Review: Girl Last Seen

Title: Girl Last Seen
Authors: Heather Anastasiu and Anne Greenwood Brown
Genre: Young Adult/Psychological/Mystery/Suspense
Publication Date: March 1, 2016
Recommended If You Like: internet fame, viral videos, social media, quick reads, literary lyrics, twisty mysteries

The Story:

Kadence and Lauren, two talented teenagers, were on the cusp of stardom. Their music videos had gone viral, until an incident lands Lauren in the hospital with paralyzed vocal chords.

Now Kadence is striking out alone. But after a concert at a local coffee shop, she goes missing.

Who and what are behind her disappearance? The police and the public think Lauren is to blame, jealous over Kadence moving on without her. Lauren is determined to prove her innocence, and expose that Kady wasn't exactly who her adoring fans thought she was.

What I Liked:

I always like when books use different media forms. Girl Last Seen mixes in song lyrics, police interviews, vlogs, Youtube and Twitter comments, and first person narration.

There were also some great twists and turns to the mystery. The secrets that were revealed were major, with long-lasting impact.

Anything I Didn't Like?

The last few chapters felt rushed, as if the authors knew the resolution they wanted to reach, but weren't sure exactly how to make it happen. The motivation behind everything felt too simple in many ways, and, while intriguing and surprising, felt like it took away a bit of complexity from the main characters. The ending was almost too pat in parts.

So...?

This is a creative book that feels modern, a mystery you could see playing out between internet celebrities right now. The idea of exploring the person behind the public persona built a lot of suspense, and provided many of the twists and turns.

I just wish the ending to this quick and exciting read was stronger.