When girls start going missing in their hometown, including her sister and ex-girlfriend, Iris and three friends set up a detective agency to solve the crime.
Maybe takes a while to settle down and there is a lot of soul searching at times, but the characterisation is convincing and positive, and the plot developments build to a tense, nail-biting crescendo that really grips. Impressive debut

This is such a strong debut novel from Victoria Wlosok.

How to Find a Missing Girl is a heart-pounding-palms-sweating-making-me-hold-my-breath as I turn the page of the (e)book. Incredibly riveting and certainly a book that’ll suck you right in until you’ve read it in its entirety in a singular sitting.

The plot was intricate and cleverly thought out. The clues came together at the end in a smart, concise way that brought the whole book to a solid, satisfying (tearjerking) conclusion.

I really enjoyed the characters in this. I thought Iris was a complex, interesting main character and I really enjoyed her narrative. I was rooting for her the whole time. The only thing I will say is that I feel sometimes Iris’ grief was looked over, and we skipped past explaining some events that happened in her past for the sake of keeping the story moving along. This is such a shame because the moments where Wlosok touched upon this were really good.

I loved all the other supporting characters! I think it was a good cast and I loved how they all worked together to solve the mystery. I wish we got a bit more resolution with Iris’ and the fallout with her friends.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book a heck of a lot and I’m excited to read the next book from Wlosok.

Thank you to Hatchettes Children’s Group/Hodder Children’s Book for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Iris, Imani and Sammy make up the “world’s most okayest” sapphic detective society, and quite frankly that’s enough to grab me right off. It’s a book of conflicting accounts and emotions, taking you on a whirlwind journey of absolutely everything you can think of through the experiences of the characters.

Iris is bristly and stern, coping with the huge weight of double grief by shutting herself off from the world. She thinks she’s coping, or tells herself she is, knowing deep down she’s papering over the cracks that might just break her if she looks at them too closely. She doesn’t let her new friends see the real truth of her, having pushed her old friends away with her obsessive bevahiour when her sister disappeared. I really felt for Iris; her grief is potent and vivid, and especially once her old friend Lea comes back on the scene, she is fighting against herself almost constantly with every thought. She, and all the other characters, felt incredibly real.

I loved the use of the podcast as an information sharing technique. It’s always one of those tricky points when writing: how do you get this information that the reader needs to know to them when the main character can’t have access to it? In this case, the podcast gives us background information as well as different opinions before Iris is ready to consider them, as well as giving us Heather’s thoughts in the time building up to her disappearance.

There was a lot of information to process, and at times the book seemed to drag, but it was made up for with the way that the story also developed. The interactions between the characters were entertaining, and it was clear how much affection they held for one another, even when they were having their rocky moments. I also really loved their individual character points; Imani’s dedication to sewing, Sammy’s love of quirky clothing and coding, and Lea’s fierce determination to go into journalism.

Overall, this was a great read, which kept my attention and the pages turning. I was motivated to find out the conclusion to the mystery, and I really didn’t see it all working out the way it did. I felt a riot of emotions throughout, and was cheering on the sapphic agency from both a sexuality and mystery solving perspective. Filled with a cast who will capture your head and heart, a mystery that will keep you guessing, and character development that will satisfy you, How to Find A Missing Girl is a new thriller for those that love them, from a new name to watch.

Off the bat, I'd like to say that this book is the YA thriller of the year. No doubt about it. For a debut, this book was stunning and haunting in every way possible. Not only with the plot, but the characters and the writing were phenomenal, and Victoria Wlosok is an author to watch. I will most definitely be getting a physical copy of this wonderful story.

HTFAMG gave all the best thriller vibes, relating to that of Holly Jackson with its own special elements and characters. This book follows a sapphic detective agency, and it was so nice to see them take the lead and get to tell their own story. Similarly, this book focuses on bringing justice to the girls in this town who have gone missing, and I think it's such a beautiful story, woven in feminism and queer identity.

Iris was a wonderful protagonist, I don't want to compare her too much to Pip from AGGGTM, but she definitely had her stubbornness and chaos. Iris is still her own character, and she's beautifully well-rounded, whether that's with the relationship she has with her friends or family, I saw her as a real person, not just a character.

The side characters also made this story so much more incredible. I adored Sammy and Imani so much, and when Lea joined their group I loved their scenes even more. The history behind Lea and Iris was so interesting and fun to read, and I was constantly craving their scenes together. The setting too was utterly believable, Hillwood felt like a real town to me, and I could really picture all the locations.

As for the actual mystery, I felt like I was right there alongside Iris trying to figure it out. I adored the podcast aspect and how evidence was brought in that way, and how we also didn't have all the information upfront as Iris hadn't actually listened to them. From the get-go, it was clear Heather's disappearance was somehow linked with Stella's, but it was truly a wild goose chase throughout the whole book trying to figure out how they connected.

Without getting too much into spoilers because of the mystery elements, I will mention how utterly heartbreaking and devasting the third act of this book is. Your heart breaks for the characters, and I was covered in chills for the whole third part. And just when you think it's been solved, you realise that there has to be more... and let me tell you, there's more than you could ever imagine.

The climax of this book rivals Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson with the actual pure chaos and stakes on the line, and I had the best time reading it, constantly on the edge of my seat. The confessions and the reveals had me so surprised and I truly couldn't believe what I was reading. Again, I don't want to spoil it, but the outcome was the best we could have gotten things considered, and while I was definitely too optimistic with my hopes, the realistic ending and turn-out were perfect and devasting all at once.

I'd like to finish this review by saying this book most definitely had the potential to be a five-star read, and it was due to my own personal factors that it wasn't. However, that doesn't take away from how amazing this book was, and Victoria should be so, so proud.

I sadly cannot get into this book, it feels exactly like A Good Girls Guide To Murder which sometimes isn't a bad thing but this felt like it was trying a bit too hard, I put it down when our MC was going to break into a house, wasn't for me sadly when I adore mystery books 😩

Might pick it back up at a later date.

Loved it!! Perfect YA that has a bit of everything. If you like a good girls guide to murder, then this is a must read.

This book is fast paced a very interesting plot full of investigation and a little bit of drama. For me is one of the best YA of the year in my bookshelf. I liked Iris as a character lots. This book is difficult to put down and had a very good representation and the character developed was very good. Once you pass the slow beginning it’s a very fast book so don’t get disappointed for the slow start. Thank you very much to NetGalley for the access to this ARC

Iris starts a private investigator business to investigate her sister’s disappearance
starts as a really slow burn but gets faster and so grinning when heather a second girl (iris’s ex girlfriend)goes missing, heather who is a podcaster who used her podcast to talk about iris’s sister’s disappearance (crazy right!). So many twists and turns just as you think is it heathers boyfriend is it suicide or is it someone else ?
There’s lots of lgbtq+ rep in this book which is great .

I stayed up LATE to finish this book, which is one thing I hardly ever do! Perfect for fans of A Good Girls Guide to Murder, HTFAMG is a fast paced YA thriller full of investigation and drama. This book has an excellent display of diverse characters. This is definitely a book I will never forget. PLEASE READ THIS.

If you enjoyed A Good Girls Guide To Murder, grab this when it’s released! This YA, sapphic mystery is an easy read which got me hooked. The plot was written perfectly and kept me guessing throughout. The writing style is current and I loved the diversity of the characters.

How to Find a Missing Girl follows seventeen-year-old Iris, who forms a sapphic detective agency at her high school. When her ex-girlfriend goes missing a year after the disappearance of her older sister, she decides to investigate and find out what really happened.

Despite a somewhat slow beginning, I ended up really liking this book! It features a diverse cast of characters (including the sapphic rep, which I adored!) who are all fairly well-developed, even if some of them seem to be sidelined near the end. The plot is full of twists, so I was guessing until the end, and it's incredibly well-crafted with pieces falling perfectly into place when the mystery starts to unravel. The narrative voice is authentic and intensely gripping, which also made it very easy to fly through the pages and I ended up reading this book in practically one sitting.

Overall, a highly enjoyable YA thriller - I can't wait to see what Victoria Wlosok writes in the future!

3.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free EArc.

After her sister went missing and the police labelled the case as a runaway, Iris launched her own investigation to find out what really happened. Unfortunately I’m the process she scared off the only lead and landed in some trouble with the police.

Now 1 year later her ex-girlfriend, who just so happened to have a true trike podcast about the case also goes missing.

It’s time to dust off those investigation skills, but Iris only has 30 days until she turns 18 and could get in a lot more trouble is she is caught investigating.

A perfect read for fans of A good girls guide to murder.

The language and flow of this book is very much aimed at YA making it a very easy read.

I had a great time reading this book, I didn’t have any real guesses regarding the mystery until quite late in, which I really enjoyed.
There were some frustrating moments with things not said or poor choices made but overall this book was very good.

I enjoyed following Iris’s story as she evolved as a character.

I read this over 2 days, I couldn’t wait to solve the mysteries. A very enjoyable read that I will recommend to others.

I read this book in 1 day!! Simply couldn’t stop reading.

This was the perfect book for a good girls guide to murder fan like myself. I loved the diversity and the characters. I really felt connected to them.

The plot was very fast paced and kept you on your toes.

"For fans of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder and Veronica Mars, this whip-smart thriller follows a sapphic detective agency as they seek the truth behind a growing trail of missing girls in small-town Louisiana."

This was such a fun read! It was so interesting to delve into the world of these characters, particularly Iris, and look at how she rebuilds her life following the events over the worst year of her life. The tone of voice made this for a quick, fast-paced read and I really couldn't put it down!

There is definitely a whodunnit element to this story, and I'm disappointed to say that I did indeed fall for one of the red herrings. The reveal at the end was unexpected but really well done.

I've given this 4 stars (4.5 on Storygraph!) because it did take me a little while to get into the story. The phrase 'detective agency' is thrown around a lot, particularly at the start of the book when we don't really know the characters. It just kept taking me back to my school days when we'd joke about opening a detective agency and it kept making me cringe, haha! However, as we went through the story and saw what each character could contribute, it became a lot more believable and I was really invested in the end. I do hope there's a sequel!

I absolutely LOVED this book. I loved the story and the characters and the writing was so accessible and amazing at keeping you hooked. Also, the cover?? WOW!

I think this thriller is unlike any I've read in a while. Although I could see who had done the murder early on, it was interesting to see it all play out.

A year ago, Iris Blackthorn's sister, Stella, went missing on the night of homecoming. With the police concluding she had voluntarily run away, Iris took the investigation into her own hands - with disastrous consequences. Despite having scared away the only potential lead into her sister's disappearance, Iris does succeed in making a name for herself as someone able - and determined - to uncover truths. When one classmate asks for her help in bringing down a catfish, and another two pitch in their own skills, the sapphic detective agency is born. However, when Iris's ex-girlfriend goes missing - shortly after posting an explosive podcast episode about Stella's disappearance - the agency are faced with their biggest case yet; and the stakes have never been higher.

HtFaMG was a little bit of a slow-burn for me, maybe because it took me a while to figure out who was who between the podcast opener and the agency characters. However, it wasn't long before it gripped me, and then I finished it pretty much in one sitting. This book manages to encapsulate a lot of different themes in a really skillful way. The bulk of the story is the mystery element: Stella's disappearance, Heather's disappearance, and whether the two are related or just a tragic coincidence. There's also a dual sense of tension created through both the time-pressure of Heather's ongoing absence (denoted through the alarms Iris sets) and Iris's upcoming birthday, at which point any of her transgressions can no longer be dismissed as an act of childishness. Alongside this, however, there's Iris's own journey, particularly in navigating her unthinkable griefs and traumas, and her ongoing exploration of how well you can ever know even those closest to you. However, amidst all of this, there's a romance plot and the friendship between the agency that ensure this book has a whole lot of heart, too. I was particularly caught by the red herrings that never failed to set me off down the wrong path in trying to determine what had happened, and by the unlikely team created by the teenage investigative journalist and the teenage detective.

I do think that this book tried to do a LOT and, whilst it mostly succeeded, there were parts that I would have liked to see more of. In particular, the other two members of the agency were somewhat sidelined, which was a shame! In particular, it would have been nice to have found out more about the early days of the agency, when Iris was a relative stranger to the other two. I also think that at times the focus on the various stakes felt a bit misplaced: the risk of physical harm sometimes seemed to defer to the risk of legal harm, for example. As well, I was a bit confused by the references to Lea's six fingers? - in some ways it felt like a nice representation/normalisation of having polydactyl. In other ways, however, it just felt randomly shoehorned in a lot of the time, and a bit unnecessary.

My main conclusion about HtFaMG is that it builds to a sickeningly inevitable conclusion, albeit one with enough twists and depth to keep it interesting. It's definitely a book I'd recommend to others, and I'm hopeful to read more sapphic thrillers by Victoria Wlosok.

Thank you very much to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is such a strong debut, I devoured it. Iris was such a great and strong MC, I rooted for her from the start and resonated with her so much as if that was my sister, I wouldn't have stopped either.

Really strong character development, there was just enough mystery to keep me really intrigued without me guessing everything which I love. I loved the queer representation in this book and it was refreshing to read a sapphic crime novel.

I'm expecting big things from Wlosok and I cannot wait to see what they write next

The only thing that stopped me giving HTFAMG five stars was that I think it could do with a little editing on some of the repetitiveness, when there's a bigger cast of characters it's understandable for things to be repeated so we get a strong grasp on who they are but I think this went to far into the book in some instances so became a little repetitive.

Final Rating: 4.5

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an arc of this book.

i really, really enjoyed reading this. i loved the writing style and the story had me turning page after page all through my night shift. 👀 i loved the diverse set of characters and the twists and turns in the story. i think this is a perfect read for people who loved "a good girls's guide to murder" and "sadie" or anyone who enjoyed a good mystery.

i was also reading the acknowledgements and the author is only 20?! to be able to write such a great book, filled with a rollercoaster of emotions and brilliant plot line at that age is something to definitely be proud off.

thank you to netgalley for this arc!

Iris and her friends run a detectives agency, so when her ex gf goes missing, they decide to investigate. however, she isn’t the first girl in town to go missing, as Iris’s sister disappeared a year ago, and Iris got in legal trouble trying to investigate. can they solve this case before she turns 18 and the consequences get worse?

This book was so hard to put down. i loved the twists in it, how it was hard to guess who really was the killer. i also loved the queer (and particularly sapphic) rep, of which there was a lot.

I highly recommend this to anyone who loved a good girls guide to murder but wished it was gayer!

I wish I could say I loved this one but I… didn’t. It didn’t grip me at any point and I just continued reading for the sake of it. I’m not sure if I’m in a reading slump or if this book just didn’t grip me enough. Who knows!