Open Books Challenge 2026: About a Missing Person or Object

The Open Books Reading Challenge is a year-long reading challenge for people interested in pushing the boundaries of their reading. For full details of the program, please check-out our page at: https://www.rplmn.org/books-more/discover-more/open-books-reading-challenge

These are some ideas that fit the 2026 category "About a missing person or object."

Happy Reading!

Updated December 31, 2025
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I'll Find You Where the Timeline Ends
Baker, Kylie Lee
Paper Book
A teen descendant of a Japanese dragon god must find out the truth of what happened to her missing sister while trying not to fall for a handsome rogue agent in acclaimed author Kylie Lee Baker's magical new YA romance, I'll Find You Where the Timeline Ends. "Here's...
History in flames : the destruction and survival of medieval manuscripts
Bartlett, Robert
Paper Book
To what extent does our knowledge of the past rely upon written sources? And what happens when these sources are destroyed? Focusing on the manuscripts of the Middle Ages, History in Flames explores cases in which large volumes of written material were destroyed during a single day. This destruction...
The boy from the woods.
Coben, Harlan, 1962-
Paper Book
A man with a mysterious past must find a missing teenage girl in this shocking thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Run Away. Thirty years ago, Wilde was found as a boy living feral in the woods, with no memory of his past....
The last thing he told me : a novel
Dave, Laura
Paper Book
A Goodreads Top 60 Book of the Last 5 Years Don't miss the #1 New York Times bestselling blockbuster and Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick that's sold 5 million copies strong--now an Apple TV+ limited series starring Jennifer Garner! The "page-turning,...
The girl who was taken
Donlea, Charlie
Paper Book
Charlie Donlea, one of the most original new voices in suspense, returns with a haunting novel, laden with twists and high tension, about two abducted girls--one who returns, one who doesn't--and the forensics expert searching for answers. Nicole Cutty and Megan McDonald are both...
Wicked appetite
Evanovich, Janet.
Paper Book
Life in Marblehead has had a pleasant predictability, until Diesel arrives. Rumor has it that a collection of priceless ancient relics representing the Seven Deadly Sins have made their way to Boston's North Shore. Partnered with pastry chef Lizzie Tucker, Diesel bullies and charms his way...
The missing half : a novel
Flowers, Ashley
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * Two women haunted by their sisters' unsolved disappearances band together in this captivating mystery from the author of All Good People Here and host of the #1 true crime podcast Crime Junkie. "A propulsive mystery with...
Gone girl.
Flynn, Gillian, 1971-
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * The "mercilessly entertaining" (Vanity Fair) instant classic "about the nature of identity and the terrible secrets that can survive and thrive in even the most intimate relationships" (Lev Grossman, Time "One of the Best Books of the Decade")...
In the woods.
French, Tana.
Paper Book
When he was twelve years old, Adam Ryan went playing in the woods one day with his two best friends. He never saw them again. Their bodies were never found, and Adam himself was discovered with his back pressed against an oak tree and his shoes filled with blood. He had no memory of what had...
Find her.
Gardner, Lisa
Paper Book
Flora Dane is a victim.  Seven years ago, carefree college student Flora was kidnapped while on spring break. For 472 days, Flora learned just how much one person can endure. Flora Dane is a survivor. Miraculously alive after her ordeal, Flora has...
InvestiGators
Green, John Patrick
Paper Book
"When I'm faced with a Pilkey fan looking to branch out, this graphic novel is the first book I reach for... If eight books aren't enough, the spinoff series, Agents of S.U.I.T., continues the fun." ―The New York Times With more than four million copies in...
The overnight guest.
Gudenkauf, Heather
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER "Fully realized, wholly absorbing and almost painfully suspenseful...The journey is mesmerizing." --New York Times A woman receives an unexpected visitor during a deadly snowstorm in this chilling thriller from ...
The deceivers.
Haddix, Margaret Peterson
Paper Book
The second book in the Greystone Secrets series from the master of plot twists, Margaret Peterson Haddix--perfect for fans of A Wrinkle in Time and The City of Ember, now available in paperback! Until their mother vanished, the Greystone kids--Chess, Emma, and Finn--knew nothing about the...
The lost man
Harper, Jane
Paper Book
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER "I love Jane Harper's Australia-based mysteries." --Stephen King Two brothers meet in the remote Australian outback when the third brother is found dead, in this stunning new standalone novel from Jane Harper...
The secret book of Flora Lea.
Henry, Patti Callahan
Paper Book
From the New York Times bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis comes a "heartrending, captivating tale of family, first love, and fate" (Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author) about a woman who stumbles across a mysterious children's book that holds secrets...
The keeper of lost things.
Hogan, Ruth, 1961-
Paper Book
*THE PERFECT UP-LIT SUMMER READ, RECOMMENDED BY THOUSANDS OF READERS* THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER & WINNER OF THE RICHARD AND JUDY BOOK CLUB 'One of the most charming novels either of us has read. Don't lose it. Keep it' Richard & Judy<...
The summer she went missing
Ichaso, Chelsea
Paper Book
From the author of Dead Girls Can't Tell Secrets and They're Watching You, a compelling new thriller! Last summer, they searched for Audrey Covington. This summer, they'll search for the truth. Paige Redmond has always felt lucky to spend her summers in...
Such quiet girls : a thriller
Ihli, Noelle W.
Ten children, abducted in broad daylight-and buried alive. Sage and her sister won't make it home from school today. Neither will the other children on Bus 315. But that's only the beginning of the nightmare. New bus driver Jessa blames herself for what happened. She couldn't protect the kids she...
The return of Ellie Black : a novel
Jean, Emiko
Paper Book
A USA TODAY Bestseller | An NPR Best Book of 2024 | A Goodreads Best Thriller of 2024 In this "page-turning suspense novel, shrewd character study, and captivating mystery" (Stephen King) Detective Chelsey Calhoun's life is turned upside down when she gets the...
Then she was gone
Jewell, Lisa
Paper Book
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Nominated for a 2018 Goodreads Choice Award "An acutely observed family drama with bone-chilling suspense." --People "Jewell teases out her twisty plot at just the right pace, leaving...
Four past midnight.
King, Stephen, 1947-
Paper Book
Jet passengers are stuck in a time-slip, a psychopath accuses a writer of plagiarism, a man with an overdue book encounters a demonic librarian, and a boy's camera snaps photos of a huge and nasty dog in these four horror novellas. Repackaged. Reissue.
Local woman missing.
Kubica, Mary
Paper Book
THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER--OVER A MILLION COPIES SOLD! "Dark and twisty, with white-knuckle tension and jaw-dropping surprises." --Riley Sager, New York Times bestselling author of Home Before Dark In this smart and chilling...
Trail of the lost : the relentless search to bring home the missing hikers of the Pacific Crest Trail
Lankford, Andrea
Paper Book
From an award-winning former law enforcement park ranger and investigator, this female-driven true crime adventure follows the author's quest to find missing hikers along the Pacific Crest Trail by pairing up with an eclectic group of unlikely allies.  ​  
Girl last seen
Laurin, Nina
Paper Book
An intense psychological thriller for readers of I Am Watching You,The Luckiest Girl Alive, and All the Missing Girls. Two missing girls. Thirteen years apart. Olivia Shaw has been missing since last Tuesday. She was last seen outside the entrance of...
Just another missing person
McAllister, Gillian
Paper Book
"Twisty and complex, with unexpected turns...and characters you really root for."--Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author From the author of the Reese's Book Club Pick and the New York Times bestseller Wrong Place Wrong Time comes a new heart-stopping thriller in which...
The quiet tenant
Michallon, Cle?mence
Paper Book
NATIONAL BEST SELLER * A NEW YORK TIMES BEST CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR * GMA BUZZ PICK * "A bravura feat of storytelling...daring and completely satisfying." --James Patterson, #1 best-selling author A PULSE-POUNDING PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER ABOUT A SERIAL KILLER NARRATED BY THOSE...
The orphanage by the lake
Miller, Daniel G.
Paper Book
A MISSING GIRL AN ORPHANAGE FILLED WITH SECRETS Order the new psychological crime thriller from bestselling author Daniel G. Miller Hazel wants a new life. She's thirty years old...
All the missing girls : a novel
Miranda, Megan.
Paper Book
***A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER*** A New York Times Book Review "Editors' Choice" Entertainment Weekly -- Thriller Round-Up The Wall Street Journal -- 5 Killer Books for 2016 Hollywood Reporter<...
The god of the woods
Moore, Liz
Paper Book
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER and ONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES'S NOTABLE BOOKS OF THE YEAR A NEW YORK TIMES "BEST THRILLER" and "BEST CRIME NOVEL" OF THE YEAR PEOPLE MAGAZINE'S #1 BOOK OF THE YEAR "Extraordinary . . ....
The memory police
Ogawa, Y ko
Paper Book
*** 2019 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST *** *** LONGLISTED FOR THE 2020 INTERNATIONAL BOOKER PRIZE AND THE 2020 TRANSLATED BOOK AWARD *** *** NEW YORK TIMES 100 NOTABLE BOOKS OF THE YEAR *** A haunting Orwellian novel about the terrors of state surveillance, from the...
The impossible fortune
Osman, Richard
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * The unmissable new mystery in the Thursday Murder Club series from bestselling author Richard Osman, now streaming on Netflix Who's got time to think about murder when there's a wedding to plan? It's been a quiet year for the...
The president is missing
Patterson, James
Paper Book
Don't miss the #1 New York Times bestselling thriller from the world's bestselling author, James Patterson: an "undeniably gripping ride through the hidden passageways of power and politics" that "moves like Air Force One" (Michael Connelly). The...
Three women disappear.
Patterson, James, 1947-
Paper Book
Sarah, his personal chef. Anna, his wife. Serena, his maid. All three had access to a murder victim's home. And all three women are missing.  Sarah, his personal chef Anna, his wife Serena, his maid Accountant Anthony Costello has...
A song for the dark times.
Rankin, Ian.
Paper Book
'The master storyteller' (Guardian) weaves a gripping story of mystery and suspense,threaded through with some of the most important issues and themes of our time, in the new John Rebus thriller.
Vanishing girls
Regan, Lisa
Paper Book
Detective Josie Quinn desperately chases a killer hidden within her close-knit town before they claim another victim in this USA Today bestselling thriller that "keeps the dramatic reveals coming" (Publishers Weekly). The little girl...
Mrs. Sherlock holmes : the true story of New York city's greatest female detecti
Ricca, Brad
Paper Book
Nominated for the Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime! This is the shocking and amazing true story of the first female U.S. District Attorney and traveling detective who found missing 18-year-old Ruth Cruger when the entire NYPD had given up. Mrs....
Missing Pages : A Novel
Richman, Alyson
Life or death.
Robotham, Michael, 1960-
Paper Book
Why would a man escape from prison the day before he's due to be released? Audie Palmer has spent a decade in prison for an armed robbery in which four people died, including two of the gang. Seven million dollars has never been recovered and everybody believes that Audie knows...
Middle of the night : a novel
Sager, Riley
Paper Book
THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER In the latest jaw-dropping thriller from New York Times bestselling author Riley Sager, a man must contend with the long-ago disappearance of his childhood best friend--and the dark secrets lurking just beyond the safe confines...
The lovely bones.
Sebold, Alice
Paper Book
"My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973." So begins the story of Susie Salmon, who is adjusting to her new home in heaven, a place that is not at all what she expected, even as she is watching life on earth continue...
Where'd you go, Bernadette.
Semple, Maria
Paper Book
A misanthropic matriarch leaves her eccentric family in crisis when she mysteriously disappears in this "whip-smart and divinely funny" novel that inspired the movie starring Cate Blanchett (New York Times). Bernadette Fox is notorious. To her Microsoft-guru husband, she's...
Pretty girls.
Slaughter, Karin, 1971-
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A My Favorite Murder Book Club Pick! "Stunning . . . certain to be a book of the year." - LEE CHILD Powerful, poignant, and utterly gripping, packed...
Still missing.
Stevens, Chevy.
Paper Book
"This debut novel has the power to shock and awe with its explosively frightening premise about a woman who is kidnapped by a stranger and held against her will for more than year. Chevy Stevens is sure to rock lovers of the thriller genre." --USA Today On the day she...
The lamplighters.
Stonex, Emma, 1983-
Paper Book
Inspired by a haunting true story, a gorgeous and atmospheric novel about the mysterious disappearance of three lighthouse keepers from a remote tower miles from the Cornish coast--and about the wives left behind On New Year's Eve, 1972, a boat pulls up...
The center of the universe
Voros, Ria
Paper Book
When aspiring astrophysicist Grace's news presenter mother GG Carter goes missing cameras descend on their house, news shows speculate about what might have happened and Grace's family struggles to find a new rhythm as they wait for answers. While the authorities unravel the mystery behind GG's...
All the colors of the dark : a novel
Whitaker, Chris
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * OVER ONE MILLION COPIES SOLD * From the author of We Begin at the End comes a soaring thriller and an epic love story that "hits like a sledgehammer . . . an absolutely must-read novel" (Gillian Flynn, author of Gone Girl). Read...
Gone before goodbye
Witherspoon, Reese
Paper Book
AN INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER  An unforgettable suspense novel that combines the storytelling talents of Academy Award-winning actor Reese Witherspoon and internationally bestselling author Harlan Coben. Gone Before Goodbye...
Lost Bookshop.
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Paper Book
Pre-order Evie Woods' new book The Violin Maker's Secret now, out in February 2026! The Echo of Old Books meets The Lost Apothecary in this evocative and charming novel full of mystery and secrets. 'The thing about books,' she said 'is that they help you to imagine a life bigger...

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