Local Woman Missing: A Novel of Domestic Suspense – A Twisted Psychological Thriller About a Small Town’s Darkest Secrets

This book was Excellent! The twists and turns were nonstop.

When a small-town doula and her six-year-old daughter go missing, the local community organizes search parties. Meredith’s husband, Josh, is frantic with worry. The neighbors, a couple named Kate and Bea, who often socialized with Meredith and Josh, pitch in to help however they can. Little Leo, Meredith’s and Josh’s toddler son, doesn’t understand where his mommy and big sister went. Adding to the anxiety everyone is feeling, is the knowledge that another woman from the immediate area went missing just weeks before. This other woman turns out to be a client of Meredith’s, whom she helped during a difficult birth. Meredith’s car is spotted at a rundown motel. Police on the investigation find Meredith’s body in one of the motel rooms. Her death was an apparent suicide. She leaves a note to Josh saying he’ll never find Delilah. Meanwhile, miles away, a small girl is kept in a basement. Her abductors torment her by denying her enough water, food, medical care, and even sunlight. The girl’s only consolation is she is trapped with another child, a boy named Gus. After years of abuse, the kids plot an escape. The girl’s emergence from captivity is a catalyst for events that make an unknown killer very nervous. This novel is a complex mystery involving five point-of-view characters, subplots, red herrings, and twists and including a dual timeline in the past and present. I thought the author, Mary Kubica did a masterful job in building suspense. Unfortunately, not all the twists in the plot are believable. I can’t be more specific without revealing spoilers. For the first three-fourths of the book, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough and was willing to suspend disbelief. The ending, however, was a let-down because several new plot wrinkles were added at the very last minute, which made me feel unfairly tricked. My rating is a 3.5 because I enjoyed most of the book. Overall, this is a fast summer read that does keep you guessing, even if your guesses turn out wrong.

Loved this book so much! I couldn’t put it down. I definitely didn’t see that coming. One of the best thrillers I have read.

Local Woman Missing was a solid, suspenseful read that kept me intrigued from the very beginning. The pacing was strong, and there were several clever twists that kept the story moving and added an eerie edge. While I enjoyed the overall plot, one of the major reveals didn’t hit as hard for me—it felt a little underwhelming, especially given how much I liked the character involved. That said, the emotional complexity of the story still made the ending impactful. Overall, it’s an engaging thriller with plenty of tension and surprises. Definitely worth a read for fans of twisty, character-driven mysteries.

Just finished Local Woman Missing and whew... my heart's still racing! 😱 Mary Kubica really knows how to mess with your head. Three women vanish from the same neighborhood within weeks, and then 11 years later, one of the missing girls shows up out of nowhere? Yeah, I didn't get much sleep until I figured out what was going on. The way this story bounces between past and present is brilliant but evil (in the best way). Just when you think you've got it figured out, Kubica throws another curveball that makes you question everything you thought you knew. That twist about halfway through? I literally had to put the book down and pace around my room for a bit. Fair warning: this isn't your cozy weekend read. It's dark. It's disturbing. And it'll make you side-eye your seemingly perfect suburban neighborhood. But if you're into psychological thrillers that keep you guessing until the very end, this one's a must-read. Solid 4.5/5 stars - would've been 5 but my nerves need time to recover 🫣 BookTok #ThrillerBooks #MaryKubica #CantSleep #BookReview

THIS BOOK was fabuloso. plot twist . you shall read peeps .

I was given this as a gift and enjoyed it so much I purchased it for a friend.

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.

Es ok pero me prefire mi Sketchers

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!