The Bizarre Disappearance of Bella Riley

by luna rey hall

Dear viewer,

Welcome back to another episode of autopsy of the unsolved. Today we dive into the bizarre and unsettling real case of Bella Riley's disappearance. What really happened that fateful morning and who is to blame?

Genres: Horror, Novella

61 pages, ebook

Published April 1, 2026

About the author

luna rey hall is a queer trans non-binary writer. they are the author of “space neon neon space” (Variant Lit, 2022), “no matter the diagnosis” (Game Over Books, 2023), “the patient routine” (Brigids Gate Press, 2023), and “loudest when startled” (YesYes Books, 2020), longlisted for the 2020 Julie Suk Award. they are the winner of the 2013 Patsy Lea Core in Memorial Award for Poetry. their poems have appeared in The Florida Review, The Rumpus & Raleigh Review, among others. they live in St. Paul, MN. find more information at lunareyhall.com.

Reviews

[Dave Musson · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 25%.

Genuinely had no idea what in the hell was going on. This was jumbled, rambling nonsense with formatting that made it even more confusing.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

[luna rey hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

hey readers! BELLA is officially out 📺

thanks for taking the time to read Bella Riley — this book was written for and intended to be read in a physical, paperback format! if you turn your eReader to a horizontal orientation, that will help replicate some of the correct formatting.

again, thanks for reading and here are the blurbs:

advance praise:
“the bizarre disappearance of bella riley is genuinely terrifying, a beautifully written story that is as much about identity as it is about an eerie small town. luna rey hall skillfully blends horror with commentary on our true crime obsessed culture and volatile political moment. I read the whole book with a chill running down my spine!”
— E.K. Sathue, author of youthjuice
“Authentically haunted [and] at home with Ghostwatch and Harvest Brood.”
— TT Madden, author of The Cosmic Color
“Is one’s nightmare destined to be fodder for the viral content machine? the bizarre disappearance of bella riley is a captivating reflection on the increasingly loud tenor of transphobia that’s inventively examined through the warped archive of clickbait. luna rey hall poignantly interrogates how gendered violence gets marketed through this unforgettable, intertextual take on the novella.”
— CD Eskilson, author of Scream/Queen
“Strange, quasi-psychedelic sensory horror; [that] lands in a simultaneously ethereal and visceral (as contradictory as that may sound), ambiguous yet immediate space that I associate with film and other audiovisual media, especially pieces like Skinamarink and some of the most skilled analog horror series.”
— Briar Ripley Page, author of Lupus in Fabula
“Timely and trippy, the bizarre disappearance of bella riley is a clever work of epistolatory fiction. Stark prose expertly frames a true-crime narrative with legs, teeth, and one hell of an ending.”

— Drew Huff, author of The Divine Flesh

“the bizarre disappearance of bella riley pulls you in from page one. Riddled with intricate detail, it invites you to search for answers like treasure and rewards you with a living, breathing story that you get to feel involved in. Categorically written for the modern audience in an eerily familiar digital format, but with a timeless knack for mystery, dread, and great unknowable horrors, this is one to devour breathlessly over one sleepless night.”

— Alex Woodroe, author of Whisperwood

[Ingrid Stephens · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't even know what to say.
There is a part of me that didn't hate this and a part of me that wanted to just toss it in the trash. I'm not even sure what annoyed me the most. There was the odd format of a online pod cast style video with the host constantly interrupting,  the run on sentences with no spaces between the words  that lasted for paragraphs, or the blatant disregard for pronouns of a transgendered protagonist.  Every time the narrator would switch pronouns or just shrug off the mistake I wanted to slap the crap out of him.
And of course there is the fact that I could not even keep.track of what the heck the story was even trying to say.
Points for originality but no thanks. I'm surprised I.botherednto finish at all.
Read if you want but I can't recommend to my type of readers.
Thanks to @netgalley and Brigids Gate Press LLC for opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

[Carina Stopenski · Rating 2 out of 5]

thanks to netgalley for a free arc of this title. unlike other folks who've reviewed this, i actually quite liked the format of this one and thought it was very creative. however, the content is what was tough for me. the pacing felt really off and not in a fever dream kind of way, and the ambiguity was less spooky and more confusing. i feel like if this was a full-length, 300-page novel it would be so much more robust and immersive.

[Kate Connell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting concept, but it feels like a concept of a story so much more than an actual story. I appreciate the risk the author took in framing this the way they did, but this was not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from Netgalley.
This was an interesting premise that I think needed more mapping out and a thorough edit.

The Bizarre Disappearance of Bella Riley is written as a found footage exploration of Bella Riley's Disappearance. Bella has recently moved to the small, quiet town of Hazelton. The people seem to be friendly although a bit standoffish and no one will explain the emergency broadcasts that happen in the middle of the night beyond 'it's a municipality requirement'. When the emergency broadcast becomes personal, the podcast follows Bella's final known movements before she disappears.

The themes of identity, especially regarding gender, play out strongly throughout the novella and I thought it was explored in a unique way. I know a lot of people didn't like the format but once I worked it out (I read this on a Kindle which was not the correct format to read this book), the format kind of worked. There were definitely moments which I thought were cool and interesting but a lot of those moments happened in the final 30% of the book.

Unfortunately there were a few reasons I couldn't rate this book higher:

1) There were a lot of spelling and grammatical errors that should have been picked up in editing. This book has an experimental format with no capitalisation, so I want to be clear that the errors I am talking about weren't related to these format choices at all. I am talking about words spelt incorrectly, malapropisms, words left out of the middle of a sentence . These errors pulled me out of the story frequently and I did become quite frustrated that such a significant amount of mistakes had been missed.

2) The plot was so rushed. I felt like the author wanted to get to a certain point in the book that they had been thinking about, so they rushed everything else to reach that point. Because of this rushing, as other reviews have pointed out, it feels nonsensical at times and even when you finish the book, it feels like there are substantial gaps of information missing. It's clear the intention was to have an air of mystery, obviously since the book is called 'the bizarre disappearance' but as the audience we needed slightly more information for the climax of the novel to be effective.

3) The characters feel like outlines rather than real people and as a result, their motivations often didn't make sense to me. Bella's only characterisations were chewing her nails and swearing a lot, but these details did not help explain pretty much everything Bella does after hearing the broadcast change. I was often left very confused by the logic that was applied by Bella in this situation given it's often extreme nature.

Overall, I think this book had a lot of potential but unfortunately it fell short for me. It might work better in it's print format or maybe as an audiobook but I think you would have to be a fan of found footage narratives and be a reader that is ok with having more questions than answers at the end of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Brigids Gate Press and Luna Rey Hall for the ARC.

[K.B. King · Rating 3 out of 5]

Imagine yourself walking into a bar. It’s not your usual watering hole—but you’ve got time to kill, a cold beer sounds perfect, and it’s right there. So, you settle in and order the on-tap special. A stranger sits beside you and starts telling you a story. The story doesn’t make a ton of sense (and really, you just want to relax), but they keep going and you tell yourself you’ll give them a few more minutes. Those minutes are stretching, but the story is so strange you find yourself engrossed—another pint appears in front of you, and it’s starting to get dark. The story ends, and they disappear (see what I did there?) leaving nothing behind but cash on the counter and this odd feeling that you’ve experienced something. You wonder about the stranger and the weird little story they told as you slip into the Uber home.

Aptly named, the bizarre disappearance of bella riley is 78 pages long, chaotically detailing the strange events that led to the disappearance of a newcomer in a small, unnamed town. Del Rey’s fragmented, transcript-esque novella combines mystery and horror, while commentating on identity and the violence-to-entertainment pipeline through an unconventional storytelling.

Overall, I can’t decide completely if the bizarre disappearance of bella riley is genius or a miss—and really, I think it’s a good dose of both.

For the genius: I am a sucker for pushing boundaries, and the clear division over this book is by its format and structure. It’s refreshing to see an unconventional approach, and although it’s true it’s a lot to pick through, I inevitably say it’s worth it. In doing so, Del Rey really makes you look.

On the flipside: I also think we may have flown a little close to the sun. The transcript/found-footage/podcast format can be hard to follow, and it’s important to note that If you have any kind of reading disability, you’re going to fight through this one. A combination of footnotes, non-conventional punctuation (as opposed to error, since this was clearly intentional), and variable letter size/fonts is a bit of an accessibility nightmare.

Much of what actually happens is kind of ambiguous, and unless you plan on thinking, I can see the overall plot feeling unsatisfactory. I didn’t get the “balloon-pop” feeling I like with horror (something I know really only means something to me), but I forgive it in that it feels deliberate.

In the end, I’m not sure what to make of this odd little story. This is a read that made me think of the author just as much as the story, which is rare. I don’t like it, but I don’t necessarily hate it—it just is. In the end, I just wished they would have stuck and had another pint (although I’m not even totally sure what I’d ask yet).

Final thoughts: This isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s definitely someone’s odd-ball off-menu coffee order only a few people know to ask for—and when they do, it’s exactly what they wanted. It’s just 78 pages, it can’t hurt you.

[Holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5* rounded up

I really wanted to love this story, it had so much potential. The Bizarre Disappearance of Bella Riley follows a true crime youtube account that discusses the bizarre disappearance of a woman named Bella.

I loved the idea of a youtube account retelling true crime, I loved the idea of the plot, however, it was not executed well at all unfortunately. I genuinely have no idea what occurred during this book. It all felt very rushed and chaotic, and not in the good way.

The formatting was also extremely confusing to follow most of the time. I understand that this story was intended to be read as a physical copy, but I really doubt that would make it a more comprehensible read. The writing style and over all plot just didn't help readers to understand what was truly going on.

I did truly want to enjoy this book and stuck it out till the end, I was genuinely intrigued to see where it was headed. I would love to see it fleshed out, as a full length novel, with some clearer text and formatting. The idea of an unsettling emergency broadcast and an unsolved disappearance is such a great idea!

This wasn't my first introduction to Luna Rey Hall, and I hope not the last. Their style is unique and enjoyable, and I will definitely be reading more of their work.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for an advanced reader copy. All opinions are mine and were left voluntarily.

[Dez Nemec · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Welcome to another episode of Autopsy of the Unsolved by yours truly, Billy True Crime."

After her job allows her to work remotely, Bella Riley moves to the quiet town of Hazelton, Minnesota. It appears to be a typical small town, but something odd is happening. Every night at 2:03 A.M., there is a broadcast alert on the tv. Remember those annoying things? Can you hear this picture? Because I sure can...



Anyway, after seeing the alerts at the same time several days in a row, she asks someone at the local diner and café, but everyone says it's normal and refuse to say anything further. One night, she sees a civil danger alert that states she should go outdoors and not talk to anyone. Unnerved, Bella decides to drive to the local broadcast station in hopes of answers, but only gets more confusion.

This book should have been called Confusion. The lack of capital letters, the frequent pronoun changes, and the jumping around in the text was difficult to follow. I am okay with a unique format. And I love all those cheesy Tubi-ish movies that you KNOW had a budget of $600 but they still made a movie worth watching. But this...I'm noping out. The concept is interesting and unique - what do an unsettling emergency broadcast and an unsolved disappearance have in common? But the execution just was not there for me.

[Beth · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Brigids Gate Press, LLC as well as the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #BrigidsGatePressLLC #TheBizarreDisapppearanceofBellaRiley #Horror #Fiction #PodcastTranscripts

Title: The Bizarre Disappearance of Bell Riley

Author: Luna Rey Hall

Format: eBook

Publisher: Brigids Gate Press, LLC

Publication Date: April 30, 2026

Themes: Podcast transcript,



I’m not sure how to give a synopsis of this one because I couldn’t get through it. It’s the transcript for a podcast about the disappearance of a girl named Bella Riley. That’s about all I can say.

Most of the reason I couldn’t finish the book was due to the format. A lot of it was comprised of run-on sentences with no space between the words and no punctuation. It was hard to read. It was difficult to tell what was going on. Characters kept talking over each other (I think), and what they were saying was confusing. I love the concept, and maybe some of that is because it’s not a final copy. I would be interested in looking at a hard copy. For now, however, I don’t feel good about recommending this one. I’ll amend this if I change my mind after reading the hard copy upon its release.

[Harrison Morgans]

Thank you to NetGalley for an arc of this book,
Man I did not gel with this. From the start the formatting seemed so off and I couldn’t wrap my head around what was trying to be said. I didn’t know who was actually speaking when italics were used and then when they weren’t used, I didn’t know if it was the same person speaking as the author seemed to try to make us believe it was?
The story starts convoluted, trying to give us a semblance of a plot while jamming in backstory and progression at the same time. It seemed like we jumped around setting a lot which comes from the lack of description of where the main character is at during each point of the novel.
I had to put this down because I could genuinely not understand what was going on. After the introduction of ‘Jonah’ the whole book seemed like a lost cause, introducing new plot points and things to try to scare the reader which all fall majorly flat.
To help this book, it needed more fleshed out characters where we really delve into their background, their emotions, etc without it happening at the same time as them being scared to death in their room and it needed some major formatting reworks as from the start it comes out a jumbled mess.

[natalielikesbooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

”What I’m about to tell you is a hundred and twenty five percent factual. So without further ado: this is the strange, bizarre, and unusual disappearance of Ms. Bella Riley. As always, the following story may contain disturbing context: viewer discretion is strongly advised.”

Ugh I wanted to really like this because this book because I really like stories like this but it fell so flat for me. It had a lot of potential! But it was so hard to follow and it was so confusing. The text was hard to follow since it’s written in transcript like format because it’s coming from a YouTube podcast video. I did read that this book is meant to be read like a standard paperback but I feel like even that wouldn’t fit the editing issue of the format? It makes you feel like you don’t even know what you’re reading or what the story is about. I would really like to see this as an audiobook, I think it would really thrive in the format. I would definitely give this another try if it came out in audiobook because I feel like it would make more sense, and it would be more creepier that way.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brigids Gates Press for the arc!

[Kayla Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

This, unfortunately, really wasn't for me. The formatting made it really difficult to both get into and stay immersed in the story which is really crucial in short fiction. There is greater commentary taking place in this story around gendered violence, transphobia, and true crime culture but that gets lost in the disjointed story telling. The one aspect that was really effective was the continuous misgendering of bella - it felt like a punch to the throat every time you had to read it on page and as the story progresses and gets more sinister to amount of misgendering also amps up. It, as it should, makes the reader feel extremely uncomfortable and builds tension and unrest without having to pull much on the extra horror elements.

I think that this story has the potential to work, especially if it were made a bit longer, but it was a miss for me.

Content Warning: misgendering, transphobia, blood and gore

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book.

[Katrina · Rating 2 out of 5]

The idea here was a creative one, and the subject matter — the exploitation and monetisation of true crime was certainly a relevant choice.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t help but feel that the execution was somewhat flawed, mainly due to the formatting of the novel. Whether or not the story would flow better in a physical book, I don’t know.

While reading, it was often difficult to tell when the YouTube commentator was interrupting. Although I’m more often than not fine with creative stylistic choices, the lack of capitalisation was one thing, but the sentences without spaces and the use of square brackets was too far, and I found myself having to reread pages just to make sure I’d understood everything.

I’d also add that it was difficult to get a sense of the characters and properly engage with them.

While it didn’t work for me, the novel might appeal to those who enjoy unusual storytelling techniques.

Thanks to Brigid’s Gate Press for the ARC.

[Georgie | The Pink Prose Parlour · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love that we’re getting books written in such a unique format. Presented in the style of a true crime YouTube channel—think along the lines of the r/NoSleep podcast—we dive right into the lead-up to Bella Riley's "disappearance".

Honestly, I wish this book came with a podcast-style audiobook. An immersive audio experience would have been fantastic, and it really would have helped smooth over some of the formatting issues. It's such a brilliant concept, and I was having a great time reading it, but certain elements just didn’t land as well for me—particularly the jarring switches between Bella's story and the YouTube host. If it had that accompanying audio, this could have easily been top-tier.

The narrative also did a really good job of highlighting gender identity and how it intersects with small-town dynamics. Overall, the story is wonderfully dark and unsettling, creating a brilliant, eerie atmosphere. I definitely had a fun time with it, that's for sure.

[Ava · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC!

I really enjoyed hall's playing with format! I love a good footnote. Structuring this as a YouTube script highlighted the exploitation and artificiality of the true crime genre while also making Bella's reclamation of voice and agency even more satisfying and powerful in the end. The alert message did make me afraid to go outside for a while, so I'd say that's an effective horror novel. This forced outside perspective was also an interesting contrast to "the patient routine," the other book by hall I've read, whose narration was extremely internal. I do wish the intended message had been a bit clearer -- was the aggressive misgendering meant to just illustrate the onslaught of transmisogyny in online spaces (especially YouTube and the true crime community)?

[Mikey ಠ◡ಠ · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I don't mind the stylistic choice of all lower caps, I will say it did make for a confusing/overwhelming read in parts; I sometimes found it hard to know when the YouTuber character was cutting into the story and when he wasn't. However overall I liked the idea and the execution was pretty good. I'm not 100% sure what the story itself really was or even WHY it was but hey, I don't think there's anything wrong with just checking out someone's writing and art, even if you don't fully understand it. Really cool and funny concept, it was just murder on my eyes to read, especially in digital format. It might be a book that works better in print or even just larger font.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Jazmyn Hartman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved how unique and different the novella was. The structure and formatting was so much fun, and so different from anything I've read before. Basically, you're reading the transcript of a true-crime YouTube video.

Bella Riley is new to town. And with these small town dynamics she's not sure if she's really fitting in. At night there are these strange broadcasts that no one seems to care about, except for Bella. She asks around town but doesn't get a straight answer. Determined to find them, she tries to take matters into her own hands and find the source.

This is dark, unsettling, and atmospheric. A truly unique tale about identity, small town dynamics, and the true horror trans people face everyday. Great for anyone that loves a "good for her" novel.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

the bizarre disappearance of bella riley was an interesting read. The concept was unique, and the formatting was like nothing I have ever read before. We take a deep dive into the strange real case of Bella Riley’s disappearance. I really liked the idea behind this book so much, but the format took away from it for me. It was meant to be read as a physical book so that is what hurts me with the format. At times I did feel a little lost, it was hard to keep track of if it was the Youtuber or Bella. I still thought it was a really cool concept, and I would suggest reading the physical copy when you check this one out. Thank you, Luna Rey Hall, Brigids Gate Press, LLC, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

in theory, this should've been perfect for me. i am obsessed with found footage-esque horror books, so while some reviews were complaining about the formatting, i was excited.

however, this did not work for me. it was hard to tell what was Bella and what was the youtube guy interjecting. i think it was supposed to read like a transcipt of a youtube video but there were instances that wouldn't have made sense it that was the case. i feel like overall, it was just very confusing and didn't make any sense.

it had potential, and perhaps with more editing it could be fully fleshed out.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

[Chelsea Carr Kinnear · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've recently been seeking out books with unique "found footage" formats so I was excited when I found this one.

The jumps between the script, ads, the editor notes and the video host's side thoughts made it jarring to follow at times but I do think this contributed to the sense of unease permeating the story and gave it a fever dream quality.

I was intrigued by the mystery of what was to come as the story progressed. It originally seems like it will follow the classic horror trope of an outsider moving to a small town in which unknown horrors await but ultimately ended up taking turns I didn't expect.

3.5 stars rounded up

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy!

[Kathleen · Rating 1 out of 5]

the bizarre disappearance of bella riley is aptly named. The premise sounds interesting but the novel is too brief to deal with the promised themes. The delivery and organization made it difficult to understand. For instance, the lower case letters, run on sentences, video directions and lack of spacing were confusing. The mystery surrounding the small town - the nightly emergency broadcast that became personalized, Jonah, transphobia - was confusing. I’m obviously not the audience the author was writing for. I hope he finds it. 1 star.

Thank you to NetGalley, Brigids Gate Press, LLC and luna rey hall for this ARC.

[maris · Rating 1 out of 5]

I went into this wanting to love it. As an unapologetic lover of all things found footage as well as horror podcasts I thought this would be exactly my kinda vibe. Unfortunately, the concept was much stronger than the execution and it often felt like I was navigating a rough draft of a novella rather than something completed. The formatting wasn’t something I enjoyed but I could look past that if there was more substance and things were more fleshed out. There were some real solid scenes of gore and horror that I loved, those moments were definitely what carried me through to finish it. Overall, just felt unfinished and the formatting wasn’t something I was keen on.

[em · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting read, and a great starter commentary on the monetisation of true crime. The stylistic choice was a bit confusing to read, especially with the switch from podcast narration to the story itself. The mystery itself wasn’t compelling, and I feel the novella wasn’t long enough to push the narrative surrounding desensitisation of violent true crimes. A good idea, but I wish it delved a bit deeper.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #thebizarredisappearanceofbellariley #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Denali · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off I didn’t realize this book was so short, but overall it was good - I liked the podcast/youtuber element to it (it’s what made me want to read this book) but I thought it was a bit much at times, I really wanted to be able to enjoy the story but I kept being sucked out of the story by all the “commentary” from said YouTuber, I think the story gets lost trying go between both. Overall I really enjoyed the mystery/horror story element.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this early copy in exchange for an honest review

[Megan Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

This was.. not for me. But it should have been because I consider myself a mixed media aficionado. I am the target audience for this.

But, formatting aside, print would be better but I don’t think that would actually solve any problems, it was confusing. In a lot of ways. None of which were good. Sometimes I have no idea what happened in a book, but it was still good. This one, not so much.

It’s short and a quick read though. I’m sure there’s someone for this book, there always is, I’m just not it.

[Dan Mckeithan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A unique take on a missing person. luna gives us a story told in digital format that is really better read in hardback form versus digital. The story is about the disappearance of bella riley and the intricate plot is fun and interesting to follow. It definitely speaks of violence in our society and is a unique way to present this type of story. The executive leaves some to work with but overall, it is fun to read and follow.

[jenni nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for an early release!
The format was kind of confusing for me on a kindle at least. I know there are mixed reviews for this one.. it felt a bit clunky but one thing I kind of liked was how the gore-y scenes were written! Would've loved it to be longer and written in a different format!

[Amber · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was not for me. I wanted to love it as it was quick, mixed media, and horror. However, to be honest this story included topics and themes that I am not comfortable with in my reading. I wish I had known more about the themes before going in. I think so many people will love this for what it is. This was not at all for me however.

[Lauren K · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bizarre Disappearance of Bella Riley by Luna Rey Hall is a story told in true crime podcast style, with some mixed media commentary. It’s queer, quirky, and chaotically spooky!! Our MC starts their podcast by telling us a little bit about what case they’re going to read, and then it dives in to all the spooky fun. This gives creepy small town, deal with the devil vibes while touching on current culture and social issues with diversity and acceptance. It left off with a bit of an ambiguous ending, but I enjoy those and have found myself still pondering.