What Happened to Nina?: A Novel

4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars | 6,174 ratings

Price: 22.04

Last update: 11-13-2024


About this item

From the #1 internationally bestselling author of The Murder Rule comes an emotional novel of suspense about two families at war.

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.


Top reviews from the United States

Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Tense Psychological Novel
Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2024
I have to give this book a 5 because it is so well done. That doesn't mean I enjoyed it; the tension and reality kept me on edge, and I had to put it down quite often. That doesn't mean the characters and plot weren't still causing me anxiety even when I walked away from it.

There are no gory details. The short prologue on Nina and Simon's relationship indicates abuse, but that little bit leaves its imprint.

The tension is created by the way both Nina's family and Simon's family deal with Nina's disappearance. Nina's family is frightened and distraught and do not believe Simon has told them everything. Simon's family are afraid for their son in case he may be accused of something. Simon's parents decide to go on the offense. Surely Simon would never have hurt Nina, they assure themselves, but even an accusation can damage his future.

Reasonable, to a point. Simon's parents go much further than that, however.

Both sets of parents love their children, and the novel takes time to balance the fears of each family, to cover what Nina's parents will do to discover what happened and to reveal what Simon's family will do to keep him safe.

From the prologue, the reader "knows" what happened, but has none of the details. The story moves from one character to another, revealing information from various perspectives. The detective has his suspicions, but has to contend with some desperate missteps by Nina's mother and the money and power of Simon's family.

Excellent writing and plotting, taut presentation of emotional strain. Haunting, not simply for the tragedy of two families, but because it encapsulated so much of our contemporary society's often disturbing relationship with social media. What Happened to Nina? is not so much a mystery as analysis of trauma and its effects.

From beginning to end, the novel exhibits a riveting, fascinating symmetry.
K. Mundt
4.0 out of 5 stars Loved the book! Hate the cover..
Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2024
If this book wasn’t recommended to me in a Facebook group, I never would have read it because the cover is YIKES….

Once I started I couldn’t put it down. It’s not a “who done it” but the story is told from the “other” victims perspective, the family. The characters were believable, the story was gripping, and it made you question the ethics of “enjoying” true crime. I really did enjoy the book and recommend it.

To the publisher… please change the cover! It doesn’t even look like the Nina the book described. The location does not look like Vermont (the books setting), and what is with the balloon?
Edward B Cohen
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read
Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2024
Could not put this book down!
A real page turner from beginning to end.
Highly recommend it.
Hits to the heart if family
Anthony W Gray Jr MD
3.0 out of 5 stars No real surprises
Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2024
If looking to pass the time at the beach, this is a reasonable, and quick read. The good: writing style is pleasing, as is the character development. The not so good: I didn't find any twists or turns. Certainly, I wouldn't describe as "A Thriller", as the title states. Maybe it's because I think like the author but the story unfolded pretty much along how I thought it would with minor nuances of differences. There were a few parts then weren't exactly as I expected but not enough to say anything other than, "huh...okay" rather than "wow!”
Not a novel I'll be recommending to family or friends.
Small, sort of, spoiler alert!!
(Don't read further if planning to purchase)
The answer to "What Happened to Nina?" becomes very evident quite early in the novel. Maybe a better title, "What Happened after Nina?"
Readergirl22
4.0 out of 5 stars Really Good Thriller
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2024
Dervla McTiernan has another winner. This is a really enjoyable read. Not so much who-done-it as why-done-it.
I wasn't crazy about the many (!) point of views, but this I'm sure will be overlooked by the vast majority of readers.
This book is supposed to be set in Vermont, about an American family. Too many "Britishisms" (or Australianisms) got by the copy editor. You can tell this is not an American writer.
I thought before I read this was going to be reminiscent of the Gabby Petito case. It is, but it is not.
A very worthwhile way to spend some time. Highly recommended.
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Her best so far
Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2024
McTiernan has become one of my “go to” authors. The story is well paced and has some interesting plot twists. It also gives some insight into the ways information is disseminated and distorted through the internet. I’m looking forward to reading her next novel.

FYI- I also listened to the audiobook and thought the narrators did a great job keeping keeping in character.
Jen Ben
5.0 out of 5 stars A real page-turner
Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2024
I enjoyed this book immensely. It drew me in and kept me engrossed all the way to the end.
Lainey love
4.0 out of 5 stars We know what happened
Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2024
Wrong title, wrong cover but pretty good book. Imo the author took this idea from a famous current true crime and added what she would have liked the true ending to be which is the only part of the book that makes it over the top. Mostly because of the character that carries it out. He doesn't have it in him, but his wife sure does. As for the cover, putting a real person on a fictional book puts an idea in one's mind of who Nina was. When the author continually states she's little, innocent, smart, sweet etc. And the picture does not portray that it gives the reader, at least myself a skewed view of the character.

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