Nobody Deserves This: A Novel

by Andy Callahan

Philadelphia’s elite Main Line is on edge after two college girls go missing in this propulsive debut thriller.

Twenty-one-year-old college dropout Sean Mulcahy is determined to succeed where the police have failed. Since his younger sister, Mia, disappeared four months ago, his family has fallen apart and his reputation ruined, thanks to his being named a suspect in the case. Things get even worse when Sean is the last person seen speaking with Sarah, the second girl to disappear. He’s a suspect all over again, with nobody to turn to, not even his own family.

Sean’s father blames Sean for Mia’s disappearance and for the pain and shame their family has suffered in its wake. When a third girl goes missing, Sean unearths a clue the police missed. Are all three cases connected? Is a serial killer at work? Could this new disappearance contain clues that lead back to Mia? How does the third missing girl fit into this?

With nothing left to lose, Sean sets out to find his sister, clear his name, and repair his broken family. But he’ll need his dad’s help. Nobody Deserves This is a gripping thriller that explores how power, greed, social media, and reputation can fracture a life, a family, and a community.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Suspense

336 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication January 19, 2027

About the author

Andy Callahan grew up in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, and attended high school on the Main Line. He has a degree in American Studies from Yale and has written for TV and movies. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two sons.

Nobody Deserves This is his first novel.

Reviews

[Ceecee · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up
Philadelphia, November 2022.
Mia Mulcahy - missing since 20th July 2022, aged 18, a talented football player.
Sarah Pierson – missing since 23rd November 2022, a talented distance runner.
Nobody deserves this.

Ever since Mia disappears, her troubled college dropout brother Sean spirals further down, eventually being disowned by his wealthy father Patrick. When Sarah disappears, Sean is convinced the cases are related and as he considers the police investigation, led by Detective Wicker, to be incompetent, he decides to follow his gut instinct and investigate it himself. However, reality dawns and he knows he’ll need his father‘s financial help. What lies behind their disappearances? The truth may be difficult to believe and hard to take.

This is a promising debut, although it is a“game of two halves”. For me, the standout feature of the book is the character of Sean. Despite his issues and family rejection, he is perceptive, loyal and tenacious in his search for Mia. I find him increasingly likeable, especially his often wry tone. The blame angle towards him feels very authentic as that’s the social media world we sadly live in. His father Patrick is not immediately likeable and his coldness towards Sean is palpable. The tension between the pair comes across loud and clear. There are, however, quite a lot of characters to get my head around and I’m not sure all bring much to the party although they do give a sense of the world of privilege that Sean and his family move in. The female characters are much less convincing than the male.

Whilst there are some good twists, especially towards the end where the plot takes an unexpected direction, there are issues with the pacing. It’s a bit one level and a brisker pace towards the end would’ve been much better and a reflection of the action that unfolds.

The Philadelphia setting is good providing plenty of atmosphere although as a non-American never having been to or likely to visit Philly, it doesn’t mean much but would obviously mean something to locals. I’d love to know the origins of King of Prussia???!!!

There are plenty of pluses in the storytelling but the reasons behind some actions especially one storyline are very spurious and I don’t entirely buy into it. Also, the changing points of view lacks clarity at the beginning and it’s hard to know who is who. That does settle as I become more familiar with the tone of each perspective. Sean’s is by far the most powerful although the others do add to the mystery and suspense.

Overall, I look forward to what the author writes next as there’s much to praise here.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Michael Joseph for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.

[Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Calling all Alex Finlay fans—Andy Callahan's debut thriller is an absolute blast! In NOBODY DESERVES THIS, 21-year-old college dropout Sean Mulcahy is desperate to find his younger sister, Mia, who vanished four months ago. With his family falling apart and his reputation destroyed after being named a suspect, Sean finds himself under suspicion again when a second girl disappears. But when a third girl goes missing, Sean uncovers a clue the police overlooked, raising the possibility that all three cases are connected. With nothing left to lose, Sean must uncover the truth, clear his name, and mend his fractured family in this gripping thriller about secrets, greed, social media, and the devastating power of reputation.

This book is twisty and emotional, not just a thriller but a strong family saga. Sean is an amazing protagonist/amateur sleuth and you can't help but root for him. His father, Patrick, is a strong, powerful yet substantially flawed person, who adds to the drama. This race against the clock story really holds nothing back. The book's pacing dillydallies at the halfway mark through the third act, but otherwise this book is a near perfect story with a strong mystery and smart plotting. I had an absolute blast and want to reiterate all Alex Finlay fans to pick this one up. I can't wait to see this author blow up!

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nobody Deserves This by Andy Callahan is a really impressive debut novel and a clever whodunnit that kept me guessing right until the very end. Just when I thought I had worked things out, another revelation made me question everything all over again. Callahan does a brilliant job of keeping the reader guessing, gradually revealing information and building towards a satisfying conclusion.

One of the real strengths of the book is Sean, a fascinating central character who is far from perfect. He has plenty of flaws, and there are times when his decisions and behaviour are questionable, but that only makes him feel more realistic. I found myself invested in his story, wanting to understand him and discover the truth alongside him, even when I wasn't entirely sure what to make of him.

The plotting is smart, the mystery is engaging, and the tension keeps building as the story unfolds. It's the kind of book that encourages you to keep second-guessing yourself and trying to piece together the clues, which is exactly what I want from a good whodunnit.

Overall, Nobody Deserves This is a terrific debut from Andy Callahan. With its clever plotting, compelling mystery and wonderfully flawed main character, it kept me hooked from beginning to end. I'll certainly be looking forward to seeing what Callahan writes next.

[Lily Grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

Edelweiss review:

Not to be the friend that’s too woke, but I really care about how women are written about — even in fiction. I was really excited to start this based on the blurb. Unfortunately, this is getting added to the list of 'books that could have been really good but instead choose to demean its female characters.' The title of this, 'Nobody Deserves This', when put into the context of the actual story, theme, and writing feels so hollow and patronizing. In what world do audiences need to be told both on page and in the title itself that these young female characters don't deserve to be abducted and brutalized simply because they... have an Instagram account? The women in this book are written as 'the perfect victims' -- blonde, skinny, beautiful, and for the most part white -- yet the book is too scared (or just simply doesn't care enough) to make any meaningful comment on what that 'perfect victim' archetype (a very REAL phenomenon) actually entails. Instead, it chooses to blame these young women, and every other woman on page, for something or another. Every woman in this book is written about as if she's being persecuted. She is judged for one thing or another. She is either vapid, a burnout, too rich to function, just evil, complicit, etc. The men on the other hand? They all get their redemption arc. The deadbeat father decides he DOES actually care about his family. The drop out alcoholic anger issue ridden son decides to go back to school and gets his fresh start. These main character men are given all of the grace and care the women are not afforded, they are also given all of the agency. The way the women are written about feels like the author is trying to prove that they are WORTHY of being rooted for. "See, don't you want her to live? She's smart! She is proving she has value!" but in reality I want her to live because I don't want her to be killed? These young women don't need to prove that they 'don't deserve this' because it's as simple as they don't. The book doesn't seem to know that. It's all quite ironic. It tries to talk about racism and police but, again, it just doesn't care enough to say anything real about that. It dedicates a single paragraph and the odd one liner about the existence of police brutality and false accusations which just reads as really weird and out of touch. It lacks care across the board. On top of what I feel is harmful rhetoric the pacing of this is peculiar, dialogue and character choices are incomprehensible, and even though it has multiple POVs they all sound the exact same -- they all read as a middle aged man (I don't believe any teenager or 20-something would refer to a Dunkin' Donuts as "the Dunk" and there is a clear misunderstanding of how social media works when the entire plot hinges on social media. No dice.). I was actually really excited for this one, it's a super intriguing mystery, but I was just so upset by the way it talked about these young women that I couldn't enjoy it at all. This book doesn't have many blatantly offensive lines (at one point it refers to a statutory rape victim as a "self-serving harlot" because of said statutory assault and when introducing a group of teenage girls there is a weird emphasis on which were “skinny” vs. their “curvier” friend — this is IRRELEVANT! This is NEVER BROUGHT UP AGAIN — which becomes weirder when you take into account the first two girls being white vs. their poc friend), but the rhetoric is so clear and consistent I actually found it quite upsetting very often. It’s unfortunate that all of these problems stand because the mystery itself was quite intriguing and it was a page turner. I just can’t get over the fact that young women deserve to be portrayed better than this.

[Suzanne Leopold (Suzy Approved Book Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Addictive read and twisty! Missing girls, distraught family, makes for a read filled with tension. The layers that build will keep you reading. Great debut from the author!

[Carrie Shields · Rating 3 out of 5]

"𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭, 𝐌𝐢𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞. 𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟*𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞."

When college student Mia Mulcahy disappears, her brother Sean is left dealing with a shattered family and the suspicion that he somehow knows more than he's saying. Then another girl goes missing, followed by a third, and Sean decides he has nothing left to lose by investigating the cases himself. From the premise alone, this should have been a five star read for me. Missing girls, a desperate brother, a family falling apart, and a mystery that keeps widening? Sign me up. Unfortunately, the execution never quite got me there.

There was just something about the writing that kept me at arm's length. I wanted to be completely absorbed in Sean's search for Mia, but I never reached that point where I forgot I was reading a book. The story had plenty of pieces that should have worked for me, especially the questions surrounding the disappearances and the damage they were doing to Sean's family, but the pacing was my biggest issue. No matter how much I read, I kept waiting for that moment when everything would accelerate and I would become completely invested. It just never really happened.

That said, I can absolutely see why this premise will work for other thriller readers. There are some interesting ideas here about reputation, social media, family dynamics, and how quickly suspicion can consume a person when everyone is looking for someone to blame. I also appreciated that this is a debut, and there is clearly a solid thriller writer underneath the pacing issues that didn't quite work for me. This one wasn't a bad read by any means. I just wanted it to grab me harder than it did. Many thanks to Celadon Books for the early read that will publish January 19, 2027.

[Angie Miale · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Nobody Deserves This is a fast-paced, multilayered thriller about missing young women, a possible serial killer, and a wealthy Philadelphia family coming apart at the seams.

Twenty-one-year-old Sean Mulcahy has been expelled from Brown University, cut off financially by his wealthy father, Patrick, and is now working as a barista. But his biggest problem is that his sister, Mia, disappeared four months ago, and Sean was initially considered a suspect. Although he’s since been cleared, his life is in shambles.

When another young woman, Sarah, goes missing, Sean finds himself under police scrutiny once again after being spotted talking to her at a bar. Both missing women were athletes with substantial Instagram followings, using social media to attract attention from college recruiters. Determined to clear his name and find out what happened to his sister, Sean launches his own investigation. Meanwhile, Patrick, whose marriage is crumbling and whose career has consumed much of his life, is pursuing answers of his own.

What really worked for me was the setting. This book is PEAK PHILLY! Callahan brings the city to life through its neighborhoods, culture, and distinctive personality. There’s even a memorable scene at an Eagles game. Philadelphia feels like a character in its own right, and I loved that aspect of the novel.

The mystery itself is engaging, with multiple storylines, plenty of suspense, and some genuinely well-developed character arcs. For a debut, it’s an impressive and ambitious thriller.

However, I struggled with the portrayal of women throughout the book.

This is very much a male-centered story. Sean and Patrick are complicated, flawed men who are given substantial opportunities for growth, redemption, and even heroism. Their journeys feel like classic hero’s arcs. The female characters, meanwhile, are considerably less developed. Too often, they seem to exist on the sidelines or are portrayed as foolish, greedy, or somehow responsible for their own circumstances.

I also wasn’t particularly fond of how social media was incorporated into the story, especially in relation to the missing young women. And even the title gave me a bit of the ick. Of course nobody deserves to be abducted or murdered by a serial killer! But paired with some of the characterizations, it left me questioning the book’s perspective on its female characters.

Ultimately, I enjoyed the mystery much more than I enjoyed its treatment of women. I think readers who appreciate thrillers told primarily from a male point of view, particularly those featuring complicated father-son relationships and redemptive character arcs, will find a lot to like here.

A solid, suspenseful debut with an outstanding Philadelphia setting, but one that left me wishing its female characters had been given the same depth and humanity as its men.

Nobody Deserves This by Andy Callahan
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5/5 stars

Thank you to Celadon Books for the advanced reading copy! This debut thriller publishes in January 2027, and I’m excited to participate in Celadon’s Little Free Library drop on November 12!

[Kailee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thriller suspense stories tend to run through the same formulaic patterns. In tearing through NOBODY DESERVES THIS, I felt like I was reading this genre for the first time. I wanted to savor the story, but I also couldn’t flip through the pages first enough. It’s easily cracking my top reads of this year, and dare I say, in *many* years.

This story was refreshing, original, with twists and turns that left me giving up on solving the case, and instead, sitting back and enjoying the crazy ride. Make no mistake, the twists were not for shock value - they were carefully calculated nuggets that exploded on the page, causing me to sit up and exclaim, “WHAT?!” one too many times. This book was fun and I am envious of anyone who gets to read it for the first time.

If I am ever in a situation where I need to solve a crime (knock on wood), I pick Sean. His character brought a sense of levity in his voice-driven narrations in an otherwise serious story. He was the underdog that I rooted for from the get go, urging him on, while also cursing him through some of his boneheaded decisions. Getting a glimpse into the lives of him and his family, as they grapple with an unimaginable loss, you could feel them leap across the page.

Come for the story, stay for the Mulcahy family and those twists. An addictive read that will have your head spinning in those final pages.

[Kaci Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an addictive thriller! *Nobody Deserves This* hooked me pretty quickly with the missing-girls mystery, but what really kept me reading was Sean. I loved having a main character who is not only trying to figure out what happened to his sister, but also trying to prove that he isn't responsible for it.
There are so many layers to the story: family dysfunction, secrets, privilege, social media, reputation, and the way people can decide you're guilty long before they actually know the truth. I especially liked the tension between Sean and his father. Their relationship added an emotional element that made this feel like more than just another missing-person thriller.
Once the connections between the disappearances started coming together, I was completely invested. There were definitely moments where I thought I had things figured out, only to start questioning myself again a few chapters later.
Fast-paced, twisty, and easy to binge, this was a really strong debut. I would absolutely pick up another thriller from this author!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I haven’t read an opening like this in a longgg time. Propulsive and suspenseful is an understatement. I tore through this debut and have been dying for more friends to read it. Loved how the author portrayed the father/son relationship, the setting in Philly (so accurate), and the risks of social media and putting our lives out for public consumption. The title Nobody Deserves This can be seen through the lens of the victims but honestly it struck me that it’s more about the destruction of a family and the ways that tragedy can pull apart relationships.

So well done. Highly recommend!

[Krista · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured Nobody Deserves This in two days, turning pages feverishly well past my bedtime. This eye-opening read still has me questioning and feeling paranoid about absolutely everything I've ever posted to social media - yikes! I enjoyed that this suspenseful thriller focused heavily on the family dynamic between father and son, and its poignant commentary about the evils of money. What a fantastic debut! I'll be keeping an eye out for more books from this author in the future!

[Gregg Fleischman · Rating 4.75 out of 5]

Was lucky enough to get my hands on an advance copy. This is the first thriller that I've read, that dove in to the father/son relationship. And better yet, the suspense never died down. Loved this gem.

[Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, loved the pacing and the noir-esque voice. Very cinematic. Can't believe this is his first book! Loved the main character as well, and the conflicted relationship with his dad. Excuse me while I go delete my entire online presence!!

[Staci · Rating 4.75 out of 5]

Loved this book! Philadelphia's Main Line is a rich setting and a character in and of itself. This thriller had me guessing right up until the very end, highly recommend!

[Susie Brustin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, pacy, exactly what I was looking for in a thriller

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned of this book via snail mail, Celadon mailed me the first chapter. I read it and immediately requested the eARC, which I luckily got! I just finished it, and wow! It started out very strong, then I got sidetracked, but once I got back to the book it was so difficult to put down! I really needed to know what happened, and just when I thought I knew what was coming next, WHAM! The author, Andy Callahan, really kept me on the edge of my seat. I don't want to leave spoilers but just know there are a lot of twists and turns. You really can't be too careful when you accept a beverage either.

[Katie Lavoie · Rating 5 out of 5]

While technically a debut novel, Andy Callahan is clearly a pro at writing a good plot!

I adored this book - first up on my list of things I enjoyed was the setting. Just outside of Philadelphia in the affluent Mainline, this book captured the heart of the Philadelphia area in all the small details. I loved that it highlighted the good and the bad - the stealing from Wawa, the dedication to rooting against Dallas, the grit of the city contrasted with the wealth in the suburbs, etc. The setting was so real, visible in my mind, and the perfect backdrop to this story.

Next up was one of the main characters, Sean. He was fascinating and complex. At any moment he could be found, knowingly making a terrible decision or an incredibly thoughtful or considerate one. He is messy and flawed and real. And most importantly, he is fueled by a love for his sister that truly moves the entire book forward out of strong willpower, love, and an unwillingness to accept defeat. I truly loved rooting for him across every page.

Lastly I enjoyed the plot - it was a good mystery, a few good misdirections, and I mostly didn’t see any of it coming (which I love!). I absolutely wanted to keep reading and see where the book was going (though at times was scared to get the answer which is an amazing balance to strike). It’s faced pace, but I wouldn’t personally call it a popcorn thriller.

Thank you to Andy Callahan, Celadon, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG WTH DID I JUST READ?!? Thank you @celadonbooks for my gifted copy of Nobody Deserves This by Andy Callahan @andycallahanwriter It goes on sale January 19th, 2027 but you could score an early copy on November 12th, 2026 by checking the @littlefreelibrary map in Celadon’s bio that day to see if there’s a copy close to you. And believe me, you are going to want to because I could not put this down!

Sean’s younger sister Mia disappeared 4 months ago, when another girl is abducted and he’s the last person she’s seen with, he’s determined to do what the police have failed to, find the person responsible and save them both. This book was relentless from the prologue. Just when you think you have it all figured out you find yourself making a WTF face when you’re slapped with another unexpected twist. It’s fast paced with short chapters and will have your adrenaline pumping as you furiously turn the pages to find out how this could possibly end. Shout out to my Eastern PA friends Danielle and Jess for helping me out with some of the Philly area river and town pronunciations, I would have never guessed Schuylkill in a million years🫶🏽 Now that I’ve finished this I don’t know what to do with myself. I hope they turn this into a mini series or movie. I’m in awe at how good it was. This is my favorite book of 2026 by far so add it to your list now!

[Meganmreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so thankful to have gotten a chance to read this early and drop at a Little Free Library! It was so good!
I loved the conflict and characters. The alternating POVs were intriguing - second person for the girl adducted, first person for Sean, and third person for everyone else. It was a unique approach, but I enjoyed the way it flowed. Sean’s sister went missing, his father blamed him, his mother was struggling with the way her family was torn apart, and Sean just wanted to figure out the mystery of what happened and the police were proving to be inept. Through that, Sean started to research on his own and discovered something major.
I loved how flawed each character was and I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out what happened to Mia and why this was happening to multiple girls.
I definitely recommend this if you’re a fan of thrillers.

[Kerry Wolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this fast paced and multi layered crime thriller. Nobody Deserves This is set in Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs which is where I grew up. I loved all the local references that are weaved throughout the story. I also enjoyed the father and son main characters. Sean the son had a dream childhood and was a popular high school student athlete at a local private school. He messed up in College and he now feels responsible for his sister’s disappearance. The father Patrick is a power hungry workaholic who worked his way up from humble beginnings to becoming a multimillionaire with a luxurious lifestyle and is now a prominent figure in Main line Philadelphia society. He also blames his son for leading his daughter astray and causing her disappearance. All the family dynamics along with a fast placed plot with lots of twists and turns made this a fun and interesting read. Special thanks to NetGalley and the author for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come - and this ARC will be available in my little free library on November 12

[booked.with.julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an enjoyable debut that I had a great time reading!

When college student Mia disappears, her brother Sean quickly becomes a suspect. Four months later, another college girl goes missing, and Sean finds himself connected to that disappearance too. With his reputation ruined and his family turning against him, Sean starts digging into the cases himself and finds things that no one would have thought.

This was a page turner for me. I was really invested in what was happening with the missing girls and who was behind everything. There were plenty of secrets and suspicions to go around!

[Gordon Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nobody Deserves This is a decent debut novel set in Philadelphia. The sense of place is strong, the writer being a local, and plays an important part in the narrative.

Sean, a college drop out from a rich family, is devastated when his sister goes missing, and tries to track her down himself when the police get nowhere. Another young woman, very similar to Mia in several respects, goes missing and Sean assumes the two cases are linked. He finds clues the police have missed and is soon on the trail. But the result isn't at all what he expected, leading to a very different conclusion to his quest.

The male characters are strong in this novel, if a little one dimensional: the property magnate father, the hard nosed ex cop PI and so on. And the female characters all appear rather weak. Overall, the plot is a good one with twists and unexpected directions before the ending.

[Adri Hemingway · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is truly an addictive read that will keep you on your toes! The writing style flows together nicely & you may think you see where it's going, but the ultimate twist will leave you shocked! I audibly gasped when the shoe was dropped.

This story has many characters, each chapter written in first person narration so it takes a page or two to understand who is talking. Although, this was not confusing & ultimately led to the layers of build up towards the twist. Sean Mulcahy is a strong, determined, charismatic & funny character that you will often empathize with & root for. A privileged kid, sure - but an underdog in many ways.

I highly recommend this read as an avid thriller reader! Thank you Andy Callahan, Celadon Books & Netgalley for the early ARC opportunity

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andy Callahan's debut thriller will leave you breathless with anticipation as you read about missing girls in the Philadelphia area. Buckle in, because the ride is bumpy. Mia disappeared four months ago and hasn't been seen since. The cops are no help, but Mia's brother Sean is determined to find her. When another young woman, similar to Mia, goes missing, Sean is sure they're connected and gains his second wind in the investigation. While he proved to be way more adept than the police, he still has a lot of obstacles to face before he has a chance at finding his sister.

This reads, as well, like a love letter to Philadelphia. So many name checks of different areas. I know I like when things are set around where I live and I recognize them, so in that respect, this book should be a dream for those from the area. Besides that, this was a very fast-paced thriller that absolutely kept me guessing.

[nik · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one had me on the edge of my seat. I went back and forth between rooting for Sean, being disappointed in him, empathetic - the whole gamut of feelings. You really felt like you knew the characters and were rooting for them. I hope this author puts out more novels.

[KBeansbook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dreadfully disturbing, this intense highly charged and addictive thriller leaves you in a state of genuine angst for the entire book. I was so enthralled by the fast paced trajectory of the story that takes off like a rocket from the very beginning thrusting the reader into the chaotic and frenzied pursuit of the perpetrator who’s abducted Mia. Her brother Sean, with whom she was extremely close to blames himself because he wasn’t there for the night she’d left a concert and took an Uber home because she’d drunk too much and couldn’t drive.
Her friend Penny and two others had stayed to watch the rest of the concert and no one knew she was even missing until Sean had woken in the morning realizing Mia hadn’t gone to his house as she’d planned and wasn’t responding to his calls. Months with no leads except a brutal interrogation of Sean that had the media and nearly everyone else in town suspicious of his behavior even after he’d been cleared. His own Dad had disowned him for being too drunk to go pick Mia up when she’d called him for a ride and he didn’t blame him because he hated and blames himself too. Tortured and obsessed with where she may have been taken and by whom, he’s been trolling her social media and doing his own low key investigation about that night. When another girl from their same prestigious neighborhood and school goes missing after leaving a bar and getting an Uber Sean’s investigative skills go into overdrive. His father has a PI on the case but Sean’s uncovering that the PI nor the detective who’d always been grilling Sean about his friends and his own alibi that night. When he shares vital information with the detective about a connection he’s made in the case that connects his sisters and Sarah, the missing girl from the bar’s disappearances, the detective’s perspective in Sean finally becomes clear and it’s clear he’s just a desperate older loving brother trying so hard to find his sister and bring her home. His whole life has gone to hell and his parents are living apart, he’s not allowed near the house or his father because his father Patrick blames him for letting Mia drink beer and smoke weed the summer before she was taken and the trauma and stress compounded with the slanderous news reports about Sean and the unknowns that swirl around his sisters disappearance and her wellbeing is debilitating for them all.
Penny, Mia’s best friend and the last one to see her that night at the concert has become a friend and is helping him run down leads and connections he can find between the two girls when the worst news comes. A body in the woods has been found. And another girl taken from her dormitory and while it isn’t close to the areas that both Mia’s and Sarah’s last known locations, Sean’s finally had breakthrough success and has a lead on who this guy is. Sean races against the clock to the place he thinks he will find both Ana and the guy who’s taken her. When he found the place where Sarah was held, and saw the obvious signs that he was correct about his hunch and was close on this guys tail, he calls his father Patrick telling him he is rushing towards the campus area where he’s pretty sure where Ana will be and asks his Dad to call his PI because Sean tried the FBI but they had no offices near that area and he lost faith is the detectives ability to do his job when they’d not found Sarah in time. His father promises he is right behind him as he calls his PI who doesn’t answer. He leaves the information and continues towards his son but runs into a surreal situation and his PI gets caught up there with him.
Sean’s on his own as he approaches the house. He doesn’t know if it’s the one with a serial killer in and if he’s gotten there in time all he wants is to get there before another girl ends up like poor Sarah and he can finally find out where Mia is.
It is at this point the book ramps up the nail biting heart palpitating energy and scenes that are riveting and equally terrifying. As the entire suspense continues to build and then the major events within the plot are revealed and they’re so unimaginable and jaw dropping unreal that they left me breathless and my mind is still reeling. This was one of the most exciting and thrilling suspense books I’ve read all year. Hands down it will be the very first book I recommend to my fellow bibliophiles who are interested in this genre because it truly does outshine the rest.
Thank you so very much to the amazing and wildly talented #AndyCallahan for this genius work of art #NobodyDeservesThis and to the generous #Netgalley for their constant stream of so many delicious books that I cannot get enough of but mostly I want to thank the publisher for being so generous and kind for allowing me this opportunity to read this advanced reading copy of such a brilliant entertaining and exhilarating book! #CeladonBooks

[Mrs J · Rating 4.75 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to read this book as an Advanced Reader Copy thanks to Netgalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House.

This is a great debut novel by Andy Callahan. If this is his first novel I can’t wait to see what he writes next 5 star rea


This book is creepy, tense and unsettling with an unknown serial killer on the loose. I loved the character of Shaun and his determination through amateur detective work to find his sister, Shaun is a bit of a character who has lost his way. The family dynamics after Mia disappears are well written and you can feel the tense emotion of each of the members of the family as they struggle with their own emotions.
Patrick Shaun’s dad is not a likeable character at first as he blames Shaun for Mia’s disappearance and he disowns Shaun, the tension between them is palpable. Patrick hires a private investigator Jay Kaminski to try and find his daughter, Jay is a definite loose canon but a good character.
I loved the plot twists in this book and how the different characters were introduced throughout the story. There are some very strong characters in the book. The final twist I did not see coming and this was a fantastic ending to the book.
I hope this writer writes more like this as it is a great thriller. I would definitely recommend this book as your next read.

[bookbrownie0 · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

This was my first time reading a book by the author Andy Callahan and what a great introduction to a new author!
I’m a big fan of a good whodunitt and this one kept me turning the pages as I tried to piece together what had happened. When Mia disappears her brother Sean finds himself caught up in a web of suspicion, family tensions and unanswered questions. With another young woman going missing Sean becomes determined to uncover the truth, even when the answers might not be what he expects.
I really enjoyed following Sean’s journey and watching the mystery unfold. There were some clever twists along the way including moments that genuinely surprised me and I loved trying to work out how all the pieces fit together. The family dynamic added another layer to the story making it more than just simply solving a disappearance.
Overall this was an engaging and enjoyable mystery with plenty to keep a crime fiction fan interested. Andy Callahan has definitely caught my attention and I will be looking out for more of his books. If you enjoy a good mystery that keeps you guessing I’d happily recommend giving this one a read!
Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House, for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for my honest review. ❤

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Celadon books for the ARC!
This was the perfect title for this story. I thought this was a great thriller. I was pretty addicted to finding out the final outcome so I couldn’t put the book down. Sean is investigating his own sister’s kidnapping because he feels like the police have failed him. It turns out he does a better job than the police do. His family is slowly falling apart after his sister went missing and so is he. In the wild turn of events, he thinks he found his sister‘s kidnapper. There are a many different things going on in this story besides the disappearance of Mia. There are multiple point of views which kept the story pretty interesting. There was even a pov from the girls who were kidnapped. I enjoyed the case files and the text messages. My one issue with this book is how confusing the chapters were when the persons name is not listed. There were so many povs which I enjoyed but until I read a few sentences in, I had no idea who’s pov it was. I was a little surprised by the ending. I couldn’t believe the big twist to the story. I would have liked to know a little more on what exactly happened to Mia. This was a great page turning thriller.