Local Woman Missing: A Novel of Domestic Suspense

Spoiler free review. Listened to 70% and read 30%. 10 hours of the most intense plot, with so much suspense I’ve read/listened to in a long time. Maybe ever. Local Woman Missing now one of my top books. It is the most gripping read I swear.… From the prologue I was just consumed. Then straight to part one I was like is this the same book.. what is happening I had to go check. This book has a few pov. Which is why I had to go check and the narrows are different. Which was actually amazing because I can’t tell them part. Even with the name heading on each chapter I sometimes get lost but with this book I didn’t once. I thought the formatting and the writing was flawless. Just a brilliant story. Unlike anything I thought it would be. The twists were just shocking. I had so many theories throughout reading and I got them all wrong. I did find myself also not wanting to know because I was enjoying the story so much lol. When a local mother and her six-year-old daughter, Delilah, suddenly vanish, their close-knit suburban community is rocked by fear and suspicion. How could such a terrible thing have happened in their small town? *Past and Present

The opening hooked me right away from the prologue. The first chapter mirrors the blurb then the narrative goes back in time and the story slowly builds up to reveal a shocking outcome tying all the threads together spectacularly well. The premise revolves around a mother and her child who disappear, for the child to reappear eleven years later. What follows is a revelation of hidden secrets from the past, tearing this small town apart. The story which gets off to a cracking start with a tragic event, is told from the viewpoint of several of the characters, and there are a number of subplots which are very well knitted and synchronised. My only reservation is that although it starts off well, I felt it lost a bit of momentum in the middle part of the book, but the writing style remained strong throughout. In summary, this is a deliciously slow burning, hauntingly twisty, dark thriller which left me wondering how the various stories would entwine, and when the connection was exposed, I did not see it coming ! Recommend for lovers of slow burning, twisty thrillers.

What a way to start the reading year. I sometimes feel we can get stuck in a bit of a rut with psychological thrillers — some absolutely hit the mark, while others fall completely flat. I went into this one expecting a quick, easy read… and yes, it was exactly that — but it was also utterly brilliant. Local Woman Missing is a tightly plotted, cleverly structured thriller, and Mary Kubica really knocked it out of the park. The pacing is spot on, the twists are well planned, and it kept me fully engaged right to the end. There’s been a lot of hype around this book on TikTok, and we all know that doesn’t always guarantee a great read. But this one absolutely lives up to it. It takes a lot these days for me, as a seasoned thriller reader, to genuinely think wow — and this did exactly that. If you’re looking for a satisfying, compelling thriller that leaves you feeling properly fulfilled, this one definitely deserves a place on your reading list this year. 📚✨

I’m truly blown away by this book. The plot is well thought out and beautifully crafted. It starts off slow and includes a lot of clever misdirections that trick the reader into thinking they know what will happen, only for the story to hit them with one good slap in the face. An unexpected turn of events. But when you look back at the earlier chapters, it all comes together, and that’s what I like. A great read, truly.

I really enjoyed this book. The story was really good, had me gripped from first couple of chapters. Didn’t work out the ‘twist’ until nearer the end and certainly didn’t see it coming Seemed a little far fetched though or it would have been a solid 5!

Loved this book finished it in one day. I am definitely going to recommend it to everyone I know !

Book deliveres fast. Good packaging. Nice storyline with many suspects!

I liked everything about this book its quick paced, tense, different POV's. There were so many different threads of the plot that kept your interest and I was glad that the ending didn't get really silly.

3 🌟🤔 I think I'm an outlier once again but I didn't find it fascinating or mind-blowing at all. It was very slow until the last 10 pages and there aren't plot twists either. I couldn't feel sad or worried about the missing "people" but maybe the only character who I felt some kind of connection was Kate 😬 I don't know, I don't really think is that worthy tbh.

amazing book. you think you know whats gonna happen, you think you know it, but you are wrong. thats what i loved about it.

Er hangt een stuk karton aan de cover en de hoek is beschadigd

Local Woman Missing is one of the most gripping thrillers I’ve read in a long time. Mary Kubica absolutely nails the eerie atmosphere, the emotional depth, and the jaw-dropping twists that make this genre so addictive. The story kicks off with the disappearance of a woman and her young daughter in a quiet suburban neighborhood—and things spiral from there. Kubica masterfully weaves multiple timelines and perspectives, slowly revealing how these disappearances are connected. Every chapter adds a new layer of suspense, and just when you think you’ve figured it out, she flips the script. What sets this book apart is how emotionally invested you become in the characters. The alternating POVs—from a guilt-ridden mother to a traumatized girl who resurfaces years later—are rich with tension and raw emotion. It’s not just a mystery; it’s a story about trauma, resilience, and the lengths people will go to protect those they love. I couldn’t stop turning the pages. The plot is smart and complex without ever being confusing, and the ending is incredibly satisfying—unexpected, but it makes perfect sense once it clicks. If you’re a fan of Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train, or The Couple Next Door, this needs to be your next read. It’s haunting, addictive, and impossible to forget. Highly recommend for any thriller lover!

Realy interesting novel