An atmospheric small town cozy mystery with a psychic heroine, a decades old cold case, and plenty of millennial charm.

Goodreads | The Mystic and the Missing Girl

Release date: September 8, 2026

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Narrator: Veronica Hortiguela

Synopsis:

Reluctant psychic Drew Benson can read tarot cards and get impressions from objects—she just never expected to use her gifts to investigate an infamous cold case.

Drew Benson has a secret. She gets visions, something she hasn’t tapped into since she was a teenager, when her late aunt, a TV psychic known as Hannah Mystic, became the scapegoat in the unsolved disappearance of a local teenager. Twenty years later, Drew is happy to ignore her gift, focusing instead on keeping the metaphysical shop she inherited from Hannah afloat, wrangling her sole, astrology-obsessed employee, and dodging local rake Foster Banks in her picturesque lakeside hometown.

But when Drew’s arch-nemesis from high school, now a big city reporter, decides to investigate the cold case from all those years ago, it’s Drew’s ability that could finally make a break in the decades old mystery. With bills piling up, a disapproving mother laying on the guilt, and a local vandal who wants Drew and her witchy store gone, Drew has a lot to lose. But what she stands to gain—finding out what happened to the missing teen, clearing her aunt’s name, and a second chance at belonging—could change everything.

In The Mystic and the Missing Girl, Vikki VanSickle seamlessly draws readers into an utterly charming world in this unputdownable, small town mystery.

Review:

I really enjoyed my time with The Mystic and the Missing Girl. The combination of a charming small town setting, a reluctant psychic heroine, and a decades old missing person case made for a mystery that immediately grabbed my attention. I’m endlessly fascinated by the psychic angle, and I loved seeing Drew slowly reconnect with a gift she has spent years trying to ignore.

Drew is such a great lead. She has plenty of spunk and gumption, but she also feels grounded and believable, and I especially loved watching her navigate the complicated history surrounding her aunt and the missing girl. The mystery itself was strong, with plenty of secrets and small town tension to keep me invested. Even the supporting characters were compelling and well drawn, which made the world feel like somewhere I could happily spend more time.

There’s also a modern, millennial edge to this cozy that I’ve been seeing more and more lately, and it worked really well here. The metaphysical shop, tarot, astrology obsessed employee, complicated family dynamics, and small town drama all gave the story a fresh personality without losing that cozy mystery charm. And honestly, I’m hoping this turns into a series because I would absolutely come back for more of Drew and this cast of characters.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Veronica Hortiguela, who was new to me. Her narration was perfectly pleasant and had a soothing, melodic quality that fit the story nicely. It was one of those narrations that didn’t distract from the story at all, it was simply enjoyable to listen to and let the mystery take center stage.

Overall, The Mystic and the Missing Girl was a charming, character driven mystery with a fascinating premise, a strong heroine, and a setting I’d love to revisit. Fingers crossed Drew gets another case!

Perfect for Readers Who Love

• Small town cozy mysteries
• Psychic heroines and supernatural elements
• Cold cases and decades old mysteries
• Metaphysical shops and tarot
• Strong, spunky female protagonists
• Complicated family dynamics
• Millennial characters and modern cozy vibes
• Character driven mysteries with series potential

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

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