What Happened To Nina?

Author: Dervla McTiernan
Genre: Mystery Thriller
328 pages
Publisher: William Morrow, 2024

Synopsis
Nina and Simon are the perfect couple. Young, fun and deeply in love. Until they leave for a weekend at his family’s cabin in Vermont, and only Simon comes home.

WHAT HAPPENED TO NINA? Nobody knows. Simon’s explanation about what happened in their last hours together doesn’t add up. Nina’s parents push the police for answers, and Simon’s parents rush to protect him. They hire expensive lawyers and a PR firm that quickly ramps up a vicious, nothing-is-off-limits media campaign.

HOW FAR WILL HIS FAMILY GO TO KEEP HIM SAFE? Soon, facts are lost in a swirl of accusation and counter-accusation. Everyone chooses a side, and the story goes viral, fueled by armchair investigators and wild conspiracy theories and illustrated with pretty pictures taken from Nina’s social media accounts. Journalists descend on their small Vermont town, followed by a few obsessive “fans.”

HOW FAR WILL HER FAMILY GO TO GET TO THE TRUTH? Nina’s family is under siege, but they never lose sight of the only thing that really matters—finding their daughter. Out-gunned by Simon’s wealthy, powerful family, Nina’s parents recognize that if playing by the rules won’t get them anywhere, it’s time to break them.

My review
What Happened To Nina? by Dervla McTiernan is a gripping thriller that I found almost impossible to put down. It immediately grabbed my attention, and I cleared my calendar for the day so I could read it in one sitting. This isn’t your typical whodunit thriller or police procedural. Rather, it’s a stellar tale of domestic suspense, and kept me on my toes guessing what would happen next as desperate parents embark on a frantic search to find out what happened to their missing daughter. The story focuses on the emotional unraveling of parents under pressure, while also exploring the impact of media scrutiny and the chaos fueled by online misinformation.

The story unfolds through multiple perspectives: Nina’s parents, her sister Grace, Simon’s parents, and the lead detectives on the case. Each character felt completely authentic from the start. Nina’s parents conveyed palpable anguish, while Simon’s mom and dad became characters I loved to despise. The narrative powerfully captures the lengths people will go to for their children. As the situation unraveled, so did the characters’ behavior, creating a compelling and engrossing portrayal of human reactions under extreme pressure.

The story feels like it was ripped straight from the headlines, which likely explains why I found it so compelling and harrowing. While it draws parallels to recent real-life cases, this is entirely fictional, imagining the profound impact on both families when a young woman goes missing and her boyfriend becomes the prime suspect. The plot unfolds with masterful storytelling and every revelation feels believable.

This novel receives solid high praise from me; however, it’s not without flaws. There are few inconsistencies in the dialogue and one glaring mistake when mentioning one of the characters. I’m also not a huge fan of the cover and don’t feel it’s an accurate visual representation of the narrative.

What Happened To Nina? is a brilliantly crafted story, and though entirely fictional, it feels strikingly reminiscent of real-life cases we’ve seen in the headlines. The plausibility of the events makes it all the more harrowing and unsettling. I highly recommend this emotional and heart-wrenching tale.

My recommendation: definitely worth the read!