Missing Sam

by Thrity Umrigar

From bestselling author Thrity Umrigar, a thrilling and haunting story of an Indian-American woman who becomes the prime suspect when her wife goes missing.

When Aliya and Samantha have a fight one night, Samantha goes for a run early the next morning—and doesn’t come back. 

Aliya reports her wife Samantha as missing, but as a gay and Muslim daughter of immigrants, she’s immediately suspected by her neighbors in Samantha's disappearance. Scared and furious and feeling isolated as everyone around her doubts her innocence, Aliya makes one wrong choice after another. All the while, Samantha is being held captive, strategizing how to escape before things escalate even more. Meanwhile, Aliya must fight to prove her innocence in the public eye and save her wife. But is safety ever truly possible for these women even after Samantha is rescued?

A provocative examination of suburban mores, Missing Sam captures the terror manifested in today’s political climate, and the real dangers, both physical and psychological, of being Brown and queer in America.

Genres: Mystery, LGBT, Queer, Thriller, Fiction, Contemporary, Mystery Thriller

320 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication January 27, 2026

About the author

A journalist for seventeen years, Thrity Umrigar has written for the Washington Post, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, and other national newspapers, and contributes regularly to the Boston Globe's book pages. Thrity is the winner of the Cleveland Arts Prize, a Lambda Literary award and the Seth Rosenberg prize. She teaches creative writing and literature at Case Western Reserve University. The author of The Space Between Us, Bombay Time, and the memoir First Darling of the Morning: Selected Memories of an Indian Childhood, she was a winner of the Nieman Fellowship to Harvard University. She has a Ph.D. in English and lives in Cleveland, Ohio. (from the publisher's website)"

Reviews

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first glance, Sam and Aliya are the perfect picture of a modern American couple; the two women live in a suburban home in Ohio and have been married for several years. Ali, an Indian-American entrepreneur, runs her own successful interior design business while Sam is a college professor. Their lives are abruptly changed however, when Sam disappears the morning after a heated fight between the two, and Ali must reckon with her disappearance. In the days that follow, Ali's forced to confront her growing worry and shame, and is unprepared for the public backlash that follows. In the weeks that follow, her neighbors and clients begin to suspect her involvement in her wife's disappearance, a fact exacerbated by the fact she's a gay Muslim woman.

The novel alternates between Sam's and Ali's perspectives, giving insight into Sam's imprisonment at the hands of an unknown captor, until two months later when Sam is found. The trauma and abuse she's suffered in that time comes to light, and makes Sam and Aliya question their future together - but in that time, both women find support and solace in their estranged families.

I'm thoroughly impressed with how much Thrity Umrigar packed into this novel, as she focuses on the many struggles of the immigrant experience in the US, compounded with the ostracization of being gay and Muslim. it wasn't until the latter half of the novel where she highlights Sam's and Ali's backgrounds and their own struggles - Ali, still struggling to accept her father's remarriage to an Indian stepmother and the weighty traditions and expectations that frown upon her marriage; Sam, trying to move past a childhood with an abusive father who has been diagnosed with dementia, and the obligation her mother still feels to him - that I felt more invested in the novel. I appreciated as well the shift of the novel to India at onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ways that (recent) global event changed so many lives.

This is a compelling and emotional novel, and one that I'm excited to see published in January 2026!

[Skylar Miklus · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story questions the limits of marital bliss and asks what we owe to one another: spouses, community members, family members, even those who have wronged us. I thought Umrigar did a great job of inhabiting both main characters' perspectives. We begin the novel with Aliya, who has woken up alone after an argument to find her wife Sam is missing. This first act of the novel is full of creeping dread as Aliya realizes the authority figures - and even some friends - see her as an object of suspicion rather than a concerned wife. I thought this part of the story was the most strong and original. An interesting shift was done, to Sam's perspective in her captivity. Some of the crime writing can lean a little more cliche, but this second act was action-packed and satisfied some of the emotional tension, even if some of the story beats felt more familiar. I thought the third act, where Aliya attends a family wedding in India and the women have to grow back into each other now that Sam has experienced horrible trauma, held the most intrigue and emotional depth. The tenderness of Aliya trying to understand Sam's pain, but the frustration too at not being able to reach her... Just devastating. It made me think so much about how we show up for one another, especially as survivors or as queer people. As we careen towards the end, the book dates start moving into March 2020 and Covid abruptly brings the women back together again, this time across continents. Overall, a (sometimes melo)dramatic crime thriller about an interracial lesbian couple with themes of found family and reunification. 4.5 stars rounded up. Thank you NetGalley and Algonquin for the review copy!

[Kathleen Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thrity Umriger’s stories always give me an experience I will not have in this life, and I love that about her writing. This story begins with a couple Sam and her wife Ali the plot begins in the first pages with a bang of emotions that all couples experience. Jealousy, anger, loneliness sets the stage for a scary ride for Sam, and Aliya.
Sam goes missing and Ali being a gay, Muslim immigrant, her reticence about getting involved with the police seems real and relevant. I like how the story was set in a town that is accepting of mixed marriages, I grew up not far from Cleveland Hts and I could picture everyplace that Thrity put in the story. As a reader I was held in suspense about where Sam was and what was happening to her. Aliya’s father, Abba is a character that I won’t forget, resistive to his daughter’s choice of partner, but still loving and taking care of her. The addition of Covid added to the suspense, we all remember that dark time. I wish I had had Thrity as a college professor. My daughter attended CWRU Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing 2008-12, and received a wonderful education.
The resolving of the plot was very satisfying with Samantha’s voice and Ali’s voice alternating about each other, their love and respect for each other was well written. Loved this book!

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was expecting the typical mystery/suspense/thriller I read all the time but what I found was a book that used a mystery as a springboard for something far more complex.

The story focuses on a wife's search for her missing spouse after she goes missing. However, it quickly evolves into an unflinching look at the challenges faced by the couple. The real tension comes not just from the ticking clock of the disappearance, but from compounding pressures of contemporary American life.

The author skillfully weaves important themes like homophobia, racism, and sexism into the narrative. It’s a commentary on the divisions and lack of acceptance that can complicate trauma and survival for marginalized families.

Overall I recommend for readers looking for a suspenseful novel with a powerful, timely message.

4.8 stars

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

[Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up

I have been a fan of Thrity Umigar’s books for a long time and couldn’t wait to read her latest!

This one is part thriller, part novel with multiple POV. I typically love changing POV but this book did it in a way that made it feel a bit disjointed. The chapters don’t alternate and instead there was one from Sam’s POV and then the next 25% or so of the book is from Ali’s before it switches to a different perspective for just a few chapters. I felt like it could have been a stronger book if there was more of a flow or it had just stuck to one POV.

I found the story very compelling and definitely wanted to keep reading. I did find the pacing a little uneven but it kept my interest throughout. I think the author tried to tackle a few too many topics and it might have been a stronger novel if it had been edited a bit more.

Overall, I would recommend this one. I don’t think it is her best though and would recommend some of her older books over this one. I think her writing was stronger in previous books.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ali and Sam were two unlikely women who got married after grad school. Sam, short for Samantha, was an aspiring novelist who taught college writing classes, while her wife, Ali, short for Aliya, was a high-end interior decorator, born in Ohio, daughter of Muslim immigrants with family in India. While they loved each other unreservedly, they still got into spats, which often reflected their respective upbringings. Sam was the only daughter of a physically abusive father, who made his wife's life a living hell, and hers also, until she fought back as a teenager. Ali came from a culture where behavior was monitored by the family and community, and she rebelled by doing and behaving as she wanted including flirtatious behavior with their friends, which made Sam furious.
After one such particularly nasty fight, they slept in separate bedrooms. In the morning, Sam was very contrite about last night's behavior and failed to wake Ali for their morning run to let her sleep a little later. Preoccupied with their fight, she became distracted and tripped on a broken piece of sidewalk, hitting her head and falling to the pavement. She didn't return home.
Ali, trying to give Sam space, went out to a July 4th concert with her houseguests, and didn't call the police until the next day. She was frantic with worry, especially when she started believing that Sam was so angry that she left her. One of Sam's students took it upon herself to make a social media posting about Sam's disappearance, all but blaming Ali, and it went viral. Soon newspapers were also covering the story blowing it all out of proportion and speculating on what happened. Things were getting out of control and still, Sam had not returned.
The next part of the book delves into what happened to Sam during the six weeks that she was gone, and its aftermath.
I am not going to ruin the book for you and any more information would do just that. Suffice to say, Thrity Umrigar wrote it and that should be enough of a recommendation. It is a beautifully told love story, but it is also extremely suspenseful, and it gives the reader a window into how women deal with circumstances they can't control and how it is possible to exert control in other ways. Read it.

[melhara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in 2019 to 2020 and told primarily in two POVs, this story follows Aliya/"Ali" (a Muslim-American interior designer) and Samantha/"Sam" (an Irish-American English professor)'s journey of going through unimaginable trauma.

The story opens with Sam getting abducted while out on a run the morning after a big marital dispute. Angry texts were exchanged and now Sam's missing. When Sam's abduction becomes major headline news, public opinion immediately labels Ali as a prime suspect because of how she handled Sam's disappearance and, well, because of her race. Ali, who has always felt safe in her community is now alone, worried about Sam, and having to deal with hateful and abusive actions and comments from strangers everywhere.

This book starts off as a mystery (Where is Sam? Who abducted her? Why?) but it's so much more. There is so much to unpack from this book as the mystery/thriller aspects are balanced with a literary fiction that explores homophobia, sexism, racism, islamophobia, the harmful impacts of social media and 'social justice warriors' who are quick to condemn anyone without any evidence, and the challenges of recovering from trauma and PTSD in the context of an interracial relationship between two layered and flawed characters who have to deal with their own trauma, abuse, history, and emotional baggage. It also explores the often imperfect aspects of love, family, and marriage, and how the impacts of trauma can either ruin or strengthen a relationship.

All my life, Abba has told me that despite the fact that I was born in this country, I will never be fully accepted. "It's a racist country, beta," he used to say. "Your Muslim name, your skin color, your religion will always make you stand apart. I'm telling you, white people will always judge you by these things. The only place you'll be seen as American? In India."

"But I am American," I'd argue with him.

Abba would click his tongue. "Doesn't matter. Doesn't matter how you see yourself. This country will always see you as foreign."

Thrity Umrigar did a masterful job with both Ali and Sam's POVs. There was never a moment where I didn't empathize with them or felt their fears, concerns, or frustration. However, as a child of immigrants and a visible minority, I felt particularly connected with Ali's POV. This story (along with the constant news about racism that never seems to die down), is a stark reminder that the comfort and feelings of belonging that we feel in North America is temporary. All it takes is for something bad to happen to remind us that we're different and will never be fully accepted.

Overall, a very though-provoking book. I can't wait for it's official release!

Finally, for those who have read this book - is it crazy that I hate Candace more than George?!

*All quotes are taken from an Advanced Readers Copy and may change prior to the release of the final copy.*

**I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for review consideration, but all opinions are my own.**

*** #3 of my 2025 Book Riot Read Harder Challenge - Read a queer mystery. ***

[Beth Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️
Thrity Umrigar is one of my favorite authors. Why? Even though I usually do not have much in common with her protagonists, I am always 100% invested in their plights, and I love her writing. I’ve read three of her novels before this one, and I rated all three 5 ⭐️. This one I am rating slightly lower (though still rounded to 5 ⭐️) because of one reason that I’ll explain.

In this novel, Ali and Sam are a married lesbian couple. After a fight coming home from a party, Sam goes for a run the next morning, and she disappears. The remaining wife (Indian American Ali) is under scrutiny by the police and community at large for her potential role in white Sam’s disappearance.

At first, this feels like a mystery with a whole lot of depth because the marginalized identities in suspects of crimes are explored. But then the book pivots to exploring Ali reconnecting with her estranged father and stepmother while she’s a suspect (family drama).

There is resolution to Sam’s disappearance about halfway through the novel, and then the novel explores the effects of this trauma on relationships and friendships. And then, finally, the novel pivots again to Ali traveling back to India with her father in February of 2020 for a month (I’ll leave out the C word, but you can fill it in).

The reason I’m rating this a little lower is because of the whiplash from the different stages of this novel. It reminds me a bit of a car wash. Ultimately I was expecting a slow burn mystery, but I got a whole lot more. I LOVED almost all aspects of this novel. Umrigar plays a bit with perspective in the middle of this novel that really intrigued me, and I hadn’t seen that done before. She tackled so many different aspects of relationships, and I was impressed how she handled reconnection after family estrangement. Her fabulous writing kept me invested in Sam and Ali individually and as a couple.

Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

It publishes January 27, 2026.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

After an explosive fight, Sam and Ali go to bed not on speaking terms. The next morning, instead of taking their usual jog together, Sam goes alone without her cell phone…and never returns. Ali questions many things: Is she hurt? Did she leave her for good? Did something terrible happen to her? Where is she?

Told in three parts, Umrigar packs this book FULL of issues - what starts out as a mystery/whodunnit quickly turns to social and political commentary. Umrigar uses Ali, a gay Muslim woman, to examine how children of immigrants are treated in America, how negative views and stereotypes of Muslims are prevalent in America, and how partners in gay relationships are still not universally recognized. Ali comes under so much scrutiny as the spouse searching for her white wife.

At first I was irritated with Umrigar throwing the kitchen sink at us. I felt like she was trying to do too much - discuss every single issue a couple in these particular circumstances would face. But then I slowly realized - this is exactly how real life is. Even though your wife goes missing, life around you still goes on. There are still jobs to be attended to, bills to pay, and trying to find a sense of “normalcy” when the days of searching turn into weeks and months. There were choices made by Ali that drove me crazy and I felt like she wasn’t doing herself any favors, but who’s to say how one would truly act under such a stressful, scary, and trying situation?

This is my second book by Umrigar and I will always appreciate how she is able to help me see a new perspective through her characters more deeply and empathetically. What started off as kind of a slow burn turned more propulsive as I turned the pages, faster and faster the further I went. Reminiscent of THE DEATH OF US, Umrigar showed me how hard it is to return to life once it’s forever changed by another person’s actions.

[Sacha · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

This book packs a PUNCH. It's a great read, and it's a genre bending suspenseful, dramatic, sweet, hopeful book that reveals some real complexities in personalities, relationships, and circumstances.

Ali and Sam have an imperfect marriage, and after a particularly painful fight, things take an absolutely wild turn. When Sam goes on her run the next morning, she just...doesn't come back. Ali is sure there is foul play involved, and unfortunately, the community agrees but thinks that Ali must be the responsible party. Your spouse goes missing and you are the number one suspect? Ugh.

When the book begins, it's giving suspenseful thriller. And while Umrigar accomplishes this element expertly, there's a lot more coming. How does one process a trauma like this? What happens to the relationships in your life - with friends, family, acquaintances, and even strangers - when you are at the center of a high profile nightmare? Who do YOU become in the shadow of a catastrophic event? These are all questions that Umrigar explores through these characters. I love the way this unfolds from the central marriage to connections between family members, extended family members, and more. Is anyone what they seem? Ugh.

This is my second book by Umrigar, and I will be thinking about this one for a long time. There is a lot of typical content that would end up on a TW or CW list: rape, sexual assault, all kinds of abuse, racism, homophobia, and more. Readers who can manage this content will find something special here.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

[Nick Artrip · Rating 3 out of 5]

I requested and received an eARC of Missing Sam by Thrity Umrigar via NetGalley. One night after a party, married couple Aliya and Sam have an argument. Sam stays in the guest room and goes on an early morning run alone the next morning. She doesn't come back. Aliya reports her wife missing, but as a brown, queer woman she cannot escape the suspicion of those around her. After a series of wrong choices, she must fight to prove her innocence even as she fears that Sam may be dead.

Oh man, what a wild ride. First of all, from the start of the novel I was for Sam to stay missing. The argument between Aliya and Sam really set me on edge and was a terrific opening to this novel. And once Sam was missing I was frustrated with Aliya! I understood why she made the choices that she made, but it didn’t prevent me from being annoyed with her. I wasn’t sure what direction this book would take, and it made me eagerly speed through the first half of this book.

Missing Sam is much more than a thriller. Umrigar uses the narrative to make several important points about race and crime in the United States. It’s difficult not to feel angry on Aliya’s behalf and I love a story that a strong political point of view, especially if it features queer characters. As a thriller it loses steam during the second half, but it broadens and enriches the story in many ways and allows the reader to develop a much better understanding of both Sam and Aliya. The suspense and the mystery of the first half make for very exciting reading, but the second half is also quite rewarding and erased any of the earlier frustration I felt with the protagonists.

[Danna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sam is missing. She went out for a run and never came home. Sam's wife, Aliyah, is almost immediately vilified by her community as they wonder, did Aliyah have something to do with Sam's disappearance? Aliyah has never felt quite so brown, Muslim, or gay. If her wife being missing weren't hard enough, being the victim of viral hate on social media and losing business clients left and right make it harder.

The first portion of this book centers on Aliyah's experience. How much Aliyah misses Sam. How wrongly Aliyah is treated by the world. How Aliyah, in a moment of deep fear and pain calls her father, from whom she has been estranged since coming out as gay.

The second part of this book tells us what happened to Sam when she went missing.

To avoid spoilers, I won't say what the third part of the book is about.

Overall, this is a gripping, fast-paced read, in spite of how heavy it is. It's sad and scary because someone is missing, but also because of the reality of racism in America. The characters are human and flawed, yet easy to care about (particularly the parents). I felt the first portion of Aliyah's experience could have been shortened a bit--I kept wondering if the book was going to only be about Aliyah's experience of being villainized, or if the story was going to go elsewhere. It did, but it took a while. Recommended.

I have read other Thrity Umrigar books and will continue to do so!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting, propulsive and poignant, this book delivers on so much. A psychological thriller but yet a story of relationships, racism, healing brokenness and trauma, and restoring trust, Missing Sam is a must read for anyone wanting a thriller with a message!

Ali Mizard and her wife, Samatha “Sam” O’Malley have had a huge fight. When Sam goes for her early morning run, she doesn’t invite Ali. When Sam doesn’t return and their guests arrive, Ali doesn’t contact the police believing that the law requires a 48 hour waiting period. From there things go awry especially when one of Sam’s unhinged grad students starts a smear campaign against Ali on Facebook and this is picked up by the media. Ali is lost and miserable and seeks comfort from her father - he turns out to be such a remarkable character too.

What happened to Ali is told in Part Two. She’s been abducted and traumatized. She is found but Sam isn’t the same. She is facing an internal struggle as well as one not only with Ali but with her estranged parents as well. Eventually in Part Three Ali and Sam work toward reconciliation and healing.

This is a thought-provoking book. It connects the reader on many levels. The thriller part hooks you in and shows how social media can be so harmful; the after-effects provide the meat of the story: how do you heal, how do you resolve old hurts, how do you forgive? Then there is the exploration of relationships and its complexities. This book offers so much food for thought.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Algonquin Books for allowing me access to the wonderful ARC.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

Missing Sam by Thrity Umrigar is a thrilling mystery that also brilliantly deals with relevant societal issues.

Aliya “Ali” Mirza and her wife Samatha “Sam” O’Malley leave a party then have an intense argument. Sam decides to sleep in the guest room and goes off on her morning run on her own. Ali is concerned when Sam does not return home as expected. However, due to her concerns about xenophobia and homophobia, Ali delays notifying the police. When the news of Sam’s disappearance hits the local media, Ali is swept up in a storm of suspicion and accusations from the public.

Ali and Sam have truly wonderful women but they are not without their flaws. Both carry baggage from their respective childhoods that lead to heated arguments. Despite their estrangements from their families, Ali is surprised by their reactions when she reaches out to her father and Sam’s family.

Missing Sam is a multi-layered mystery that is quite realistic. The secondary characters are well-drawn with relatable strengths and weaknesses. Sam’s disappearance is heartbreaking as the police find few leads during the investigation. The story arcs are interesting while the various settings are vividly life-like. Thrity Umrigar brings this incredible mystery to a heartfelt conclusion.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms Umrigar’s novel explores what major roles emotions, specifically fear, play in our lives. Beginning with a common misunderstanding between Ali and her wife, Sam, we see how our need to be right clouds our closest relationships. Both women are estranged from their families, Ali because her dad can’t accept her marriage to Sam and Sam, because of the abusive behavior of her father toward her mother. It gets more complicated when we learn Ali is a Muslim of Indian heritage so society’s prejudice is introduced.

This was both an eye-opening and reflective read. To experience life through Ali’s eyes after Sam goes missing quickly becomes hurtful and unfair. At the same time to experience Sam’s life as a kidnapped victim also gives rise to a plethora of emotions going back to her childhood. The novel becomes more reflective when each woman connects the hate she is experiencing to the change in attitude of elected officials.

The writing is excellent, the tension is well paced, and the peek into human emotion is revelatory.

Thanks to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for the ARC to read and review.

[Rebekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Missing Sam is about Samantha and Aliya, married and living in Cleveland Heights in 2019. One night they have a fight on their way home from a party, with Sam jealous about Ali's flirtatious nature, and in the morning when Sam chooses to go for a run alone, she disappears, and Ali is left behind to figure out where Sam is and deal with the racist fallout because she is an Indian Muslim woman.
I have previously read and enjoyed Umrigar's books Honor and The Museum of Failures, so I was eager to read this one as well. As with her previous books, she delves into serious topics without flinching away and also presents readers with new perspectives and ideas. That said, I did feel like this book was possibly trying to do too much. There was a lot of threads going on within the main plot, and not all were pursued or resolved before the end of the book. The conclusion also felt too quick and not quite as developed as I would have preferred. It was a good book, and I did enjoy reading it, but it just seemed to be a bit all over the place.
Thank you to Algonquin Books and NetGalley for the electronic ARC of this novel for review.

[Stacia]

I’m not entirely sure how to approach this review. I will say that the title is perfect, and filled with layer upon layer. Aliya is missing Sam’s physical presence, certainly, but she’s missing Sam’s emotional presence both before and after the abduction, in completely different ways. As I read the book I kept returning to the title with increasing appreciation.

I felt as if the blurb is a little misleading, and focuses perhaps too much on the abduction when the meat of the book is its impact and aftermath. If you’re expecting a thriller about Samantha’s experience and escape, that’s not what this book is, at all. It’s a thoughtful and compelling examination of Aliya’s experience as a wife and daughter, as an immigrant, as a gay woman. In some ways I thought it tried to take on too much in too short a space, and I felt like the book ended a bit abruptly. That might have been a deliberate choice, as the book ends at the beginning of the Covid pandemic just before the lockdowns, but if so, it didn’t really work for me.

My thanks to Algonquin Books and Netgalley, who provided this book in exchange for an honest review.

My rating: 3.5 stars out of five, rounded up

[Louis Muñoz · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars, rounding up to 4 stars. This was my first Thrity Umrigar book, and for a while there, I really struggled with this book and didn't know if I was going to finish it. I think it was mostly dread because one of the two main characters, Ali, seemed to be doing everything to mark her as suspicious to the police upon the disappearance of her wife Sam. I really feared that between that, as well as the homophobia and Islamophobia that I could see was going to hurt Ali, who is Indian and Muslim, I wouldn't be able to cope well!

I essentially paused my reading at about the 15-20% mark and didn't return to the book for almost five months. I'm so glad that I did, because the story really picked up for me once I started from where I had left off, kept building more and more steam, and by the last 20%, the suspense was almost killing me - in a good way, of course.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publishers for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

[Heidi | Paper Safari Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was gifted a copy of this book through Netgalley. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

What an emotionally charged read. So many meaningful topics are touched on in this book I don’t even know where to begin. The difficulty of navigating a trauma in a relationship where each person needs healing in different ways, Islamophobia and the damage it causes, homophobia and the distance it puts in some families, religion and the divide and pain it can cause people when their beliefs don’t line up with what religious leaders preach, emotional vampires who feed off others drama and take it on for themselves, and the trauma of surviving domestic abuse.

You may be thinking that’s too much for just one book of a little over 200 pages but it isn’t forced, it isn’t put there just to put it there, it all weaves together into a tragic and beautiful story. The insight and writing are gorgeous and passionate, you can feel the emotions of the characters coming off the pages. A fantastic beginning to my 2026 reading.

[Lynn Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75. First off I am a huge fan of Thirty Umrigar and Honor remains one of my favorite books. I think it is best to go into this new novel not reading too much of the reviews because I think it gives a bit too much of the story away. The first part depicts a marriage that is pushed to the edge when, after a fight, one partner disappears and is not found. What follows is a community that turns on the spouse at home, made worse through comments depicting her Muslim religion and her lesbian status. This is hard stuff to read how one's sexuality preference and racial background contributes to outsiders believing they can speak and act against the wife in such despicable ways. Thrity does not shy away from hard topics and this one is no different. That aspect of her books I love. The wife left behind is fighting for her good name

[Kathryn E Hagen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read about all of Thrity Umrigar’s books and have enjoyed them all.

“Missing Sam” was different. Much of the story covers the months when Sam was missing. Did she leave of her own free will, without telling anyone? Did she meet with foul play? It is a powerful story that shows the best and the worst of Sam’s friends and family.

I’ve been thinking about Umrigar’s previous books, and I can’t think of any that I would categorize as a thriller. “Missing Sam” is a thriller. I couldn’t stop turning the pages! The characters seemed so real.

Grief and panic can lead people to behave differently than they might normally. The words of these characters who don’t know whether their friend or loved one is alive or dead often pulled at my heartstrings. Sometimes they angered me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader copy. This is my honest review.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.75 rounded up)

This was pretty good, although I'm not sure I would necessarily call this a thriller.

The first half focuses on Sam's disappearance after an argument with her partner, Aliya. We see Aliya go through scrutiny, suspicion, homophobia and racism all while she frantically tries to find out what happened to her wife.

That portion of the story was fast paced, thrilling and really reels you into the book.

The second half was a bit slower and leans more towards Sam and Aliya's relationship and their journey to build trust and overcome their traumas they experienced growing up.

While slower, it was still pretty interesting.

Overall, I think this was pretty good and I enjoyed it for the most part.

[Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.]

[Heidi Sandiford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set during the first Trump presidency,, just before the world shut down because of Covid, this book is about a multi-racial lesbian couple who are married and living in Cleveland. Sam is white and estranged from her father who doesn't approve of her lesbian relationship. Ali is of Indian origin and also estranged from her father and stepmother because the Muslim religion does not approve of lesbian relationships. When Sam goes missing, Ali has to suffer racist and homophobic remarks with many accusing her of having harmed Sam. I won't say anymore to avoid any spoilers.
Interesting book that deals with the political times we live in, racism, homophobia, covid, poverty and many more topical issues. A good book club book.

[Mary C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ali and Sam have a disagreement after attending a party. When Sam goes missing after a morning run, a student of Sam's weaponizes the public through social media against Ali, affecting friendships and her business. Sam's disappearance will have Ali reconnecting with her estranged father which reveals the issues immigrants have in attaining higher positions due to their ethnicity. Meanwhile, Sam is trying to survive being held captive by a man who keeps her blindfolded. When her captor releases her, Ali and Sam need to deal with what the after effects. Racism, homophobia, family and releases her, Ali and Sam need to deal with what the after effects. Racism, homophobia, family and
#MissingSam #AlonquinBooks #NetGalley

[Theresa Sivelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aliya and Samantha are a couple who have been married for several years. Their relationship appears ideal, but underneath they are like a lot of married couples and they have arguments and disagreements. After attending a party they argue and the next morning Samantha goes out for their normal morning run by herself. Due to some unforeseeable circumstances, Sam is kidnapped.

The story starts off as mystery/thriller but it is really about so much more. It's about relationships. I was hooked from the beginning and found it hard to break away when I had to.

I want to thank the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, Algonquin Books, for providing the copy of Missing Sam by Thrity Umrigar. I’m sorry I didn’t discover this author before this, because I loved this book. I was mesmerized by the characters and story from the beginning, and I loved how the book was structured with three distinct voices. I wasn’t prepared for the examination on race and family, and I certainly wasn’t expecting to feel so much emotion. It's better to read this book without knowing too much about what happens, so I won’t spoil it by listing everything I loved about it. 5 brilliant stars.

[Melissa Cecil · Rating 3 out of 5]

What started as a promising thriller turned into a somewhat depressing, trigger-warning-worthy story. Personally, it’s still too soon for me to read any COVID-related novels. The chapters shift point of view without any headers to signal the change, which can be confusing until you’re already into the chapter. Overall, it was an interesting read, but it fell short for me in terms of plot and character development. For this author, I’d recommend reading Honor and skipping this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for the ARC.

[Rachel Reinhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

***TW*** Sexual assault/homophobic slurs (in the book, not my review)


I read Missing Sam in one sitting. It sucked me in from the jump. This was a beautiful, messy story about love, loss, family dynamics, and not just overcoming adversity, but how to live with it as well. There were absolutely tough thematic elements throughout the novel, but I think Umrigar did a wonderful job navigating them.

I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone. Thank you so much to NetGalley for this ARC!

[Jen Ryland (jenrylandreviews & yaallday)]

Missing Sam starts as a domestic suspense book but becomes a lot more: a story about what it's like to be a queer woman of color, about what it then feels like to become a suspect in a crime, about familial estrangement and reconciliation, about trauma and recovery. It's beautifully done and very moving. Highly recommended!

Content warning for abduction and sexual assault.

Thanks so much to Algonquin for providing an advance copy for review!

[Likestotravel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A deeply emotional and intense story of two female spouses and the horrific lives they separately endure when one is missing. Missing Sam develops into a rewarding story as they each work through drama from childhoods, racism, homophobia, and adoption of the tragedy by an unrelated third party.

Thanks to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for the opportunity to read this ARC.