Like the spellbinding psychological suspense in The Girl on the Train and Luckiest Girl Alive, Megan Miranda’s novel is a nail-biting, breathtaking story about the disappearances of two young women—a decade apart—told in reverse.

It’s been ten years since Nicolette Farrell left her rural hometown after her best friend, Corinne, disappeared from Cooley Ridge without a trace. Back again to tie up loose ends and care for her ailing father, Nic is soon plunged into a shocking drama that reawakens Corinne’s case and breaks open old wounds long since stitched.

The decade-old investigation focused on Nic, her brother Daniel, boyfriend Tyler, and Corinne’s boyfriend Jackson. Since then, only Nic has left Cooley Ridge. Daniel and his wife, Laura, are expecting a baby; Jackson works at the town bar; and Tyler is dating Annaleise Carter, Nic’s younger neighbor and the group’s alibi the night Corinne disappeared. Then, within days of Nic’s return, Annaleise goes missing.

Told backwards—Day 15 to Day 1—from the time Annaleise goes missing, Nic works to unravel the truth about her younger neighbor’s disappearance, revealing shocking truths about her friends, her family, and what really happened to Corinne that night ten years ago.

Like nothing you’ve ever read before, All the Missing Girls delivers in all the right ways. With twists and turns that lead down dark alleys and dead ends, you may think you’re walking a familiar path, but then Megan Miranda turns it all upside down and inside out and leaves us wondering just how far we would be willing to go to protect those we love.

Whenever I see any publisher reference or comparison of an author’s novel to that of Luckiest Girl Alive, my interest is peaked while I still have a bit of a hesitation. Who as a reader ever wants to be disappointed with their expectations of what a book should bring to a reader? I know I am certainly not one of those sorts and Megan Miranda did not disappoint.

I absolutely loved this book. The technique of starting and ending the book at the beginning was brilliant. Each chapter marked a countdown of the days. When I first heard of the writing style used I was a bit uncertain of the handling, however, Miranda manages the technique flawlessly. Her characters are passionate, driven, and engaging. Each of the characters have their own story to tell.

Now the story, what a read! Suspense and drama in a homecoming for the main character. There is murder and there is love. The bond of Nicolette and Tyler through it all makes the reader believe in the notion of soul mates. The story focuses on Nicolette and a murder from a decade ago and a hauntingly familiar recent murder.

This book has that way of leaving the reader itching to know who killed Colette and aching to discover who is the murderer this time around. The story had everything I would want in a suspenseful drama and I look forward to reading more from the author. Until next time, happy reading!