsis:
When a dancer goes missing from Atlanta’s infamous Boom Town, Lyriq (former star turned manager) fears history is repeating itself after her former partner vanished years earlier. As she searches for the truth, Lyriq is pulled into a dangerous world of secrets, power, and betrayal.
My Thoughts:
Boom Town is dark, gritty and doesn’t shy away from heavy themes. At its core, this book is about the cost of silence, what happens when women are exploited by men in power and when race determines whose pain is taken seriously. Nic Stone handles these themes with intention and that aspect of the story really stayed with me.
The writing itself was immersive. Stone's prose pulled me straight out of my living room and dropped me into Boom Town, with music pounding, tension thick in the air, and danger lurking around every corner.
The structure occasionally made the story hard to follow. With multiple timelines and POVs, I found myself pausing to reorient. I also struggled with how heavily sexualized the narrative was. While the story centers on nightclub dancers, it often felt excessive and took away from the plot rather than enhancing it.
Boom Town is unflinching and imperfect, yet loud in the ways that matter.
When a dancer goes missing from Atlanta’s infamous Boom Town, Lyriq (former star turned manager) fears history is repeating itself after her former partner vanished years earlier. As she searches for the truth, Lyriq is pulled into a dangerous world of secrets, power, and betrayal.
My Thoughts:
Boom Town is dark, gritty and doesn’t shy away from heavy themes. At its core, this book is about the cost of silence, what happens when women are exploited by men in power and when race determines whose pain is taken seriously. Nic Stone handles these themes with intention and that aspect of the story really stayed with me.
The writing itself was immersive. Stone's prose pulled me straight out of my living room and dropped me into Boom Town, with music pounding, tension thick in the air, and danger lurking around every corner.
The structure occasionally made the story hard to follow. With multiple timelines and POVs, I found myself pausing to reorient. I also struggled with how heavily sexualized the narrative was. While the story centers on nightclub dancers, it often felt excessive and took away from the plot rather than enhancing it.
Boom Town is unflinching and imperfect, yet loud in the ways that matter.
December 29, 2025
3.5* rounded to 4
In this house we love Nic Stone.
In this house we love Nic Stone.
November 4, 2025
what a twisty read. this book kept me engaged and wanting to know how this story was going to end. the twist toward the end of the book really had me shook. I loved the different povS and timelines. heavy subject matter so please read trigger warnings. the characters were thoroughly developed and felt very dimensional.
thank you to netgalley and Simon and shuster for an advance readers copy for my honest review.
thank you to netgalley and Simon and shuster for an advance readers copy for my honest review.
September 14, 2025
Boom town is Nic Stone's debut adult thriller(ish) and has a great premise. After having read her MG and YA books, I knew Stone would give us something gritty, different and with a message. And with comparing it to Gone Girl meets P-Valley, my expectations were high.
We are brought into the story with missing women (and a body part) all set in Atlanta and in the sex worker industry. Told from multiple POVs and a past present timeline, the story builds up to what made these women go missing and what connected these women.
Usually having multiple POVs does not confuse me as much as this one did, but I think it was simply the names (Lucky and Lyriq) and the fact that the names were also interchanged. Given names, with dancer names with nicknames. I couldn't keep the point of views straight and had to keep referring back to the beginning of the chapter to see who we were talking about. For that reason, I was continuously pulled out of the story, even though the idea was there. It just lacked the execution to keep me on my toes.
Taking that into account, I still liked the idea of the story with sex workers and how that all came together with treatment from a certain white client (check the content warnings) as well as a past connection that at once seemed irrelevant. A faster paced story that was not too terribly long, Boom Town is like a mix of social commentary with an edgy mystery/thriller that definitely has potential, but didn't hit quite like how I expected. Still worth a read for the subject matter alone.
We are brought into the story with missing women (and a body part) all set in Atlanta and in the sex worker industry. Told from multiple POVs and a past present timeline, the story builds up to what made these women go missing and what connected these women.
Usually having multiple POVs does not confuse me as much as this one did, but I think it was simply the names (Lucky and Lyriq) and the fact that the names were also interchanged. Given names, with dancer names with nicknames. I couldn't keep the point of views straight and had to keep referring back to the beginning of the chapter to see who we were talking about. For that reason, I was continuously pulled out of the story, even though the idea was there. It just lacked the execution to keep me on my toes.
Taking that into account, I still liked the idea of the story with sex workers and how that all came together with treatment from a certain white client (check the content warnings) as well as a past connection that at once seemed irrelevant. A faster paced story that was not too terribly long, Boom Town is like a mix of social commentary with an edgy mystery/thriller that definitely has potential, but didn't hit quite like how I expected. Still worth a read for the subject matter alone.
August 10, 2025
idk.. y’all sayin P-Valley but it gave “Delinda's Dolls” (no dudes lol) from “Beauty in Black.”
I wanted messy secrets, sharp twists, and a story that wouldn’t let me go. What I got was… good in parts, but the pacing kept breaking the vibe.
The multi-POV, the back and forth between present and past, characters going by and nickname then government name made it hard for me to keep the character and storyline straight.
It was almost a DNF, but I wanted to see it through.
Thank you @netgalley, @SimonBooks, & @nicstone for this digital ARC.
I wanted messy secrets, sharp twists, and a story that wouldn’t let me go. What I got was… good in parts, but the pacing kept breaking the vibe.
The multi-POV, the back and forth between present and past, characters going by and nickname then government name made it hard for me to keep the character and storyline straight.
It was almost a DNF, but I wanted to see it through.
Thank you @netgalley, @SimonBooks, & @nicstone for this digital ARC.
June 26, 2025
Nic Stone's adult debut is a page turner. Lyriq, an exotic dancer, searches for her missing friend, after another young woman at her club disappears. Filled with twists and turns, her investigation focuses on a wealthy white man who has an obsession with her friend and all who resemble her. This read interrogates, power and race as well as those who are looked down upon, because of their less than professions.
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
October 15, 2025
Okay
I love Nic Stone’s work, but this wasn’t a favorite of mine. It had a slow start. I was struggling to keep the characters straight. Towards the middle, the story picked up. I was getting into it. Then the storyline started to feel convoluted. It was interesting enough to keep reading, but it didn’t win me over. I feel like I should read it again at a later date to see if I can connect with it.
I love Nic Stone’s work, but this wasn’t a favorite of mine. It had a slow start. I was struggling to keep the characters straight. Towards the middle, the story picked up. I was getting into it. Then the storyline started to feel convoluted. It was interesting enough to keep reading, but it didn’t win me over. I feel like I should read it again at a later date to see if I can connect with it.
January 17, 2026
actual rating: 4/5 stars
the final chapter december 2025 bookclub pick
i really enjoyed nic stone's first venture into the adult age category. unlike some other authors i have read recently that have attempted the same shift, she actually succeeds at making this feel adult. she makes this feel different than her ya books but they still carry the same thematic DNA. even though it had some structural issues that held it back from being perfect, the social commentary and the heart of this story are what make it so powerful. and that's what's going to truly stick with me long after i forget the few technical issues i did have.
this book gets marketed as "gone girl meets p-valley" but it reminded me way more of the movie blink twice. wealthy man trapping women at an isolated property, psychological horror woven throughout, commentary on who gets to disappear without consequences. but definitely bringing in the same sex work themes as p-valley. that comparison clicked for me in a way the gone girl one didn't, and i think if you loved blink twice you'll probably love this.
the themes about missing black women hit so hard because it is such a horrid reality of my community. not just black women either. so many women of color go missing, and they are never found. justice is never served. their family will never know what happened to their loved one. and sex workers are even more predisposed to being forgotten. they often just disappear and nobody reports them missing, nobody cares, nobody even notices they're gone. even when their communities and loved ones do everything in their power to find them, the systems fail them. nic stone handled the portrayal of boom town and the dancers so respectfully. she didn't moralize stripping or judge the work itself. she showed that the problem wasn't the dancing, it was the exploitation. the wage theft, the lack of protection, being seen as disposable by society. that distinction matters so much and i loved that she made it crystal-clear.
the setting of the strip club and atlanta's underworld was moody and atmospheric in the best way. the characters felt real and complex, and i genuinely cared about them and their relationships. the villain was terrifying specifically because he felt realistic. he wasn't over-the-top or cartoonishly evil in a way we would view a typical antagonist. he was just a wealthy white man who knew he could get away with anything because of his wealth, power, and privilege, and that's the most horrifying kind of villain because people like him exist everywhere. this hits especially hard right now with the injustice actions of our current administration and the actions they are taking against entire communities and targeting people of color. they know they have wealth, power, and privilege which they are using to try and force us into being okay with our neighbors, our family members, our friends, getting kidnapped by a domestic terrorist organization.
i loved the moments where women chose solidarity with each other across racial and class lines. the commentary on race was more overt than blink twice, which i really appreciated because that is my only thing that could make that movie better for me, even so it's a 6 star movie for me. 10/10. there's also a perspective from a homeless woman character that grounded the story and represented the invisible people in society, the ones we walk past without seeing, which again is something we need to address more in our society.
the climax and ending felt cathartic and right. messy and brutal and real. there were some plot twists that genuinely shocked me and added emotional weight i wasn't expecting. when this book lands, it lands hard.
despite loving the themes, i did get a bit lost throughout this book because the structure was genuinely confusing at times. there are multiple POVs and timelines, and everyone has multiple names, and we're constantly jumping between past and present. i often had trouble tracking whose perspective i was in and when we were in the timeline. i could see this being intentional since i've seen other media purposefully disorient viewers (again, blink twice lol), but this felt more like a lack of differentiation than a deliberate choice, and i think it actually lessened the impact of the themes. the women blurred together a little too much for my liking. i won't say the pacing was slow per se, but it definitely could have been tightened up. there were times when there was a lot of heavy exposition, backstory upon backstory, that sometimes pulled me out of the forward momentum of the plot.
but despite those issues, i loved what this book was trying to say. the themes around the invisibility of black women, the impossible choices characters had to make to survive, the cycles of violence and exploitation, the power dynamics around race and sex and money. motherhood and protection taking on different forms. all of that will stay with me.
this book made me think about all the real women out there living similar stories, those of which i know especially. this is why i love books that don't just entertain but actually say something important.
thank you to netgalley, simon & schuster, and nic stone for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
the final chapter december 2025 bookclub pick
i really enjoyed nic stone's first venture into the adult age category. unlike some other authors i have read recently that have attempted the same shift, she actually succeeds at making this feel adult. she makes this feel different than her ya books but they still carry the same thematic DNA. even though it had some structural issues that held it back from being perfect, the social commentary and the heart of this story are what make it so powerful. and that's what's going to truly stick with me long after i forget the few technical issues i did have.
this book gets marketed as "gone girl meets p-valley" but it reminded me way more of the movie blink twice. wealthy man trapping women at an isolated property, psychological horror woven throughout, commentary on who gets to disappear without consequences. but definitely bringing in the same sex work themes as p-valley. that comparison clicked for me in a way the gone girl one didn't, and i think if you loved blink twice you'll probably love this.
the themes about missing black women hit so hard because it is such a horrid reality of my community. not just black women either. so many women of color go missing, and they are never found. justice is never served. their family will never know what happened to their loved one. and sex workers are even more predisposed to being forgotten. they often just disappear and nobody reports them missing, nobody cares, nobody even notices they're gone. even when their communities and loved ones do everything in their power to find them, the systems fail them. nic stone handled the portrayal of boom town and the dancers so respectfully. she didn't moralize stripping or judge the work itself. she showed that the problem wasn't the dancing, it was the exploitation. the wage theft, the lack of protection, being seen as disposable by society. that distinction matters so much and i loved that she made it crystal-clear.
the setting of the strip club and atlanta's underworld was moody and atmospheric in the best way. the characters felt real and complex, and i genuinely cared about them and their relationships. the villain was terrifying specifically because he felt realistic. he wasn't over-the-top or cartoonishly evil in a way we would view a typical antagonist. he was just a wealthy white man who knew he could get away with anything because of his wealth, power, and privilege, and that's the most horrifying kind of villain because people like him exist everywhere. this hits especially hard right now with the injustice actions of our current administration and the actions they are taking against entire communities and targeting people of color. they know they have wealth, power, and privilege which they are using to try and force us into being okay with our neighbors, our family members, our friends, getting kidnapped by a domestic terrorist organization.
i loved the moments where women chose solidarity with each other across racial and class lines. the commentary on race was more overt than blink twice, which i really appreciated because that is my only thing that could make that movie better for me, even so it's a 6 star movie for me. 10/10. there's also a perspective from a homeless woman character that grounded the story and represented the invisible people in society, the ones we walk past without seeing, which again is something we need to address more in our society.
the climax and ending felt cathartic and right. messy and brutal and real. there were some plot twists that genuinely shocked me and added emotional weight i wasn't expecting. when this book lands, it lands hard.
despite loving the themes, i did get a bit lost throughout this book because the structure was genuinely confusing at times. there are multiple POVs and timelines, and everyone has multiple names, and we're constantly jumping between past and present. i often had trouble tracking whose perspective i was in and when we were in the timeline. i could see this being intentional since i've seen other media purposefully disorient viewers (again, blink twice lol), but this felt more like a lack of differentiation than a deliberate choice, and i think it actually lessened the impact of the themes. the women blurred together a little too much for my liking. i won't say the pacing was slow per se, but it definitely could have been tightened up. there were times when there was a lot of heavy exposition, backstory upon backstory, that sometimes pulled me out of the forward momentum of the plot.
but despite those issues, i loved what this book was trying to say. the themes around the invisibility of black women, the impossible choices characters had to make to survive, the cycles of violence and exploitation, the power dynamics around race and sex and money. motherhood and protection taking on different forms. all of that will stay with me.
this book made me think about all the real women out there living similar stories, those of which i know especially. this is why i love books that don't just entertain but actually say something important.
thank you to netgalley, simon & schuster, and nic stone for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
December 7, 2025
I would give it a 4.5, but you know… Goodreads.
I really enjoyed this book. I think the characters were raw and the tale was gritty. I thought I knew what to expect going in, but I was pleasantly surprised to get even more.
I really enjoyed this book. I think the characters were raw and the tale was gritty. I thought I knew what to expect going in, but I was pleasantly surprised to get even more.
December 9, 2025
3.5⭐️
Full review to come!
Full review to come!
January 9, 2026
4.5 stars! I was hooked on this book from the beginning. The multiple POVs took a minute to adjust to when I was listening to the audio but was easy to follow after (thanks to the different audio narrators).
The audio narrators including Bahni Turpin (one of my absolute favorite) were excellent.
The story line was dramatic, violent (I know something is wrong with me) and fast paced.
I have heard this book by Nic Stone compared to S.A. Cosby’s writing. I see it.
⚠️Trigger Warnings: Sexual violence
The audio narrators including Bahni Turpin (one of my absolute favorite) were excellent.
The story line was dramatic, violent (I know something is wrong with me) and fast paced.
I have heard this book by Nic Stone compared to S.A. Cosby’s writing. I see it.
⚠️Trigger Warnings: Sexual violence
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