Wow! Author Miranda Smith kept me on the edge of my seat! There were so many twists and turns, and all of them caught me by surprise! I thought once or twice that I might know how things were going to turn out but Did You See Evie? proved me wrong- in the best way- every single time.

I read a lot of novels in this genre but Smith’s newest thriller is exceptionally written! It's a 5/5 for me (and I have been accused of being stingy with handing out this score!). Please be warned that you will not be able to put this book down once you’ve started reading!

FIVE STARS. Miranda is 4/4 for me so far with absolutely amazing thrillers. I am so grateful to be able to read this early and I cannot wait to read more from her!

Did You See Evie? by Miranda Smith is a gripping mystery that delves into the complexities of adolescence, trust, and the uncertainty that can arise when someone disappears without a trace. Set against the backdrop of a victorious middle school basketball team, the book expertly balances sports, personal drama, and the unsettling tension of a missing person case.

The story begins on a high note, with Cass, the dedicated and passionate basketball coach, celebrating her team’s hard-won victory in a state championship. But the mood quickly shifts when the team gathers for a lock-in at the school to celebrate, and one of the players, Evie, mysteriously disappears. The joyful celebration turns into a frantic search, and as Cass and the rest of the team try to unravel what happened, the story takes the reader on a suspense-filled journey.

What makes Did You See Evie? stand out is its exploration of relationships and how secrets—both big and small—can change the course of events. Cass, as the coach, is at the center of the mystery, not only trying to understand what happened to Evie but also navigating the delicate dynamics of her players and their varying personalities. The book paints a vivid picture of middle school life, complete with the ups and downs of friendships, rivalries, and the sometimes complicated emotions of growing up.

Miranda Smith does an excellent job of creating an atmosphere of suspense, with every character under suspicion and multiple possible theories about Evie’s disappearance. The writing keeps you on edge, with small clues dropped along the way that make you rethink what you know, leaving you guessing until the very end. It’s a perfect example of a "whodunit" that keeps the reader hooked, especially as more secrets are revealed.

The pacing of the book is well-handled; there’s a nice balance between the mystery and the emotional development of the characters. It doesn’t rush to give answers but instead allows the tension to build slowly, which keeps you turning the pages. The themes of trust, guilt, and redemption also come through strongly, particularly as Cass grapples with the idea that one of her players may be involved in Evie's disappearance.

Overall, Did You See Evie? is an engaging mystery that is equal parts suspense and character study. Miranda Smith crafts a world where every player’s actions matter, and every secret holds the potential to unravel everything. For fans of middle-grade mysteries, this book is a must-read. It’s a quick, thrilling read that will leave you pondering long after the last page is turned.

Things I liked:

- The short chapters and fast paced writing style that kept me hooked.
- The backstory for Cass and her connection to Evie.
- Discussions on school neglect on bullying.
- Nadia and Cass and their dynamic
- the many different dynamics ( colleagues, Connor, Nadia) in Cass’s life.
- the twist on what happened to Evie was definitely not expected.
- The romance at the end.

Things I didn’t like:

- Wish the reveal was a bit more thrilling as it felt too coincidental and quick in the rescue,
- The storyline of Cass keeping the door open being forgotten a little.
- Kyle the teacher, I wish we got more with this storyline maybe one more scene with him and Cass.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and am very thankful to have read it.

An intriguing mystery will lots of revelations you don't see coming. A tale of redemption, second chances and others' agendas. Very smoothly written with interesting characters and lots of surprises along the way.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

Coach Cass and her team have just won a huge game, and they celebrate by having an overnight lock-in at their school. Evie, a star middle school basketball player, winds up missing. Where did she go? Was she taken? Did she walk away on her own?

As the book progresses, there are several twists and turns that leave the reader wondering, "Where did Evie really go?" Several different scenarios crossed my mind, but none of them ended up being accurate. Several shocking events occurred throughout the book, and I can honestly say that I never suspected who the guilty party was.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion/review.

My sincere thanks to NetGalley, Miranda Smith, and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

3,5/5
Cass is a middle school basketball coach tutoring a winning team of talented girls, and she is especially close to Evie, a social outcast with a turbulent home situation. Probably because Cass can see a reflection of her young self in the girl. Yes, she has a fiance, a job she loves, stability and respect, but as a teenager she made her fair share of mistakes. A person from her past and former best friend, Nadia, shows unexpectedly and threatens to expose Cass if she does not cooperate with a heist. Namely, Nadia wants Cass to leave a school door open during a lock-in sleepover to facilitate a robbery. But something goes very wrong. In the morning Cass discovers that Evie is missing. What happened? Where is the girl? Can Cass find her and close the dark chapter in her life for good?
“Did You See Evie?” is a nice, quick read for anyone who needs their page-turner fix. It's engaging, fast paced, with many twists and turns on the way, overall a perfect summer read. That being said, a seasoned consumer of thrillers, especially domestic thrillers, will probably be able to guess what's coming and correctly point to the culprit, although their motivation may be not so obvious as their identity. This book is nothing fancy or ambitious, or particularly memorable, but still a fun read.

#DidYouSeeEvie #NetGalley

This was the 1st book I've read of hers and I absolutely loved it.. It kept me wanting to read more. I never expected what happened at all . I will be reading more of her books...

What a page turner! At a “lock in” for a sleepover at school, to celebrate the girl's basketball team making it to the championships, their star player, Evie, mysteriously disappears. Coach Cass is frantic; she was ultimately responsible for the children’s safety and she has a soft spot for Evie, knowing that she has a difficult home life. She is also terrified that the truth of what she did that night will be revealed.

So many twists! Well, of course there are, this is Miranda Smith’s work! I suspected everyone at some point and really couldn’t predict how it was going to turn out, whether Evie would be found safe or not, why she had disappeared and who was involved. Lots of clever red herrings, past secrets and a touch of blackmail all combine to make this compulsive reading.

4 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Miranda Smith and Bookouture, for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Kept me awake most of the night as I just had to finish it. A great read… grabbed my attention from the first page… with each new revelation, I just kept wanting to turn the pages… I highly recommend this book

Title: Did You See Evie
Author: Miranda Smith
Publisher: Bookouture
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Pub Date: April 25, 2025
My Rating: 4.3
Pages: 284

Cassandra - Cass is the dedicated coach of Manning Academy middle school girls' basketball team.
Story starts when the team wins the District championship. Evie is the girl who lives on the other side of town and doesn’t fit in with the wealthy girls however in this close game she is the one who makes the winning shot in the last few seconds of the game.
Since it is a school night the team celebrates at the ‘Waffle Shack’ along with their parents as it is a bit of a tradition.
Coach Cass is approached by one the parents that the girls should have a ‘real celebration’ perhaps the new waterpark.

The school as well as Cass and her assistant Joanna decide hosting a special lock-in at the school’s gymnasium would be appropriate as well as an safer option. . The girls are to bring their sleeping bags as it will be similar to a big slumber party- there will be pizza and a giant screen for movies.

Evie lives with her mom who works odd hours and often doesn’t pick up Evie from school. Coach Cass can relate to Evie’s situation and offers to take her home. Evie acts like she wants to talk to Coach Cass important, but never seems to find the right time. .
At the celebration Coach is busy but cannot help but notice that Evie is alone most of the time.

The girls finally settle down and Coach Cass is exhausted although has difficulty relaxing but finally falls asleep. She wakes to giggles and finds several of the girls up and it is 4am. She does a head count -10. Where are Connie and Evie? The girls announce Connie went to the restroom perhaps Evie is there as well. She is not. Cass asks over and over “Did you see Evie?”
Cass knows her job is on the line. We have learned more about Cass and know why she is fearful this wealthy community as well as her fiancé Connor will not be pleased.

This turned out to be far more involved that I guessed.
Yes I enjoyed it.

Additionally I always love reading the authors acknowledgement and in this case – “A Letter from Miranda” She tells us that as a child she thought there was nothing better than an overnight - slumber party (however any of us who attended one knows there was never much slumbering going on!) She then tells us as a parent and former teacher she obsesses over ALL the things that could go wrong. That fear and anxiety helped inspired this story, she also wanted to include the passion and influence that goes along with being an athlete involved in organized sports.

Want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for granting me this early eGalley!
Publishing Release Date scheduled for Thursday April 24, 2025.

Perfectly paced and full of twists that kept me guessing all the way through. I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting. Fantastic read

This book was fantastic. I did not see that ending coming at all and was on edge the whole time trying to figure out what had gone wrong. I like that the book also emphasises teenage struggles as well as class and sociental struggles and the dangers of the media at too young an age.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I loved it!! It grabbed me from the first page and never let go. I can’t wait to read the rest of Miranda Smith’s books!!

This book left me content. I wasn’t blown away nor disappointed, it was an easy read without too much of a twist. Short enough to get through it fast but long enough so that the book didn’t feel rushed.

It is hard for me to be surprised, I am always trying to guess the plot twist and the ending and normally succeed, what I liked about this book however is that I never guessed! You can’t trust anyone, there are side quests and people who seem normal but nope.

Release: April 25, 2025
Author: Miranda Smith
Publisher: Bookouture

Rating: 3.75 ★ 

What was meant to be a fun team sleepover in the school gym—movies, pizza, and games—quickly takes a dark turn. As the girls laugh and play, Evie, always the outsider, sits alone, seeming like she wants to talk but never finding the right moment.

The next morning, everyone wakes up groggy—except Evie is gone. Something feels off. The other girls avoid eye contact, their silences heavy with unspoken truths. Cass, their coach, knows they’re hiding something. But how can she push them for answers when she has her own secret to protect?

She’s desperate to find Evie. She has to. But the longer the girl stays missing, the more dangerous the situation becomes—for Evie and for Cass. Because that night, Cass did something no one can ever know…

This book hooked me from the start with its suspense and unanswered questions. A girl goes missing during what was supposed to be a safe and celebratory school sleepover, and from that moment on, the tension never lets up.

I loved how the story unfolded, dropping just enough clues to keep me guessing but never revealing too much too soon. The mystery is layered, with Cass, the coach, dealing with her own complicated past while trying to navigate the present. There’s a strong theme of power dynamics—between students, teachers, and even within friendships—which adds an extra layer of intrigue. The bullying and privilege at play were frustrating but felt realistic, especially with the way they were covered up.

While some twists were subtle and hinted at if you paid close attention, the big reveals still caught me off guard, especially the ending—I didn’t see that coming! There were moments when the pacing felt a little slow, particularly in the early chapters, but once the story picked up, I was fully invested. The character development, especially for Nadia, stood out. She had one of the most satisfying arcs, proving that people aren’t always what they seem.

Overall, this was a quick and thrilling read with plenty of drama and surprises. If you enjoy psychological thrillers that keep you on edge while exploring past and present secrets, this one is worth picking up!

Favorite Quote:
"It's hard making friends with the past. It's hard carrying those memories and, thoughts and experiences into the future. But if you can somehow find a way to marry the two, something beautiful can happen."

Great story that kept me guessing. Cass was likable and I wanted things to work out for her and Evie.

The writing style is a bit repetitive and methodical, but overall, it was a good read.

Advanced reader copy courtesy of the publishers at NetGalley for review.

A missing girl and so many unanswered questions…

This book definitely kept me guessing. I really didn’t know how the story was going to unfold. You get answers along the way, but there were so many unknowns. The twist and the ending were a big surprise! Lots of layers to this story and a quick and entertaining read.

The book starts with a Championship game where Coach Cass plans a "safe" lock-in with her students at the high school to celebrate the win.
You start off learning that Cass was not the "best" child herself and begin to wonder if her past will catch up with her. Meet Evie, a student who is at Manning Academy and on a scholarship because she doesn't have the best "home life". When Evie is abducted or goes missing you don't know which one at first the reader is engulfed in the world of Coach Cass's past and Evie's potential future.

Learning who was there to find Evie and who wasn't was part of the questions because Coach Cass knows that there are people who don't want her in her position as head coach. I wasn't able to pin this one on the person who had done it, and my jaw was left gaping at the end. And the reason it all happened was just one more thing that the past had in common with the future.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The beginning of this book started strong. The missing girl, the friend from the past. The build up was great to just fall very flat. The ending didn't really fit and was disappointing.