College Girl, Missing: The True Story of How a Young Woman Disappeared in Plain Sight by Shawn Cohen


College Girl, Missing: The True Story of How a Young Woman Disappeared in Plain Sight
Title : College Girl, Missing: The True Story of How a Young Woman Disappeared in Plain Sight
Author :
Rating :
ISBN : 1728272998
ISBN-10 : 9781728272993
Language : English
Format Type : Paperback
Number of Pages : 272
Publication : First published May 28, 2024

A gripping true crime book about a college girl who disappeared in plain sight When Lauren Spierer―a gregarious young woman at a crossroads in her life―vanished from Indiana University , her story drew global attention from celebrities and news outlets such as People magazine, CNN, and USA Today . Lauren's disappearance wasn't just some random abduction. What makes the case so confounding is that the 20-year-old was out with dozens of classmates in a bustling university town on the night she went missing. She was seen in public by witnesses and security cameras, and ended up in a townhouse complex with several wealthy, well-connected male students―never to be seen again. Despite the media frenzy surrounding the case, the police investigation went nowhere and her body was never found.   Armed with the support of Lauren's parents and never-before-seen evidence that chronicles a cover-up, a botched investigation, conflicting testimony, and new interviews, Cohen leads readers through a gripping narrative before finally shining a light on those often forgotten in true the innocent people left behind. College Girl, Missing will take readers through a minute-by-minute recap of the last hours of Lauren's life, and ask the What happened to Lauren Spierer?


College Girl, Missing: The True Story of How a Young Woman Disappeared in Plain Sight Reviews


  • JadeMoon.•.•.•

    This is a horrifying true story and one that needs to be told. I believe the author stated that he partially wrote it to put pressure on the various suspects surrounding this case as the investigation is still open. This book gave me more questions than answers. Someone knows something about this case and hasn't come forward.

    Lauren Spierer was a student at Indiana University who disappeared in 2011. She attended a college party and was obviously heavily inebriated by the end of the night. She was not fit to go home by herself. However, despite some attempts to get her home safely, she wandered into the night without her shoes and vanished. Who knows where Laura is? Her recent ex boyfriend who had a jealousy streak? Another potential love interest who was the last to see her alive? Did an unknown assailant kidnap her?

    Very short book for me. It was well written and concise. I sometimes felt like there wasn't that much to say about the case so it had a lot of paragraphs that weren't necessary. I had never heard of this case before so I can't comment on accuracy or details. I am looking forward to more books from this author.

    Thoughts and prayers to the family of Lauren.

    Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

  • Erin

    Missing White Woman Syndrome is a term coined by legendary new anchor Gwen Ifill and it describes the disparities in news coverage that pretty white women receive when they go missing. If I as a Black woman went missing the local news might do a quick story one night on me but unless someone famous murdered me nobody but my loved ones would care. It's almost as if all lives don't matter the same.

    On June 3 2011 20 year old Lauren Spierer vanished off the face of the Earth. She was a college sophomore at Indiana University. I vaguely remembered this case, I'm not much older than her and my original dream school was Indiana University but my mom was sick so I stayed closer to home. Once I started this book I remembered just how big this case was in the area. I'm not too far from Indiana and this was the time of the Missing White Woman. I don't think young people realize how in vogue Missing White Woman cases were. You know how now everything is Trump 24/7 well back in the 2000's that was Missing White Woman. Laci Peterson, Elizabeth Smart, Jennifer Keese( I'm not sure i spelled her name right) and so many more. Do yall remember The Runaway Bride? Other than Laci Peterson the first missing case I remember watching tons coverage about was Natalie Holoway. Once again she was around my age and you could not avoid her face. She was everywhere. It's crazy that we don't really get cases like that anymore. The closest we got was Gabby Petito and even her case wasn't covered as much as if she had gone missing 14 or 15 years ago.

    College Girl, Missing was a good book for what it was. We don't know what happened to her. The author gives multiple theories and it's very clear who he thinks is at fault but even with that we don't know what transpired. Lauren was heavily intoxicated and high on multiple drugs. She was partying with people she barely knew. She suffered a head injury at some point that night. She had a heart condition. She had lost her phone, Id and shoes that night. She according to the 3 or 4 last people to see her, just walked out of their apartment at 4 am and hasn't been seen since.

    Was she murdered?

    Did she die by accident and get dumped somewhere?

    Did her heart give out and she was dumped somewhere?

    Did she really just wonder off in the night and some misadventure happened her?

    Did she fake her own disappearance?

    I have my own idea but I don't think we'll ever know...unless someone grows a conscious.

    If you like books that give you definitive answers, this isn't the book for you.

    If unsolved cases fascinate you like they do me, than this is quick well researched read.

  • Andi

    I'm honestly confused by this book and if the focus was the girl missing or the author's life? I couldn't believe the amount of attention that was spent on the author and what he was doing, what happened to him, inconsequential junk that meant nothing to the story.

    I also felt (and was confirmed from the author's words via this text) this was being written to put pressure on those who he and the parents thought were behind the disappearance of the girl. While that is a tactic, I'm still unsure if publishing a book like this one (written the way it was) would honestly help... it just didn't provide anything actually new, except for the author getting his ass chewed out by those he is pointing the finger at, and the lack of response / co-help from law officials is rough and seen through the entirety of this.

    While this girl's disappearance is still a mystery, and no new leads have popped up... I'm not sure if this was the person to write the book. Michelle McNamara's "I'll Be Gone in the Dark" has a better focus for someone being new to the game of writing books and presenting facts with a tight narrative.

    It's a sad, true story and my thoughts go to the family... I just don't think that this book was the greatest end-product.

  • Erin

    Thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS( non-fiction) for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

    I only requested True Crime book this week and yet I couldn't resist downloading it ASAP. Shawn Cohen, was one of the original journalists who covered the missing case of Indiana University student, Lauren Spierer. This book is written with the blessing of Lauren's parents whom Cohen had kept in touch with and regularly informed about his own investigation.

    Perhaps the most promising aspect of the book is that it contains information that was never released in the original investigation. Indeed, Cohen is able to get some of the students who knew Lauren to speak to him for the first time. Although Lauren's body was never located and there are many theories as to what exactly happened, I am hopeful that this book will spark tongues, once sealed, to feel like talking.

    Shawn Cohen doesn't seem to me to be someone trying to capitalize on a young woman's unsolved case. Rather, I felt the tone of the book to be respectful towards Lauren's family and reverent in the minute to minute details of Lauren's night before her disappearance.

    If you like the genre, this might be the book for you!








    Expected Publication 28/05/24
    Goodreads Review 03/02/24

  • Brendan (History Nerds United)

    Well, my daughter can cross Indiana University off her college list.

    College Girl, Missing by Shawn Cohen tells the story of Lauren Spierer, who in 2011 disappeared after a night of partying with friends. Cohen tells the entire story almost completely linearly and very effectively provides the reader what they need to know without excessive details. For a true crime tome, this is very succinct, in a good way.

    The mileage you will get out of this book will depend upon the following question. How much do you remember about Lauren's case? I did not remember hearing about it at all. This was entirely new to me and I found it to be a very engaging. Cohen also adds in some color such as how many reporters are pushed towards stories with affluent victims and his own scandal and subsequent firing. Since it was all new to me, this all felt very fresh.

    If you remember this story and followed it at all, then you may not get nearly as much out of it. I'd say about 75% of the case can be gleaned from a few articles written on it and while Cohen certainly tried, he could not uncover anything substantial since the case went cold years ago. His attempts and limited success reaching out to the main players while writing the book left me underwhelmed.

    So do you like true crime stories and don't remember this one? Definitely grab it. If you followed this story back in the day, then it may still be worth it but don't expect too many surprises.

    (This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Sourcebooks.)

  • Jamie Rosenblit

    I’m not rating this book due to the topic - the disappearance of Lauren Spierer. I’ve been following this story since day 1 and have family and friends who called Spierer a friend. I hope more readers will pick up this book and one day, maybe the family will get the answers they’ve been hoping for for 13 years.

  • Sheila

    I received a free copy of, College Girl, Missing, by Shawn Cohen, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Lauren Spierer, a college student in Indiana goes missing, after partying on night. Lauren has never been found and nobody has been charged with anything. Yes Lauren made some bad decisions as young people do, but she didnt deserve to disappear. The first part of the book was decent, but then the author talked about himself, and I did not care for the second half of the book at all.

  • Anne Peterson

    I read this book in about a day, it’s an easy read plus the margins are weirdly indented so it seems like it has more pages than it does.

    I went to IU, and was the same age and grade level as Lauren. I found that the book was very detailed about her last known night, but other than that didn’t really include any new information, if you have followed the case closely.

    The author got a few things wrong about IU and Bloomington. For example, her dorm was Briscoe not Frisco. Also, Jake’s was never a cool bar and no one went to it. He also painted a picture of IU and Bloomington that was clear he only talked to people from one specific niche subgroup — wealthy east coast kids. I also don’t think he was very fair to IU about how they dealt with the situation— I don’t think the administration took it lightly or immediately swept it under the rug. I remember posters being all over campus for years after, and IU having a banner on their website for the academic year mentioning the disappearance— way more than they have ever done for other IU students who went missing or died under mysterious circumstances. I also don’t think he was very fair to BPD— it is an active open investigation, so of course they aren’t going to talk to you on the record, especially when the author has often trashed them in his writing.

    The author also went on a lot of tangents about his personal life that I didn’t really care about, also making the book seem longer than it really is.

    Anyway, I really hope that this book draws more attention to this case and makes someone talk. Lauren deserves to be found and her parents deserve to have answers.

  • Hannah

    As somebody who, at multiple points in my life, has been really into true crime I surprisingly hadn’t heard much about this case. This is a true story which follows the disappearance of Lauren Spierer after a night of partying. The writer is a journalist who covered her original missing persons case and followed the story throughout the years- eventually growing close to Spierer’s parents. While the premise of a journalist getting go attached to a particular case they continue to follow it and report on it is certainly not a new one, this did feel like a fresh take on that as the author does not attempt to spin and wild theories about what they think happened to Lauren. I really appreciated that it was just facts and not finger pointing or trying to come up with a million different wild theories about what COULD have happened. Often reporting like this ends up losing the plot a bit in that we are no longer focused on the actual missing person and more focused on the theories and looking at it more like a fictional story or gossip you heard about a coworker. I also really enjoyed that the author makes a point to say that Lauren’s case was covered widely because she was white and blonde and pretty and calls out news sources specifically for not being interested in missing persons cases involving people of color. Overall, I thought this book did a good job of laying out all the facts in the case and trying to give everyone involved a chance to tell their side. It did take a little detour to talking about the author’s life which for a moment felt like “why are we discussing this?” But it does sort of come full circle and explain why that information is relevant as it was the catalyst for the writing of the book. I think this book is a great option to pick up for anyone interested in true crime. If you have already heard of this case, however, I’m not sure how much new information there is to gather about the case by reading this. Since I hadn’t heard of the case previously I can’t really speak on how much new information it provides but it would likely be an interesting read either way.

  • Erin H.

    I find it difficult to rate nonfiction books but have no reason NOT to give this five stars. Here’s my take, I think this book is going to be wildly popular in Indiana and I hope that it is. I read it in two sittings within 24 hours. Anyone that was around Lauren’s age and in college in Indiana is perplexed by this case. I’ve listened to all the podcasts and read all of the articles but this journalist does a great job of giving us the facts leading up to Lauren’s disappearance and then a lot of the gray area that happens after.

    I was particularly disturbed to hear that the BPD wasn’t very proactive (Ex - the case wasn’t even brought to a supervisor when she was initially reported missing for 7 hours!). I still can’t comprehend how so many of the men involved lawyered up and never had to give a formal statement of that night. The author did a great job showing every side of the story, kudos to that because I honestly have more questions than answers. There are multiple theories and I feel any one of them can be true.

    My heart hurts for this family. Someone has an answer somewhere! As Lauren’s mom states, someone knows something. Prayers that this family gets answers. 🙏🏼

  • Rochelle Weinstein

    How do you rate a book like this??
    You don't. The stars will be all five when Lauren's family finally has answers. No parents should ever have to go through this nightmare. My prayers go out to them. TY Shawn Cohen for thrusting the story back in the spotlight. We need answers. Lauren deserves justice.

  • Stacy40pages

    College Girl, Missing by Shawn Cohen. Thanks to @sourcebooks for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️���️⭐️

    True crime story about Lauren Spierer, who disappeared after a night of drinking at Indiana University.

    This is a short and fast read about a case that has very limited information. The meat of the story is really in the first few chapters where we hear about the one night in question. There’s really only one perspective, because the events happened during a time period that was isolated and mostly within private residences. Those that were witness won’t say much besides what they originally told investigators. I understand this was written by a journalist and a factual account, but I definitely benefited by supplementing the reading experience through Reddit with amateur sleuths theories. I personally think Lauren overdosed from drugs/drinking, exacerbated by head injury and the boys hide her body either in the construction site or dumpster.

    College Girl, Missing comes out 5/28.

  • Amy Smith

    Having gone to Indiana University just 5 years after this happened, I have heard about Lauren Spierer many times. I’ve read many articles, watched documentaries, and listened to podcasts. I was intrigued to see this book released because while I know many details, I liked the idea of having it all laid out in one place. What makes this book different than the other forms of media is that it is written by a journalist that was there from day one who has become close with the family and personally talked to everyone involved (if they would allow him). I felt that he is truly invested in this case and has acted in the best interest of Lauren and her family in search for the truth. He disclosed all known facts of the case and did whatever he could to uncover more information. I find the way BPD has acted to be very frustrating - they did not take it seriously even after the pleas of friends and family, they shut out any help from the FBI and PIs, and they refuse to work towards a resolution. And don’t even get me started on the college guys involved…all in all, they failed Lauren, they sound like absolute idiots, and they are selfish, rich cowards that I truly believe know more than they are letting on.

    Overall, this is a tragic, heartbreaking, and preventable event that happened to a young college girl. There’s no doubt she was struggling, but also no doubt she was so loved, and I really feel for her friends and family wishing they could have done more. This book shed more light on the negligence of BPD as well as the frustrations around the lawyered-up guys involved. I really hope this resurgence of her story generates the answer about what happened to Lauren.

  • Emma May

    This review is of the writing, editing, storytelling, etc. NOT a criticism of what happened to the victim.

    This book needs some serious editing. The author is using Tell, not Show for the details and inserts their own comments often, and in a weird way. The book starts off with the reader thinking they are going to be told the story of what happened to Lauren, and while they are, its overwhelmed by the story of the reporting and nonsensical comments from witnesses.

    I realize that the author was trying to stay true to the quotes from the witnesses, but some editing for clarity would be GREATLY beneficial to the overall reading experience. The comments and narration often range from run-on sentences, to almost gibberish, making the reader work even harder to understand the meaning behind the words.

  • bookishobsessedmama

    This book is advertised and presented that new information has come to life and revolving around Lauren’s disappearance. While the author did get new students/peers of Lauren to talk / there was much new info given to him.

    I felt this book spent an unnecessary amount of time talking about the author and what he was doing in his career etc.

    I left this book confused why it was even written to be honest because nothing new or promising really came to light through the pages.

    Being a true story, my heart breaks for this family as Lauren’s body has never been found so it’s unknown what truly happened to her.

  • Kay Oliver

    "Lauren, a sophomore at Indiana University, had gone out partying with friends. The night turned to chaos in the early morning of June 3, 2011. And then she vanished."

    A sad, unsolved case of a life cut too short. This was well written, comprehensive, and thoroughly researched. I had not heard of this case previous to this book. Great true crime read.

  • Jen Ryland

    A true crime story that looks back into the disappearance of Lauren Spierer, who went missing from Indiana University almost 15 years ago.

    I didn't realize until I started listening to podcasts that many, many "unsolved" cases are actually sort-of solved, but not resolved. Meaning that the authorities have a theory of what happened and who might be responsible, but not enough evidence to pursue a case.

    To me, the saddest part about Lauren's case (besides the heartwrenching sorrow it must have caused her family and loved ones) is that 1) there are people known to the police who probably know what happened to Lauren but aren't talking and 2) these same people are not random strangers but people who purported to be her friends. Even close friends. Even her boyfriend. All people she should have been able to trust.

    As a piece of true crime writing, College Girl Missing wasn't as compelling to me as other books I've read. First off, it desperately needed a concise timeline and maybe a map. Lauren's last night was super-confusing, involving a lot of people and places. (Perhaps these will be in a finished copy.)

    Shawn Cohen, a newspaper reporter, starts the book off with a weirdly detached quality, removing himself from the omniscient narration of his text and using very little attribution and footnotes (again, I read an advance reader copy and perhaps that was added.) He has a note on sources that basically says that he talked to a lot of people and did internet research. Okay.

    The other interesting thing is that Cohen acknowledges, and incorporates into the story, a personal scandal he got caught up in when he was exposed for sleeping with a former source on a different story. He may have disclosed this because it's public record or because some members of the group of guys who should know what happened to Lauren used this information to taunt and discredit Cohen as he did research for the book.

    I often feel sorry for people repeatedly dragged into the spotlight like this, but it's hard to feel sorry for anyone but Lauren, who was reckless and made some bad choices, as most of us did when we were young adults, and Lauren's heartbroken family, who still don't know where their daughter is.

    Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!

    Subscribe to my amazing newsletter
    HERE at JenRyland.com Let's be friends on
    Bookstagram!

  • Naperdog

    I went to school at Indiana University in Bloomington, my husband’s hometown, and he found an Advance Reading Copy (ARC) for me. It is a familiar sad story, one that happens far too often to young women in college. Lauren Spierer, from a wealthy New York family, went to IU to be with her older boyfriend. She was a popular girl with some health problems, who liked to party with drugs and alcohol. In the early hours of June 3, 2011, after hours of partying with boys ( but not her boyfriend), she supposedly staggered out of an off-campus townhouse without her shoes or phone, and disappeared into the night. Later that morning her friends gradually realized that she was missing and started to search for her, and then finally called the police. But she has never been found. Did she fall into a construction pit and get covered by concrete later? Did someone snatch her and take her far away? How do the rich boys that she was with fit into her disappearance? They lawyered up right quick and left town, not being very cooperative with the authorities. The Bloomington Police Department looks to be “unprofessional” at best in this case. The author, a reporter who was sent out from New York to cover the original story, has his own interesting background and failures. So many people were affected by this tragedy, and yet so many young women continue to die in similar circumstances. I recommend this easy to read, but all too common, true crime story.

  • Laura Slabach

    This case has always been close to my heart because Lauren disappeared on my birthday in 2011 while I was still at IU. Every year I take a little time to update myself on any new leads in the investigation. Despite knowing the bulk of the story already, I still learned a lot by reading this book. With the support of Lauren’s parents, who turned over everything to aid in the journalist’s pursuit, even previously unreleased accounts and evidence, the author illustrates the gaps and sets the scene both vividly and believably. You’ll walk away with the ugly truth of this tragic tale. I hope it sparks someone to come forward with helpful information…

  • Katie

    College Girl, Missing, recounts IU student Lauren Spierer's disappearance after a night of partying in Bloomington. The first third of the book offers a timeline of the days and hours prior to Lauren's disappearance, with a detailed reconstruction of her movements based on evidence and surveillance footage not available to the wider public. In the remainder of the book, the author recounts his work as a journalist covering the initial months of the police investigation, and his attempts to take up the search a decade later after the case went cold.

    Reading this book was a strange experience, characterized by unease and skepticism. I moved to Bloomington five years ago, but the primary events leading up to Lauren's disappearance took place within a few blocks near campus that I'm only passingly familiar with. Many of the key locations had been renamed or gone out of business before I moved here, so I had a difficult time tracking Lauren's last known movements. Cohen's detailed recounting of Lauren's heavy drinking and drug consumption that night were also emotionally difficult to read, especially placed within context of her heart condition (which made substance use of any kind dangerous to her) and prior disciplinary measures indicating a pattern of problematic drinking. I admit that I struggle thinking about the nationwide attention given to the search for Lauren, as it seems most likely that the night of her disappearance ended with some sort of accidental death by overdose, and the young men in her company panicking and disposing of her body.

    Although Cohen acknowledges the role "missing white woman syndrome" played in the media frenzy surrounding Lauren's disappearance, I didn't find that caveat particularly satisfying because the book does not offer much new information to illuminate what happened to Lauren. The largest accomplishment of Cohen's reporting is making successful contact with the young men who last saw Lauren that night, who had retained lawyers quickly after her disappearance, offering only limited public comments and minimal support to the investigation. Despite successfully making contact with them, Cohen's subsequent conversations with the men elicit only limited comments and lead to circumstantial evidence that is only vaguely suspicious. In the absence of a "smoking gun," this book vaguely gestures towards a common (if unsubstantiated) consensus that these men might have been involved in Lauren's disappearance, but it does not offer insights that move toward a more satisfying answer.

    I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

  • Erin

    ARC for review. To be published May 28, 2024.

    Lauren Spierer, 20, a rising junior at Indiana University disappeared on June 3, 2011 in Bloomington. The daughter of Robert and Charlene she was from the suburbs of New York City. Her disappearance received a great deal of media attention from, among others, CNN, People magazine and scores of newspapers.

    On the night of her disappearance Lauren was out with friends and was heavily intoxicated. She was seen both at parties, at bars and afterward by witnesses and security cameras and her last known whereabouts were at a townhouse with four male students. Two of those students said she decided to leave and go home and that’s the last time they saw her. She has not been seen since.

    The case is a true mystery. Lauren had been drinking heavily and was known to recreationally use drugs. She also had long QT syndrome. It’s possible she left the townhouse and was abducted by a stranger, or had an accident (but if an accident, where is her body?). It is possible she had an overdose or a medical emergency and the boys panicked and hid the body. And it’s possible she was murdered. But there doesn’t seem to be a huge motive for murder. And it’s surprising no body has ever been found and that none of the boys have turned on each other (though it’s doubtful all four boys involved.)

    There were definitely some accusations of MWWS - missing white woman syndrome here. Lauren was conventionally attractive, 4’10” and blonde. Add to that she was a university student at a major university and it isn’t surprising there was a great deal of press coverage that other cases probably did not receive.

    Good true crime. I wish the author had explored the fact that construction was occurring near the townhouse and that concrete was poured the next day a bit more - could Lauren be buried there? And I wish there had been some photos. I like to be able to picture the people involved. But overall, a good job.

  • Kristin

    It may be strange to say, but I do read, listen, and watch true crime. So when I saw this book, I knew I wanted to read it. It’s a story that I didn’t know about. Lauren Spierer was a college student a Indiana University. She went out one night and then disappeared, never to be found. This incident gained national attention, but certain people weren’t talking, and the police investigation was less than stellar. Who was Lauren, what happened to her? Cohen provides us this information, along with new information in this book.

    I thought this book was well done. It was tasteful, but it didn’t hold back the facts that are known. Which means, that Cohen presented Lauren as she was when she was in college, and didn’t try to put her in a nicer light. This was probably hard for the family, but as a reader, I appreciated it.

    I appreciate how much time and effort Cohen put into conducting his own investigation. His efforts resulted in garnering new information surrounding the circumstances of the night that Lauren disappeared. Like I said, I didn’t previously know about this case, but from what I’ve read in this book, I do have some suspicions about what happened. But, unfortunately, I don’t think we will ever know.

  • Lindsay

    Wow. I couldn’t put this book down. I’ve wondered what happened to Lauren since she went missing, but didn’t know all of the details. Shawn did a wonderful job telling her story in a concise, yet detailed way. It left me feeling frustrated because I just wish one person could have helped her, but also hopeful this book may reignite interest in her case? I still hope Lauren walks into her parent’s home one day, and I also pray for closure. She was just a college kid like so many of us, but she didn’t come home.

    True crime lovers, you’ll want to read this one. Put it on your TBR now. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

  • Sydney S

    This was a quick, fascinating read for true crime fanatics and/or those familiar with Lauren Spierer’s disappearance. The overall narrative flowed well and Cohen’s dedication left few stones unturned. My only complaint is that people were inconsistently referenced by either their first or last names. I had to remind myself whom was whom on numerous occasions.

    Born and raised in Indiana, I began my freshman year at Indiana University in August of 2011. Lauren’s disappearance was a shadow cast over the students and university for years. To this day, her story remains one of Bloomington’s biggest mysteries and warnings for our young people. Here’s hoping Cohen’s writing and investigating will finally encourage someone to come forward.

    Thank you, NetGalley, Shawn Cohen, and SOURCEBOOKS, for this advanced e-copy!

  • Casey Woods

    Quite sinister to read about a young girl going to the same bars and walking the same streets as I do, partying just as hard as many of my classmates. One day, maybe when those boys are on their deathbeds, they will tell the truth, but unfortunately Lauren’s parents will be long gone by then.

  • Alex Mangus

    Yeah… finished her in 2.5 hours. Couldn’t put it down. I’ve listened to podcasts about the disappearance of Lauren, but this book brought so many different perspectives into the mix. With my favorite and probably most far fetched theory being Israel Keyes, Cohen did a great job investigating and researching to give Lauren as much justice as she can get.

  • Julie Bouchonville

    Thanks for the ARC!

    This was interesting, but if I'm being honest, more so because of the mystery than the writing.

    We get a recap of the facts in part one, which are truly curious and interesting. It's pretty obvious someone is lying, knows something and won't reveal it. Then the whole remainder of the book is spent spiraling around these facts we've established, rehashing the same things over and over again, sometimes adding a little detail here and there but with no clarity being gained.
    While I appreciate this is how things happened, chronologically, it doesnt make a ton of sense to me to tell them in such a fasion.

    The writing is quite average, doing its job without any specific lustre, and basically, the whole book feels like a vast attempt to convince someone to say something, and thus, rather useless in a way.

    I wasnt impressed.

  • Amanda Walters

    I'm from Bloomington Indiana, so I knew I was going to grab this on Pub Day. I was graduating high school when Lauren disappeared... (the day after her disappearance actually), and I currently live 10-15 minutes away from where she was last seen.
    It's EXTREMELY weird to read this kind of book while being able to picture every building and road with such accuracy. How many times have I driven past these buildings?
    It blows my mind that she has never been found. Just gone? Someone knows something. Shawn's reporting of this mystery has created an intricate web in mind. I always thought I had an idea of who did it... As I'm sure the rest of the world did as well. Now I have more questions than ever.
    I hope that someday the Spierer family gets answers.

  • Julie Harder

    I have followed the case of Lauren Spierer since June 3, 2011. My mother and I even went down to Bloomington to help search for her in the days after. I pre-ordered this book the day I found out it was being published. I finished it in less than 24 hours. This book 🤯🤯🤯. There is SO much information the media has left out and critical information. BPD really messed this one up. Get this book!! If you want to borrow it from me and I see you regularly I would be happy to loan it. #FindLauren #SomeoneKnowsSomething