This is a story about Anna Hart, a detective who returns home to Mendocino after a personal tragedy, on strict orders to take a break. Anna Hart is definitely not okay. We see her defy those orders to help her old friend, now the Sheriff in Mendocino, with the case of a girl who has gone missing. Anna throws herself into this case, and journeys through past and present, both her own and the people she’s investigating. As the mystery unfolds, we’re left to wonder if Anna will fall apart, or if the roots she’s re-establishing in Mendocino will be enough to ground her and help her to heal.

This is the first work of Paula McLain’s that I’ve read, and it won’t be the last. The novel is an intense read. The subject matter is heavy, and can be quite painful, but is handled with grace. The prose is beautiful, the imagery is vivid, and the story is wonderfully paced.

I was a little concerned about reading this subject matter right now; during a pandemic, when I’m fragile and fighting the gravity of anxiety and depression. But instead of leaving me bereft as I’d feared, I feel so tenderly optimistic. I’m raw, but in the best possible way. This isn’t just a thriller, although it is a thrilling read; it is a story about the complexity of trauma, about the complexity of healing, and about bravery and resilience.

This novel will be great for people who like thrillers, and is the perfect read for a book-club as there are so many layers to discuss. Not only does Paula McLain tell a captivating tale here, she also holds a mirror up to the reader. The focal point of my everyday lens has shifted a bit and new curiosities have been stirred in my mind. This story will stay with me for awhile, as the best stories do.

Thank you to NetGalley, Paula McLain, and Penguin Random House Canada for providing me with an ARC in advance of the April 13, 2021 publication date so that I may provide my fair and honest review.

I am blown away by this book by the impressive Paula McLain. I’ve already read her historical fiction in the past, but it’s an entirely different feat to write a mystery thriller like this. Anna Hart, a seasoned missing persons detective, returns to her hometown for a break - only to discover that there’s a missing girl in the community - and she’s the best person to solve this mystery. This is a book about healing, forgiveness, community, and the far reaching impacts of childhood trauma. I found it quite informative when it comes to predators and the ways they connect with victims, but what I loved most of all is the strength and resilience of the victims, of which there are many in this story. This is not a book for the faint of heart, there’s some really tough scenes in this book, but I would highly recommend it.

Although very different from her previous historical novels "When the Stars Go Dark" and Paula McLain do not disappoint. Set in 1993 before the internet take over Anna Hunt is a detective who searches for missing children. Having been raised a foster child she understands all too well the insecurity of these young people and wants to help them. After a family tragedy Anna heads to Mendocino to heal. There a local girl has gone missing and she helps an old friend who is now Sheriff with the case. Memories good and bad explode as she visits scenes from her youth and remembers the friend who was killed when she was a teen. Her skills are put to the test and her connection to the missing girl tug at your heartstrings. Partially based on her own history as a foster child and sexual abuse survivor Paula McLain tells a story so horrifying and engaging you won't want to put it down.
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