Cover of Missing White Woman. Black woman somewhat facing the reader, looking over her shoulder toward the right side of the book. The photo is overprocessed and in the hues of orange, pink and gray. The title is in thin white letters superimposed on the photo.
Cover of Missing White Woman. Black woman somewhat facing the reader, looking over her shoulder toward the right side of the book. The photo is overprocessed and in the hues of orange, pink and gray. The title is in thin white letters superimposed on the photo.

Missing White Woman

Garrett, Kellye. Missing White Woman. New York : Mulholland Books / Little, Brown and Company, 2024.

Thriller lovers (especially those who loved When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole) will love Missing White Woman.

Breanna is ready for a romantic weekend with her boyfriend Ty in New York City. They’re staying just over the river in an Airbnb in Jersey City, and the row house is as gorgeous as advertised. The neighbors look a little suspicious of a black woman trying to enter the code on the door, but Breanna, unfortunately, is used to that. She and Ty have a great weekend together, even though there are a few discordant notes. Ty can’t stop working and takes calls even when they’re having a romantic carriage ride.

Then, on Monday morning, Breanna gets up and goes to find Ty. Instead, she finds the body of a white woman in the foyer. Ty is nowhere to be found. The police suspect Ty has something to do with the murder, and Breanna wants nothing more than to prove his innocence and escape without being arrested herself.

The back story for Breanna and the other characters is strong and gives emotional weight to what is happening in the present. This thriller is really well-written and would be a great book club read. Book clubs (or families or friends) would have a lot to discuss, from neighborhood watches and the use of social media as a news source to the coverage of missing white women versus the coverage of missing people of any other race and gender and the macro- and microaggressions people of color face every day, including those from the police.

I recommend listening to this book via Libby – you won’t want to stop listening when your car ride is over, or your chores are done! It also is available as an ebook through Libby and a hardback book at your local library!

Mary Beth Adams is the Community Engagement Librarian for Alamance County Public Libraries. She can be reached at madams@alamancelibraries.org.