The Mystery of Hollow Places Hardcover – January 26, 2016

In this gorgeously written YA mystery, 17-year-old Imogene Scott sets out to find her father, a forensic pathologist and mystery writer, after he abruptly vanishes one day. But he left her a single clue, one tied to the bedtime story he used to tell her about her mother. Other than that tale and a photograph, that's all Imogene knows of the woman who gave birth to her, then left when she was only a toddler.Convinced that her father must be looking for her mother, Imogene begins her own investigation to try to find him. But first, she must unravel the truth behind the identity of her mother - and her own origins.Beautifully written and utterly mesmerizing, THE MYSTERY OF HOLLOW PLACES is much more than, well, a mystery. It's a story about a girl searching for her family and grappling with the unbelievable reality of her father's disappearance. It's also a story of teen friendships and insecurities, as Imogene's life as a high schooler doesn't just vanish because her father did. While the story is well plotted and the questions of "who the heck is Imogene's mom" and "where the heck did her dad go" serve as great hooks, it was really the the hypnotic writing and Imogene's voice that kept the pages turning for me. Like I said, utterly mesmerizing. I read the whole thing in maybe 48 hours (while on a vacation with plenty of distractions).As a character, Imogene is a fantastic mix of the snarky and the profound, a teen who alternates seamlessly between rattling off fun quips in both dialogue and narration and delving into gorgeous descriptions of her world and emotions. I also loved that the story explored a female friendship rather than focusing on her romantic interest. Not that there's anything wrong with romance, mind you. And there's a bit of that too.The whole book flows like a river, sometimes serene, often bouncing up against rocks, winding around obstacles to reach a thoroughly satisfying conclusion that left me staring into space and sighing for far too long (fortunately, my travel companions were too asleep to witness the weird smile that must have been on my face). Finishing was indeed bittersweet... I loved how it concluded but was sad that it was over.And in conclusion: READ IT READ IT READ IT!!!P.S. In the interest of full disclosure - Rebecca Podos and I share an agent (Lana Popovic), but other than that leading to my discovery of her awesome novel, that has nothing to do with anything. (What, I work at a Big Company and they've gotten me in the habit of adding disclaimers to everything)

3.75. This author has STUNNING prose. I re-read passages so many times because they were so exacting and beautiful.This was an interesting read about a 17 year old daughter whose father disappears, only leaving her one "clue" in his absence. Her father, a mystery writer, was an interesting character to read based on his profession and that he was a single parent. In attempting to find her father, our protagonist must overcome obstacles, out think her mystery writer father and uncover secrets from their past.Things that I loved about this book were the writing, the female friendship and the close introspection into single parent families and mental illnesses.A great debut novel that has sold me on any future book this author writes.[...]

The Mystery of Hollow Places is one of the best YA novels I have ever read. From the voice to the brilliant and flawed main character (and her journey), I could not put this book down. This debut novel by Rebecca Podos has a lot of precise and precious things to say about mental health, forgiveness and identity. To say I loved this book would be a huge understatement. Podos has joined the ranks of insta-buy authors for me and I'm already eager to see what she writes next. No, not eager. I'm impatient to see what she writes next. Because I look forward to being in this authors capable hands once again.

I love mysteries, and this book seemed to scream mystery to me. And it's unfortunate that as much as I liked the main character, the setting, and the storyline, I had a lot of trouble connecting to the voice of the book. I kept losing interest and put it down for months. It's a fine read and has some nice notes of diversity, but I'm still disappointed that I didn't love it more. Podos's writing is capable, but just not for me.Recommended for: ages 14+, YA readers, adults who read YA, mystery fans, school libraries, public libraries

Coming from a blended family, I found this novel to be heartbreakingly poignant. The push and pull, need for support without getting to close is captured with stark clarity.I was also endeared by the authors honest yet respectful depiction of mental illness. My favorite aspect however may have been Imogene herself, as I love flawed protagonists. Her angst-riddled, dogged determination is refreshing and relatable.In short, this novel is beautiful, and I truly look forward to more from this author.

This book was the perfect blend of literary fiction and compelling mystery. The character's motivation was clear, and the story developed in a really organic way. I was never bored, and was always compelled to move forward. If you haven't yet gotten to know these characters, I highly recommend it!

There was much more to this than I expected. Very touching little mystery about our hearts and what's in them

This book is a keeper - page-turning mystery and well developed characters. I am not a "young adult" and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Follow this debut author - she surely will be going places!