Gigi and her sister Suzanna have left their small midwestern town behind for life in southern California, seeking sunshine and college degrees. To help make ends meet, Gigi takes a job as a server at The Black Cat, a high end gentlemen’s club, where she catches the eye of the owner’s nephew Dimitri—and the owner himself. When Gigi never makes it home following work one evening, the cops give it a pass. She’s been seen on camera at an ATM after all, and she calls Suzanna to tell her she’s fine. But her sister knows something is wrong. Enter Special Agent Emily Day, who has been focusing on missing persons, but has troubles of her own—she’s about to divorce and is attempting to leave the trauma of her job and past life behind. Then another girl from The Black Cat goes missing, and social media is blowing up—are there more? Dominguez Greene weaves in the war in Ukraine, Russian mobsters, dirty cops, border crossing and infertility seamlessly, giving each aspect the attention it deserves while keeping the momentum going. The Ninth Girl is an addictive, thrilling read with a social conscience that begs to be consumed in one sitting.—Dodie Ownes
