WHEN MIMI WENT MISSING

Cousins Tanvi and Mimi, born just one year apart, were as close as sisters, but recently everything has changed.

Ever since her mother killed her father, Tanvi has gotten used to being bullied. But now, Tanvi’s had enough. She’s already lost Mimi to the pull of the popular crowd and their leader, Beth. When Tanvi spies on the annual end-of-summer party Beth hosts at her mansion, she’s shocked to see Mimi and Beth doing drugs together. She takes a photo but is torn about what to do. The next day, Tanvi wakes up with bruises she can’t explain, a bump on the back of her head—and no idea where Mimi is. The photo she took somehow ends up being posted on her social media account, causing a stir at school. Without Mimi there to explain herself, Beth is widely seen as Mimi’s victim. The police suspect Mimi’s run away, but her mother and Tanvi are sure she wouldn’t do that. Tanvi begins looking for answers—and worries about where the search will lead. Unfortunately, the timeline of events is muddy and not helped by Tanvi’s first-person narration, which jumps around and includes confusing, repetitive thoughts. The shallow character development leaves readers with unanswered questions about their motivations. Beth, who’s white, reads like a blond, mean girl stereotype. Mimi and Tanvi are Indian American; Mimi’s dad is white.

A quick read that fails to coalesce into a coherent whole.