Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica is an absolutely mesmerizing psychological thriller that completely consumed me and I could not put it down.
The action spans now and eleven years earlier. The reader ‘hears’ the events through various voices as we try to piece together what happened.
I found my heartrate rising as I read. Local Woman Missing definitely fell into the category of – wow, oh wow, did I just read that?
Ordinary suburbia. Ordinary lives. But one is never quite sure what is going on behind closed doors or in the minds of others.
Family is important. Love and hope help us to get through dark days. A community comes together to help a family recover from tragedy.
Mary Kubica has written a fantastic story about suburban lives that are altered within a second. A different choice and life would have been very different.
Local Woman Missing will consume you as you have to keep reading to discover the truth. It would make a brilliant movie.
Mary Kubica is a talented author whose books always grip me from the start.
I received a free copy of the book from Harper Collins via Net Galley. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

This was a gripping read that I did not want to put down. It was not always predictable with many twists and turns.

I am very sorry but this book bore no resemblance to the preview. It was supposed to be about a missing women but the start is about two children being mentally and physically abused whilst looked in a dark cellar. This visualisation was more than I could cope with..

Local Woman Missing is another cracking thriller by Mary Kubica. This is my second novel by this bestseller author though I have had a few of her other books on my e-reader for quite some time, specifically, When the Lights Go Out, and Every Last Lie.

Local Woman Missing sees Shelby Tebow vanish, shortly followed by Meredith Dickey and her six-year-old daughter Delilah. When Delilah returns to the quiet Chicago neighbourhood eleven years later her family and the local community start to ask searching questions.

This thriller, with its mesmerising readability, is told from different perspectives; those of Delilah, Meredith, Kate, who is a neighbour of Meredith, and Leo, who is Meredith's son. Some viewpoints are from the past and others are in the present. Meredith is a doula and yoga teacher and when she disappears Kate is hit hard by her absence and decides to look into Meredith and Delilah's vanishing. Leo is struggling to believe that is his sister has returned as she is nothing like she was eleven years ago, and Leo is slow to trust that Delilah is his sister.

Mary Kubica's novel follows a very intriguing, multi-layered story. Dark and chilling it is creative, inspired and the writing is flawless. Gripped by the perfect plotting and pacing, I found the suspense riveting. The author's writing style is impressive and noteworthy and she is a gifted storyteller who can provide readers with thrills, sophistication and a story packed with substance. I like the way the story evolved, and for me, Local Woman Missing is a very highly recommended read that will be of interest to many readers.

A special thank you to the publisher and the author for a complimentary copy of this novel at my request received via NetGalley. This review is my unbiased opinion.

This is the first book I have read by Mary Kubica. I really enjoyed the story. It is told from the
perspective of all the main characters in alternate chapters. Lots of twists and an ending that I wasn’t
expecting. I will definitely be reading more of her books.

Wow!!! I am a huge fan of Mary Kubica, this new book is outstanding, her best yet!!
I was drawn in from page one and hooked to the end. Sorry many ver clever twists and surprises as the story unfolds!!
Shelly Tebrow goes for a late evening run, she will not return.
We then meet a young girl being held captive in a dark cold basement, she has been here for many years, being abused by a husband and wife.
Next we meet the neighbours on a suburban street, Meredith, John and their two children, Delilah and Leo, their neighbours are Kate and Bea.
Shelley is missing, now Meredith and Delilah are also missing, are the disappearances connected. The story is weaved together, very cleverly written, there are some jaw dropping moments
If you are a fan of a psychological thriller then this book is not to be missed!!!
A TOP READ for 2021 A 6th star is needed.

Local Woman Missing is a twisty psychological thriller about three missing women and the effects of captivity on a woman who returns to her family but struggles to adapt to her newfound freedom. Shelby Tebow is the first to go missing. The young mother was pretty new to town and had headed out for a run never to be seen again. She had no reason to just up and leave, especially with a newborn who relies on her care. A few weeks later, Meredith Dickey and her six-year-old daughter, Delilah, vanish just blocks away from where Shelby was last seen, striking fear into their once-peaceful community in the Chicago suburbs. Meredith's friends and family organise a search party and knock on doors but to no avail. Are these incidents connected? After an elusive investigation that yields more questions than answers, the case eventually goes cold. Meredith's husband, Josh, and son, Leo, are forced to carry on through life without her and with no answers as to what happened to both mother and daughter. Then Meredith’s body is found with what appears to be a self-inflicted knife wound and a note that reads ”You’ll never find her. Don’t even try."

Now, eleven years later, Delilah shockingly returns. Everyone wants to know what happened to her, but no one is prepared for what they'll find. She has spent the past decade trapped in a pitch-black basement by the cruel and abusive couple who abducted her. This is a compulsive, gripping and enthralling thriller and certainly one of Kubica’s best efforts to date. It's intelligent and chilling making good use of twists, turns and red herrings and culminating in an explosive conclusion. There is quite a large suspect pool and a trail of intriguing clues that link the two cases including a professional connection between Shelby and Meredith and a series of threatening text messages sent to Meredith’s mobile phone. Kubica takes domestic secrets to a whole new level, showing that some people will stop at nothing to keep the truth buried. The narrative moves at a rapid-fire pace, is richly atmospheric and as it progresses the cruel heart of the murderer is revealed inch by inch. A story that shows that no matter how shiny and alluring the facade, small towns often have dark, disturbing secrets lurking just below the surface.

I have read countless thrillers over the years, plenty with a missing character that returns, usually with very unsatisfactory resolutions. I didn't know what to expect from Kubica, but I went in with an open mind.

I have one word... Wow.

For me it all came down to cleverly used changes in timeline, consistent enough between changes and perspectives so that it was easy (and intriguing) to follow.
The back and forth in timeline, slowly getting closer and closer together was really enjoyable, subtly giving you the information and backstory for the characters whilst still continuing the narrative.

(I'm trying desperately to avoid spoilers!)
Finding out the truth of what happened to Shelby and Meredith was shocking enough, but to find out that what Delilah wasn't the whole story was shocking to say the least.

It's been said that you can never really know people until you see them under pressure. Kubica has done an incredible job of evoking this on paper through her characters.

Wow , what a book the best I’ve read all year. Brilliant twists and turns , just when you think you know what’s going on it shoots off in another direction. Can’t rate this highly enough, I loved it

This is a very interesting read and there was a twist at the end which I will admit I really had not seen coming.

The story is set now and also eleven years ago and told in both timeframes by multiple characters. This was a challenge at first but soon became the norm and was well paced and laced with interesting characters across the timelines.

Eleven years ago two women go missing and one is found murdered, the other found having taken her own life. Shelby and Meredith were their respective names and they had been known to each other, with Meredith being the doula for Shelby’s recent childbirth. At the same time Meredith’s daughter Delilah has disappeared and at just 6 years old a search and media circus ensues.

In the now timeline a girl kept captive is found and returned to the family, however all is not as it seems and the well intended actions of a police officer who has fallen for the widow of Meredith come tumbling down.

The shocking twist at the end was very surprising and an interesting end, which is well considered and fitting. I was a little disappointed that more time wasn’t given to the discovery and after effects when the reveal took place in the final chapters. I would have liked to have seen how this played out a little more.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’d like to thank H.Q. and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Local Woman Missing’ by Mary Kubica in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Nobody in their close-knit community can understand why Meredith and her six-year-old daughter Delilah disappeared. When Delilah escapes from the people who’ve held her captive for the past eleven years her father Josh is overjoyed although her brother Leo finds it hard to accept how much she’s changed, and it’s not long before doubts start to emerge.

‘Local Woman Missing’ is a gripping and totally involving story that moves from the events of eleven years ago to the present time. I’ve been completely absorbed by the characters and drama as we move between past and present, through every twist and turn of which there are many, but it’s the changes in direction that the plot leads us that’s kept me guessing until I’ve reached the shocking and unexpected conclusion. This is a chilling and thoroughly enjoyable thriller that I can wholeheartedly recommend.

This is the second Mary Kubuca book I've read. They are easy reading and the plots are well thought out but with this one I'm afraid that as the story progressed, I had to suspend belief more and more. It's difficult to say any more without giving away spoilers.
This book has many 4 and 5 star ratings, so clearly my views aren't shared by most readers.

A fast paced, page turner! This story had plenty of drama and relatable characters. I kept going because I had to know what happened to Delilah - fantastic read!

WOW! All the stars and then some for this cracker of a book! We start in the past - eleven years ago Shelby Tebow went missing. No sign. And then Meredith Dickey also disappeared, along with her six year old Delilah. Back in the present and Delilah returns. Back to her father and brother. To say she is changed by her experience would be an understatement and she is a bit wild, feral if you like. Leo, her brother is initially distrustful of her, especially as more of her "story" comes out. She was held, in a basement. With another child. But with no clue where or by whom... Or indeed how and why she ended up there... We also follow Meredith in the past as she starts to receive worrying messages, and also hear from Kate in the present as she tries to work out what happened to the women and Leo as he comes to terms with the return of his sister.
Told in multiple timelines by several characters the story is drip fed with exactly the right amount of backstory divulged in exactly the right places to both complement the present day story and keep it ticking along. It's fast paced but there are slower moments to give the reader a bit of respite from what is happening. Well needed in my opinion!
It was a story that sucked me in right from the off, held me captive and captivated throughout, spitting me out at the end exhausted and satisfied. OK, for full disclosure, I found the ending a tad rushed but I think maybe part of that was my eagerness to get over the final line and finally find out all the secrets. I really needed to know as I was completely flummoxed for the majority of the book...!
All in all, another winner from this author, one to add to her already impressive back catalogue. If you are a fan of the genre, you'd do well checking that out. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I’m astounded how much I ended up loving this book. This book by far is one of my all time favourites of 2021 that despite a free copy for the kindle (through the wonderful NetGalley), I’m purchasing a hard copy to add to my favorite books collection.
Warning!- I suggest that you don’t pick this book up if you are short of time. From the first page I was hooked and didn’t want to put it down.
A definite ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A must read!

Wow, what a read! This is my favourite book this year and I get through a lot of them.

It’s pacy, intriguing, surprising and well written. I’ve read a few of Mary Kubica’s other thrillers but this is definitely the best one.

It’s certainly worthy of a big fat 5 stars!

This has been a read filled with tension and suspense and I have been completely hooked. I have adored the way this has been written and fully engaged in this novel.

When mother and daughter Meridith and Delilah go missing a huge search ensues. There are no reasonable explanations other than another woman in the area went missing shortly before they did. Meanwhile, we know the daughter is being held prisoner in a dark basement with little food and no comforts. The story alternates between eleven years previously when the pair went missing and the present time. A clever and well told story with many twists that have the reader turning pages long into the night.

I received a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review thanks to NetGalley and HQ Stories.

This book started off quite slow, with the getting to know the characters pre and post the vanishing.

However, once the story got going, it all kicked off! There was plot twist after plot twist, I honestly didn’t guess any of it!

It follows Meredith and Kate pre-vanishing as well as Delilah during the vanishing and Leo post-vanishing. It’s through those 4 characters that the story unravels.

I loved Leo’s POV as that is where the actual story is revealed, he is the one who figures out the main mystery of the story.

I’m still in shock over the reveal tbh. Honestly never saw it coming! It’s the last 50 pages that are explosive! Literally, all the twists and turns are thrown at you in one go!

Wow 🤯🤯

Shelby Tebow is the first to go missing. Not long after, Meredith Dickey and her six year old daughter, Delilah, vanish just blocks away from Shelby was last seen, striking fear into their once-peaceful community. Are these incidents connected? After an elusive search that yields more questions than answers, the case eventually gos cold. Now eleven years later, Delilah shockingly returns.

I was pulled into this story from the first chapter, Told in the now and eleven years ago format and narrated by Meredith, Meredith's son, Leo and the neighbour Kate's perspectives. Filled with theories, hints and clues about what had happened, but i did not guess correctly what it was. There is quite a few characters to try and remember. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it held my attention throughout.