The Other Lola: A Novel

The Other Lola is a continuation of the characters from Missing Clarissa, Cam and Blair, but with a different mystery.

I did not read the first book, but easily read The Other Lola as a standalone as Missing Clarissa was summarized well and this new mystery itself was apart from the original.

Parts of the mystery were well played out, but the story itself moved too slowly for me to stay captivated.. there were times I had to force myself to pick the book back up again. It wasn't until the very end when finally things got revealed that the story got interesting for me.

Lola's character really felt like a background character, she just didn't have much development, we didn't really get a solid foundation on what was actually going on with her. I would have love more from her POV.
I did like how Cam and Blair seemed to know the right leads to follow and the right questions to ask. They make a wonderful detective team and feed off of each other, driving the story.
There is a secondary plot where both Cam and Blair are dealing with their own things in life, as well as coping with the trauma from the previous book.

Some themes found in The Other Lola are: trauma, self identity, relationships, careers, and found family.

THE OTHER LOLA is a consuming YA mystery/thriller. This is a continuation of the characters from MISSING CLARISSA, though it can be read as a stand-alone with key facts summarized in this sequel and a new case to follow. Cam and Blair are still reeling from everything that happened in their podcast and sleuthing to figure out what had happened to Clarissa in their cold case investigation. When they are approached by a teen, Mattie, who wants their help with a new investigation, Cam and Blair have very different reactions.

Blair has always dreamed of being a writer, and an agent wants to help her publish a book - she just needs the right story. So when Mattie comes to them for help, Blair feels like she has found it. Cam is still suffering from the way everything went down when she investigated previously, but she is not as into therapy as her mother wishes she was. She is not at all eager to leap into a new case, but she does not want to let Blair down. Luckily, they both agree - no podcast this time.

Mattie's sister Lola went missing at 15, 5 years ago. A woman claiming to be Lola has resurfaced with a story of being kidnapped, and Mattie's family has welcomed her into the family easily. However, Mattie knows that she is not Lola. If Mattie is right, who is this other Lola and what happened to the real Lola?

What I loved: This was a captivating story that pulls the reader into the mystery of what happened to Lola five years ago - and whether this person claiming to be Lola is actually her or not. There are some hints that Mattie may be right, but there is plenty of room for questioning. Regardless, there are five missing years that the kidnapping does not really explain. This is where the case lies.

As Cam and Blair get into the investigation, they are back asking questions of people who might have known Lola in the past and might have information about what happened to her. This includes the best friend, the boyfriend, the twin brother, police, and teachers. Cam and Blair really have a knack for this, and just like in the first book, they seem to know the right paths to go with a dogged method of investigation that serves them well. Lola's case is quite different than the first, but their methods work them well for this case too. The case builds slowly, but enough information is gleaned each step of the way to really keep the reader hooked too.

Aside from the case, the reader also gets to see into Cam and Blair's lives. Cam and Blair are each really compelling characters and going through their own things. The story provides both of their perspectives. Cam is dealing with nightmares and panic attacks as well as fear of her relationship with her girlfriend, who is now on the other side of the country for school, ending. Blair is trying to decide what she'll do after high school. She wants to be a writer, but she is not sure if college is for her. She gets particularly pulled into the case when she goes on a date with someone they need to question - and finds herself attracted to him.

There were some strong themes of found family, fears for relationships and the future, the weight of lies (small and big), and mental health. There were also some background points about prejudice in the justice system/missing girls, systemic injustice, and the weight of being a public figure. The pacing of the story was just right. This is a mystery series that I would love to see continued with Cam and Blair leading the way!

Final verdict: THE OTHER LOLA is a consuming and thrilling YA mystery that I highly recommend for people who enjoy amateur sleuths, intriguing secrets, and compelling characters.