"Local Girl Missing" by J.A. Baker is a gripping psychological thriller that keeps readers on edge from start to finish. Set in a small town, the story revolves around the sudden disappearance of Deborah, leaving her colleagues Adrian, Yvonne, and Merriel in shock.

Baker skillfully weaves multiple perspectives throughout the narrative, including Deborah's harrowing experience as a captive. This multi-POV approach adds depth to the story, allowing readers to piece together the mystery while maintaining suspense about the kidnapper's identity.

The author excels at creating a tense atmosphere, with office gossip and fear permeating the workplace. The plot is filled with twists and turns, keeping readers guessing until the very end. Baker's writing style is engaging, making it difficult to put the book down.

While the premise of a woman held captive by someone she knows is familiar in the thriller genre, Baker manages to keep the story fresh with well-developed characters and intricate plot threads. The introduction of a second captive adds another layer of complexity to the narrative.

The pacing is generally well-executed, though some readers might find certain sections in the middle slightly slow. However, the intense ending more than makes up for any lulls in the story.

"Local Girl Missing" is a solid addition to the psychological thriller genre, offering a compelling blend of suspense, character development, and unexpected revelations. It's an addictive read that will appeal to fans of twisty, fast-paced thrillers.

Every day people vanish. Some are found real soon, others seems to have left the planet. In the beginning everybody is looking for them, but when there are no clues, the hot case becomes a cold case and people start to forget about it.

When it's someone you know though, it's quite different. Each and every day you keep on wondering what happened and although life goes on, you feel guilty because you want life to become normal again. 

On the one hand, we follow the colleagues and their rather weird behaviour, on the other hand we can see what is going on with the missing local girl.

This book offers a solid premise. The tension builds well in the beginning.

The pacing is steady, and there are some surprises along the way, but they got me confused and some parts feel a bit predictable. The characters could have been interesting, if there would have been more background information. The villain’s reveal is not very surprising.

Overall, it’s an ok read, but it did not grab me by the throat. The parts I liked the most, were the ones where the spotlight was on the missing girl, but even then I was sometimes wondering. I found myself loosing focus whilst reading other parts. Not my cup of tea, sorry. 3 stars

Thank you

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy

When I saw a friend rave about this book I knew I had to boost it up on the TBR. It was a great thrilling story and everyone was a culprit. However I feel like the ending was a bit rushed and wasn’t completely tied up. Was Alison ever one of the sisters? We will never know.

I want to thank NetGalley, Publishers Boldwood Books, and the author J.A. Baker for providing this e-ARC. Which, I will be giving my honest and sincere review.

A Local woman Debora disappears without a trace leaving everyone in her life in shock, her coworkers start questioning her life and their coworkers' behaviours.

We have a multiple POV, Debora's side showing us what she's going through, with the rollercoaster of emotions for not being in control of her life and feelings for not being able to get out of that place alive.

We see other POVs that leave us questioning who did it, some don't even know what they did on that night, the night Debora disappeared.
It was, very interesting to be the one looking into everyone's perspectives and making our conclusions. We also see flashes of past and present. slowly letting us know who did it.

Let me start by saying I did like this book. I liked the storyline and the characters. There may have just been too much of a good thing. There’s multiple pov’s which made it drudge on and be a little repetitive at times.

Blimey this is a fast paced engaging roller coaster of a read.
It's told from various points of view, after Deborah goes missing. Her colleagues are wondering what could have happened while trying to continue working.
There are flashbacks to a childhood where there are twins and an older sister. One of the twins is seen as gregarious and fun, the other sullen and strange.
The final POV is from Deborah, and eventually Izzy, and her experiences at the deranged psycho.
I think the thing Judith has really nailed is the relationship between colleagues. How well do we know those we work with and what happens when they leave for the day. This isn't more starkly portrayed when mention of a team building day turns into an overnight stay too.
None of the characters are particularly likeable but that means you suspect everyone.
The action starts quick, lulls, and then picks up again and is so quick you can't read fast enough.

Thank you NetGalley and to the publishers for giving me this ARC in exchange for honest review!

DNF this one just wasn’t for me !

The story is told through multiple perspectives. It was slow in places which made me lose interest. There is some violence in this. The ending was surprising

Fabulous story that had me gripped from beginning to end. Really loved how the characters were brought together.
This is a story that will grip you like a vice and won't let go until you've read the very last page.
5 stars from me.

"Local Girl Missing" by J.A. Baker offers a suspenseful premise that promises an engaging mystery, but unfortunately, the execution falls somewhat short, resulting in a three-star review.

The story kicks off with the disappearance of Deborah, leaving her colleagues in a state of shock and fear. The premise builds a sense of mystery and anticipation, creating an atmosphere of suspense. However, as the narrative unfolds, the plot takes a predictable turn that may leave readers craving more complexity and depth.

The characters, including Adrian, Yvonne, and Merriel, add different perspectives to the unfolding mystery, but their development lacks the depth needed to truly connect with them on an emotional level. While the fear of being the next victim is palpable, the characters' reactions and interactions feel somewhat formulaic and don't contribute significantly to the overall engagement of the reader.

The revelation that Deborah is being held captive by someone she knows well is a familiar trope in the thriller genre. Unfortunately, the lack of nuance and originality in this twist diminishes the impact of the story. The narrative unfolds in a somewhat predictable manner, missing opportunities for more intricate plot twists or character development.

The pacing of the novel is generally steady, but there are moments where the tension could be heightened for a more gripping effect. Baker introduces elements of gossip and fear in the office, but these aspects don't fully capitalize on the potential for psychological depth or exploration of the characters' relationships.

Despite these shortcomings, "Local Girl Missing" does manage to maintain a certain level of intrigue, making it a decent choice for readers seeking a straightforward thriller with a familiar premise. The writing style is clear and accessible, allowing for a relatively quick and easy read.

In conclusion, "Local Girl Missing" offers a tense atmosphere and an initial promise of suspense, but its reliance on predictable tropes and lack of depth in character development prevent it from reaching its full potential. While it may satisfy readers looking for a quick and straightforward thriller, those seeking a more intricate and nuanced mystery might find themselves wanting more.

This book had a great plot throughout even though it jumped about a bit. It was one that I couldn’t work out and when it had a big twist at the end. This was my first book by the author but I’d read more - definitely one I’d recommend.

Thank you Netgalley and Boldwood Books for providing this title. I felt like this book was just ok. While reading it felt a bit repetitive in the writing and it also felt like two different book ideas pushed into one. A little disjointed but I did think the author did a good job at throwing in Merriel as a red herring character.

This one was a little much for me. There were too many things going on and too many POVs. I had a hard time keeping everything straight, and trying to keep it all straight kept me out of being submerged into the book. Wasn't a win for me, but the writing was good and it felt creepy.

With its heart-racing twists and relentless tension, this narrative had me feeling like I was right there with the characters, facing their fears head-on. Once again JA does NOT disappoint

This is another thriller that I have a lot of mixed feelings about. Let's start with the positives - I enjoyed the multiple POVs and getting to know all of the characters. However, because there were so many characters, I never really felt like I got to know them all the way I was hoping and never got a true feel for them. I also REALLY enjoyed the ending and found it very fitting, which may have saved this book for me because I was starting to lose interest. The plot felt a bit jumbled and all over the place and didn't feel like it had any real direction until about 75% through the book. I did think this was entertaining but lacked an identity and fully formed plot. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A good book
Plenty of twists
Very well written
Love this authors books
Can’t wait for the next one
Thanks NetGalley

Local Girl Missing by author J. A Baker is the first title she has published for Boldwood Books.
It is an intense read that will have you gripped from the first page. It’s a story that is full of well developed characters who all have their own roles and stories to play and tell within the plot.

It’s one that keeps you guessing right to the end!

J A Baker’s Local Girl Missing is a fast-paced chiller full of dizzying twists and turns that will keep readers riveted to its pages.

When Deborah vanishes off the face of the earth, her colleagues Adrian, Yvonne and Merriel are absolutely shocked. What could have possibly happened to Deborah? She never would have just disappeared without letting anybody know. Something sinister must have happened and her colleagues cannot help but worry. Who is behind Deborah’s disappearance? And even worse, could any one of her colleagues end up vanishing next?

There is great unease and fear as everyone begins to look over their shoulder, however, could the person responsible end up being the most unlikely suspect? One of them has the answer that could shed much-needed light on Deborah’s disappearance – and it is the last person people expect. Deborah is being held captive by a sadistic psychopath she knew all too well – and this ruthless monster has already got another victim in their sights…

J A Baker is at her terrifying best with this nail-biting thriller that I struggled to put down. Local Girl Missing is a twisty, disturbing, complex and unsettling page-turner that will make readers wonder just how well they know the people they work closely with. J A Baker’s Local Girl Missing is a tense and compulsively readable chiller packed with shocks and surprises that grips from the start and will keep readers on tenterhooks until the very last word.

Fast paced and twisty, a good and interesting thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.