How to Find a Missing Girl

Iris Blackthorn is haunted by the disappearance of her sister, Stella. Frustrated by the police department's lack of progress, she founds an amateur detective agency. When her ex-girlfriend, Heather, vanishes after releasing a podcast about Stella, Iris has only thirty days before she turns eighteen and loses the legal protections of being a minor. She must navigate a web of small-town secrets and systemic failures to uncover the truth. SENSITIVE TOPICS: Child and teen disappearances, kidnapping, mentions of violence, systemic police negligence, and themes of intense grief and mourning. EMOTIONAL ARC: The story begins in a state of stagnant grief and frustration. It builds into a high-stakes, adrenaline-fueled race against time. While the mystery provides tension, the emotional resolution focuses on closure and the empowerment that comes from seeking justice for those the world has overlooked. IDEAL READER: A sixteen or seventeen-year-old who feels a strong sense of social justice and perhaps feels ignored by adults in positions of power. This reader likely enjoys fast-paced mysteries but wants a protagonist who reflects their own complex identity and loyalties. PARENT TRIGGER: A parent might hear their teenager expressing deep cynicism toward authority figures or police, or perhaps observing their child struggling with "ambiguous loss" where there is no clear ending to a period of mourning. PARENT PREP: Parents should be prepared to discuss the reality of missing persons cases and the emotional toll of cold cases. The book can be read cold by most teens, but a conversation about digital safety and the ethics of true-crime media (as seen through the podcast subplot) would be beneficial. AGE EXPERIENCE: A fourteen-year-old will likely focus on the high-stakes adventure and the "race against the clock" element. An eighteen-year-old will more deeply resonate with the impending transition into adulthood and the legal stakes of Iris's actions. DIFFERENTIATOR: This title stands out by centering a queer-led detective agency in a gritty, Southern Gothic setting, blending the sharp pacing of modern thrillers with a profound exploration of how marginalized communities must often protect their own.