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

by Shawn Cohen

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?

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Crime, Book Club, Mystery, Thriller

251 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 28, 2024

Reviews

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes a story hits closer to home, not because you were personally involved or knew the relevant parties, but because it happened in your town and was ingrained in your community’s consciousness and daily life for so long that it’s left an indelible mark. Such is the case with the 2011 disappearance and presumed death of Indiana University sophomore Lauren Spierer, the subject of investigative journalist Shawn Cohen’s new book College Girl Missing: The True Story of How a Young Woman Disappeared in Plain Sight.

It’s impossible to forget the years of seeing her smiling face on missing person flyers and billboards all over town or seeing the pained pleas in the press from her parents for someone to come forward with information. We all waited for news as a nearby landfill was searched or worried when skeletal remains were found over the years, wondering if they were hers. Our town had already been through it a decade prior with the disappearance and later discovery of the remains of another young co-ed Jill Behrman, and everyone felt that sense of deja vu.

On June 3, 2011, Lauren went missing after a night of hard partying with friends. The petite, blue-eyed blonde was enjoying her last few days in Bloomington before she was due to drive home with her boyfriend to New York. Ditching her plans for that evening with him, she instead went out with new friends, including a young man with interest in her, drinking at a popular local bar before continuing the party at his and his friends’ off-campus housing. Heavily intoxicated on both drugs and alcohol, Lauren had already fallen hard a couple times and had to be carried off-and-on, but the young men with her that night swear that she left their place in the early hours of the morning to walk the dark streets alone to her nearby apartment. She never arrived.

It takes no effort to victim-blame, but the truth is Lauren really could be any of us. My daughter and I both graduated from IU, and knowing that in the right set of circumstances or with the wrong group of people, anyone's story could have been hers. Who of us didn’t go through our teens and twenties feeling like we were invulnerable to bad consequences or testing out the new freedoms being away from our parents brought, even if it wasn’t in such extreme ways?

Lauren’s parents believe she’s dead, but as any parents would, they want answers. The most popular theory is that she overdosed, possibly complicated by a serious heart condition, and that her “friends” panicked and disposed of her body. Unfortunately, these young men from wealthy families lawyered up and refuse to talk. Add that to some early missteps in the local police response and the territorial police chief’s refusal to bring in the FBI or state police, and sadly the Spierers may never get the answers they deserve. I hold out hope that they will.

I listened to this on audio, and thought the narration by Kyle Snyder was well done. My biggest complaint about this book is that Cohen, the author, came off as self-important in touting how close HE is to the Spierers, and how HE broke the news first, and how HE doggedly pursued answers all these years, when in the end, he really didn’t bring much new information to the table. For all his self-congratulatory persistence, even when he got the young men to talk after all these years, they offered a bunch of “I dunno”s and “I don’t remember”s which got the Spierers no closer to any answers. It felt a little like a vanity piece at times. Nonetheless, I respect his efforts to help the family, and I hope his continued persistence eventually helps bring them closure.

★★★ ½

Thanks to HighBridge Audio, NetGalley and author Shawn Cohen for this ALC to honestly review. It’s out July 30, 2024.

[Andi · Rating 2 out of 5]

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 · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[JaymeO · Rating 3 out of 5]

June 3, 2011

What happened to Lauren Spierer?

A sophomore Fashion Merchandising major at Indiana University, Spierer vanished after a night of heavy partying, drinking, and drugs. Spierer was last seen leaving a friend’s apartment around 3:30am as she walked home in the dark. She hasn’t been seen since.

Making national headlines, the once idyllic “safe” college campus was soon scrutinized by police, media, and the public. How could this happen? With lots of theories and little evidence, the case went cold.

Reporter Shawn Cohen ingratiates himself into Lauren’s family and is determined to figure out what happened to her all of those years ago. His book is an attempt to shed new light on the case and achieve notoriety for himself (this is my interpretation as he comes off as extremely unlikeable and self-serving).

Fun fact #1: I graduated from Indiana University 13 years prior to this horrific incident. I was compelled to read this book as I always felt safe on IU’s campus and couldn’t imagine this happening. I even student taught at Bloomington North High School my senior year. Fun fact #2: Michael Koryta, the New York Times Best Selling author, was a student in my English class in 1998. I can do this too Shawn Cohen!

I’m really perplexed by Cohen’s motive to write this book. Beyond laying out the facts of the case and interviewing a few of Spierer’s friends, his investigation hits dead end after dead end. This culminates in providing little to no insight or clues into what might have happened to Lauren.

Cohen not only mentions the IU lingo, but actually uses it himself in referring to the GDIs (God Damned Independents-those not a part of the huge Greek system and Apes-the brothers of AEPi) etc. It’s almost as if he wanted to be one of the cool kids too and is using this book to gain acceptance to a private club.

Because the Bloomington police severely botched the investigation, we might never find any answers. May Lauren’s memory forever be a blessing to her parents.

2.5/5 stars rounded up

[Bec (becbingesbooks) - sorry, behind with lots of catching up to do]

An important story but to be honest, I'm not sure what this book is trying to achieve. I came in expecting a true crime read, but left feeling like the author was writing an autobiography where a key part of his life was investigating the disappearance (but adding what appears to be little). I learnt about the case I'd never heard of so I'm not sure what is new but from what's said, seems nothing but trying to add some pressure on those who may know something. I think there could have been less about the author and more about the intended story. I feel bad for the family and friends of Lauren, and of course Lauren herself, and I hope one day they have answers.

Audiobook and non-fiction so no rating from me.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

***Edited to add: Got some additional information about this author from my friend Kat here in GR. She drew attention to an important point. The author does make a little too much of how close he is to the family and how only he could write this book, yet there is no additional closure for the Spierer family, and I have to wonder if the book benefitted anyone but the author. I would still rate book a 3.5.

[Brendan (History Nerds United) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, my daughter can cross Indiana University off her college list. (Edit: A lot of commenters came here to defend IU while decrying what happened to Lauren. In my attempt to start my review with a catchy line, I clearly provided bait instead. This was unintentional, but I am going to leave it here because otherwise the commenters would look like they are responding out of nowhere. However, if I did it over again, I wouldn't start with this line. My apologies and I'll do better in the future.)

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.)

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

[Emma May · Rating 1 out of 5]

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.

[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 · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[Kerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to an audio advanced reader copy. Publication date July 30. The print was released in May 2024

A journalistic procedural true crime cold case.
That is the only way I could think how to describe the non-fiction true crime audio narrated by Kyle Snyder. Snyder does an excellent job. I found his narration clear and easy to follow.

The author of this book is a journalist and he records what he has been able to learn about the disappearance of a college student at the University of Indiana in June of 2011. He was a reporter on the scene at the time this young woman went missing after a night of partying with friends and acquaintances, some she met for the first time that night. She left to walk home from a friend's house at 4 am drunk and barely able to walk and was never seen again. No one has been charged with a crime and theories abound as to what might have happened to this woman and who if any of her friends are responsible.

I had a hard time understanding what this author's purpose was in bringing this case to light without much new for consideration. The strongest part of the book is the 1st section in which we learn what was known of the circumstances of that night and how police were believed to approach the investigation. It is best to remember that this source may only have superficial knowledge of what police knew and how the leads in the investigation were approached. It seems easy to point fingers since there was no clear resolution. The journalist states he has a strong connection now with the family though I did not get much evidence in the text to support that.

After the 1st section the book was more about how the journalist kept digging for more information. He continues to purse mainly a group of friends who were the last to see this young woman. He harps on the inconsistencies of their stories. Indeed. The events of the disappearance took place in the wee hours of the morning after all had been using both drugs and alcohol. I would have been more concerned if all told the exact same story--as if planned and corroborated ahead of time as in a cover up. None of the group seems very clear on exactly what happened or the exact details of the hours before. Then he returns and interviews these same people 10 years later (2021) for follow up. This highlighted how the disappearance continues to haunt her friends but added little in new information.

It was a good true crime story and had a propulsive quality to this audio. I listened to it in one day. So if you are into true crime and want to form your own theory as to what might have happened to this young woman with what this journalist presents it is a good read. Be aware there are no answers to be found here and it is a tale with no good ending.

[Anne Peterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Julie (JuJu) · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I first discovered this audiobook, I was immediately intrigued. As a true crime enthusiast, I'm always on the lookout for captivating stories, but most of my finds are on TV. The prospect of a short, yet potentially engaging read was too tempting to resist, especially considering my past disappointments with true crime books.

Despite its brevity, this book repeated much of the same information from various interviews. While the case is intriguing, I couldn't help but hope for a more in-depth and satisfying experience.

Since starting the book, I've come across an excellent review. If you enjoy reading true crime, you might find it more appealing.

#collegegirlmissing #shawncohen #audiobook #thrillerfriendsunite #thrillerobsessedbookishclub #ReadersOfTheLateArc #TalkWordyToMeTeam #lovetoread #lovebooks #booknerd #readaholic #bookstagrammer #booktok #booktoker #truecrime

[Anna Chochrek · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m very familiar with this horrible tragedy as an IU student and Westchester native, and my heart goes out to the Spierers, but Shawn Cohen does an absolutely horrible job with this book. Clearly wasn’t edited well, as various streets, dorms, and other locations in Bloomington are simply false and inaccurate, and Cohen tries to paint 20 year old college kids as guilty suspects for hiring lawyers and not wanting to chat with random reporters. Cohen spends half the book talking about himself, and obviously publishing something like this isn’t going to lead to someone coming out with new information. Shame on Shawn Cohen for trying to monetize a tragedy. No wonder his “journalism” consists of writing for The Daily Mail and the New York Post. Zero stars if I could.

[Tooter · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

[Erin H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

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. 🙏🏼

[Amy Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Jill Crosby · Rating 1 out of 5]

The abbreviated version of a book that PROMISES to be a thorough investigation of a missing person cold case is this:

Journalist who wants to be taken seriously by readers and peers writes a book about a college girl who goes out on one of her many benders with friends, and vanishes. There is no real background on ANY of the characters in the book, no reason for what drove the missing girl to develop serious alcohol and drug issues, no background on any of the suspects. In fact, all 4 “persons of interest” are indistinguishable from each other.
The writer explains halfway through the book that he himself got involved with a prostitute/whistleblower in an NYPD scandal, and lost all kinds of cred in the world of crime reporting, AS HE SHOULD HAVE. He continues to ride this case because, he claims, “it’s unsolved.” As a “quality” journalist, he has made himself a victim’s family friend and confidant, keeping in constant touch and sharing tips that keep coming in, a dozen years after the disappearance.
It’s clear what he’s doing—he’s keeping a foot in the door so that if the case is ever solved, the family will tap HIM to write the full story, and he will bask in journalistic redemption.
Basically, this book is just a placeholder for when he can write an “insider’s” view of the case.
Very, very disappointing.

[Claire · Rating 2 out of 5]

Normally I enjoy reading true crime narratives even if the case in question isn’t resolved. Unfortunately this one didn’t dig quite deep enough for me, and the reporter himself seemed to feel like a bit of a hero about his reporting of the case (and yet this didn’t really lead anywhere). Anyway, didn’t quite get the tone or the depth right for me.

[Maddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

girl i did not know this was yet unsolved im so disappointed.

i like the dive into the details, but the author's personal stakes being mentioned felt ick to me

[Jo Dominique · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[Ari Damoulakis · Rating 1 out of 5]

A journalist who, like many, feel a higher sense of importance than they should, justifies writing this. Supposedly to put the case back in the public eye. Sorry, I can’t bring myself to believe that is and was his motive. Yes I know, for the most part I am unfortunately incredibly cynical, but I have really never liked or trusted most journalists at all, and I am not speaking from afar, I am even talking about ones have met. No real EQ. False sympathy. Would hurt mostly anyone for a good story. As bad as many lawyers. Robotic freaks.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[CJ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sadly this book had no probative value and was just a regurgitation of the same information previously published. I feel that the book was falsely promoted with promises of newly discovered revelations in order to sell the book and advance the author’s success as a writer outside the newsroom.

Case in point…In the book, the author himself addresses the “missing white woman syndrome” describing how “low rent” stories of missing and unsolved murders of low income people and people of color are rarely pursued by the media. Yet when given the opportunity to shed some light on one of the many missing persons cases that never received media coverage because of the victim’s race or economic status he chose to write about Lauren’s case…why? Her story sells.

[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.

[Celeste Velocci (bookrecs_by_celeste) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley, Shawn Cohen, and Sourcebooks for the advanced listening copy of College Girl, Missing. Prior to listening I have never heard of this tragic story of the young college student Lauren Spierer disappearing in plain sight. I am not rating this book based on the story but by the authors telling of it. I do not feel comfortable rating a true crime story based on the events that occurred. My heart goes out to Lauren's family as this was a very sad story of what happens all too often in this world.

I enjoyed how passionate the author was about seeking justice for Lauren and her family. It seemed like Shawn Cohen was the long term fighter for Lauren and her family. If you enjoy true crime podcasts or shows like 20/20 and or Dateline then this audiobook will be for you. There was a lot of information and a lot of likely suspects and the author really does do his best to cross every t and dot every i.

Again, my rating is based on the authors portrayal of the story not Lauren Spierer's disappearance. Now that I was made aware of this story I will be looking into it more.

This audiobook releases tomorrow July 30th.

[Stacy40pages · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Nadine · Rating 3 out of 5]

College Girl, Missing is the first I’ve heard of Lauren Spierer’s case. After a night of heavy drinking and drug use, Lauren, allegedly, leaves an apartment and is never seen again. In the over 10 years since Lauren was last seen, very little new evidence has emerged and those who last saw her alive are still uncooperative.

Shawn Cohen, a well-known journalist, lays out the sequence of events that night as clearly, succinctly, and objectively as possible. Though by the end of the book, it’s obvious who Cohen is leaning towards being responsible for Lauren’s disappearance.

I am by no means an expert on this case, so you can take my recommendation with a grain of salt, but College Girl, Missing is a comprehensive analysis of Lauren herself, the town, the events the night she went missing, the persons of interest, and the investigation.

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

This story just didn’t hold my interest or maybe it was the way it was told. Also, the author mentions a comparison to Natalie Holloway, but says she was from Mississippi. She was from Alabama. Clearly, the author isn’t that great at his job. I suffered through over a quarter of the book and couldn’t keep going, especially when I had doubts about the accuracy of what he’s written.