You Always Come Back was a pulse pounding suspense mystery book for me. I'm actually surprised that this is the author's debut. I found the plot very compelling, each chapter did a great job of reeling me in with just enough suspense & intrigue to keep me turning those pages. Reading about the quirky & dysfunctional Weaver family was a unique experience for me. Everyone in the family has rough edges & are bound by a common tragedy that saw death take their youngest very early. The plot was riveting & I found myself quite enthralled with whole greenhouse conservatory theme it had going. Needless to say I loved July Weaver despite her eccentricity. The characters too were quirky and strong. Everything about this book appealed to me, but that ending was just something else! If you're looking for slow intrigue, thrills, chills & lots of dysfunctional family drama then this a book for you.

Thank you Netgalley, Emily Smith & Crooked Lane Books for the arc!

Thank you Netgalley. This was a fantastic read. The families dysfunction is like nothing else I have ever read. The story is excellent and characters were well drawn and relatable. Looking forward to more from this author.

July fled her hometown 10 years ago when a fateful summer sent her already fragile family into a tailspin. Her eccentric father was convicted of murdering her younger sister and several other local young women, while her mother was nearly crippled by psychiatric issues. But now, she’s been called back to Pacific Lake by her older brother, Auggie, when her younger brother, facing his own demons, tries to commit suicide. As events begin to resemble those of that fateful summer, July, begins to question everything, including her father’s guilt….

This book is narrated by July, in two timelines: in the present and in the past, chronicling the events of her final summer in Pacific Lake and the events leading to her father’s arrest.

Talk about a suspenseful atmosphere; This book is wound so tight is practically squeaks! I loved the tension as everything built toward the climax in both timelines reached a crescendo and we begin to see both what made July run scared from Pacific Lake and we get answers about the deaths of local women. Was it her dad all along? Or someone working for him? Or none of the above? There’s so many possibilities and the author doesn’t really give much up as she works through the story.

However, I did eventually figure it out before “the big reveal.” It eventually became fairly clear. But there were still enough little surprises and twists that my jaw was hanging open at the end of the book. Let’s just say, there’s quite a few tricks up Emily Smith’s sleeves, and she really capitalizes on all of them.

There’s also a bit of a romance element that I enjoyed. It didn’t take over the story or subtract from the major plot.

Overall, I highly recommend this if you enjoy suspense and dramatic thrillers. I’ll be looking forward to more from this author!

This is my first book by this author and I was wowed! It truly is a great mystery and leaves you wondering who the guilty party is. Highly recommended!

July Weaver is all too familiar with the Pacific Lake Killer. After all, he killed her little sister and almost killed July. She couldn’t believe her father would do these things but he was found guilty and she hasn’t spoken to him since.

Now July has a career in Nashville, writing popular songs for country artists. She left her hometown and vowed to never return. But her brother is in trouble and July is responsible for him. In an effort to save him, July will return to her hometown and face her past.

There are four siblings remaining and July is at odds with all of them. With a disappearance that is eerily similar to that of the Pacific Lake Killer, July starts to question her memory. Did the police convict the right man? If not, will the killer come back to her to finish the job?

A woman comes back to her hometown to help her family out. While there, she must confront her past of whether or not her dad was a serial killer.

I wanted to like this one based on the premise, but I found it to be really slow. The premise made it out to be more suspenseful and thriller-y but I got more family drama vibes. That could just be me though.

I really enjoyed this book and I cant believe that this is her first book. I was engaged the whole way through. Loved the southern setting of Georgia.

I have so many good things to say about this book! First, I really liked the characters (even the ones that were unlikeable) because they were all really well-developed. Second, I loved the family dynamic and different relationships between each of the siblings, and each of the parents - it felt real and believable. Third, the suspense was real. I'm not usually a serial killer thriller fan, but while a major plot point, not the focus of the book. With a classic whodunit edge, and a bit of crime fiction thrown in, this book had many elements for a great thriller. And finally, the ending (thought not completely unpredictable), was heartbreakingly good. I would definitely recommend this book.

July Weaver's sister disappeared nine years ago and July's father Harry was convicted for the murder along with the murders of three others. After leaving home, July made a career as a songwriter and tried to distance herself from the past. When she gets a call from her brother Mark that their brother Deck tried to kill himself, she finds herself going back home and the memories of that time begin to surface. The more she finds out about the events around her sister's disappearance, the more she begins to question whether it really was Harry or if it might have been someone else close to home. Overall, a gripping mystery about how well you know those closest to you and the secrets they may be harboring.

4/5 stars! This was my first read by Emily Smith. I really enjoyed this thriller. It was heavy on the twists and at times was a little unbelievable, but I didn't guess the twist until a couple of pages before the reveal, so it was a successful story. The entire Weaver clan was unlikeable as heck haha. But Deck was my favorite. I found myself able to get through this in one day and would definitely pick up more books by this author.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is a really well done debut, full of one of the most complex and interesting families in fiction I've read lately. I had my suspicions early on, and while I was right, the twisty journey was worthwhile. I'm looking forward to more from this author.

This book was a LOT! There was so much sadness, anger, and fucked-up-ness going on! I am glad that it ended on a kind of happy note...but getting there was super tense. And her brother (you have to figure out which one) was a total bag of dicks and totally fucked up! This was a wild ride from start to finish and I was totally here for it! This was my 1st book by Emily Smith but I will be keeping my eyes peeled for her next one!

#YouAlwaysComeBack
#NetGalley

July is back in town, the town she thought she escaped when she was 18, to help her addict brother get back on track with the rest of her family which includes her 4 siblings, and her schizophrenic mother. Absent is her father, the town serial killer, who is in jail for murdering her baby sister, and a whole slew of girls. But things don’t seem right once she’s in her hometown and she starts to question everything she thought about that night she was attacked. This kept me interested and I read it very quickly but figured out the twist way before it was revealed.

**4.5-stars**

Nine years ago, July Weaver's younger sister, May, was the first victim of a serial killer in rural Georgia, dubbed the Pacific Lake Killer. After July's own testimony puts her father away for the crimes, she decides she's had enough. She flees her family home to try to make it on her own in Nashville.

Struggling with addiction and not necessarily achieving all her dreams career-wise, July finds herself in a bit of a rut. Then she gets a call from her family. Ughhh, just when you think things can't get any worse...

It appears her younger brother, Dec, who also struggles with substance abuse, has had a major setback and may even have tried to take his own life. It's one of her older brothers who reaches out to her and he insists that July comes home. They need to fix this as a family. Begrudgingly, she agrees and heads home for the first time in nine long years.

July heads home expecting an uncomfortable family reunion, what she's not expecting is to discover new evidence that will make her question everything; her Dad, her choices and her sister's death. Is it possible the wrong man went away for the crimes? Is the Pacific Lake Killer still out there? And if they are, is there any way for July to make it right?

You Always Come Back was such a delightful surprise. I had no idea what to expect going into this debut, as far as quality goes, and I'll tell you, I'm tickled pink. I listened to the audiobook and recommend that as a format for people who have access to it. The narration brought this story to life and drew me in immediately.

I loved the overall tone of the story. It brought to mind a sort of hillbilly noir quality that I always enjoy. Fans of The Familiar Dark and Out of the Ashes should sit up and pay attention. This one is good!

I really enjoyed the way Smith told this story. The back-and-forth between past and present, as a way to develop the family dynamics and history, was so intriguing. I found both perspectives equally fascinating and for me, the pace never slowed down once July got back home. I do adore the trope of an MC returning to their hometown after many years away, looking into a mystery, or digging into something they have questions about. In that regard, this story fit my tastes to a tee.

In addition to that though, I just feel like this is great storytelling, start-to-finish. Interesting characters, an intriguing mystery and some unsettling atmosphere. What more can you want? I am so happy to have read this and to have a new Mystery/Suspense author to fangirl over. I'm looking forward to reading Smith's next novel!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Crooked Lane Books and Dreamscape Media, for providing me with copies to read and review. This one exceeded all my expectations!

I was absolutely shocked when I read that this book was a debut. It was fantastic!

July Weaver is forced to return to the home she swore off 9 years ago when her father was convicted as a serial killer, because one of her siblings needs her. She never questioned her father's guilt, because she was the last intended victim that got away. While home, women start disappearing in eerily similar ways, but her father is still in prison. There is either a copycat, or she was wrong all those years ago.

This is told in dual timelines with July returning home now, and the summer 9 years ago where everything started with the disappearance of her sister, May.

I loved how the backstory kept you engaged, in addition to the current happenings. The Weaver family were outcasts in the community, due to her mother's bizarre behavior with schizophrenia that her father refused to acknowledge. There were 6 siblings, including July who were all named after the months they were born in, which is just a nice added touch to their oddness (one or two is fine, but when you get to siblings named March and December in addition to the others, it's odd).

I thought I had the plot twist to the story figured out and was a little disappointed for half a second towards the end because it was so easy to guess, but I WAS WRONG. Probably my favorite part of the book was that the plot twist actually got me.

There are some trigger warnings, so check those out, but overall, I thought it was a fantastic read.

You Always Come Back by Emily Smith was a gripping debut!
This book is absolutely phenomenal. There were so many twists and turns that had me on the edge of my seat until literally the last page.
It is a book full of gripping moments and cleverly intertwined characters that builds up to a shocking conclusion.
The story is well written and Smith has a way that keeps you turning the pages till early hours.
This was an amazing debut novel by Emily Smith!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Emily Smith's debut, YOU ALWAYS COME BACK, takes her protagonist back to a small town in rural Georgia, where her younger sister was the first Pacific Lake serial killer's victim.

The past and present collide in this atmospheric, haunting, gripping psychological suspense of family, deception, loyalty, and murder.

July Weaver left her Georgia hometown years ago and has never looked back. The Pacific Lake Killer murdered her younger sister and other women. July's testimony put her father, Harry, in prison.

She now lives in Nashville, focusing on her music career and trying to put her dysfunctional family and the horrors of the past. She cannot face the lake that killed her sister and the other dead girls.

The Weaver family includes six siblings (two/twins), all named for the month they were born. Auggie and April are home with their mother, Kathy.

Kathy, the mother has a long history of mental illness. However, her brother Mark calls her to come home regarding the youngest brother, Deck who has attempted suicide and currently detoxing in the psych ward.

July, the protagonist, is the eldest. From past to present, we learn about her sister May and the events of the murder and other women.

However, there is new evidence, and now she is questioning that possibly her dad did not commit the murders. If she was wrong, the real killer is still out there.

Who will be next? They all are in danger.

YOU ALWAYS COME BACK explores family relationships, loyalty, good vs. evil, complex family dysfunction, and mental health where no one seems to be as they appear—a chilling tale of buried sins and dark family secrets.

If you enjoy Southern twisty small-town family dynamics, crime, and mystery with a twist of Gothic, this is for you. I am looking forward to seeing what comes next!

I read the e-book and listened to the audiobook narrated by Andi Arndt for a captivating experience.

Thanks to Dreamscape Media for an ALC and Crooked Lane Books for an ARC via NetGalley for an honest opinion.

Blog Review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Oct 10, 2023
My Rating: 4 Stars
Oct 2023 Must-Read Books

The debut novel from Emily Smith, You Always Come Back is a hauntingly beautiful tale about family, loyalty, and murder. It's an intriguing read that grips the reader right from the start, with gorgeous prose describing July's earliest memory of being with her father during a late-night storm in Georgia.

The story is full of suspense, mystery, and heartwrenching emotional moments, making it the kind of book that's hard to stop reading. It also centers on colorful characters with plenty of depth. The Weaver family alone has a unique dynamic.

Full review will be available at Eulalie Magazine: https://eulaliemagazine.com/602/you-always-come-back-is-a-hauntingly-beautiful-tale-about-family-loyalty-and-murder-book-review/

Thanks to #NetGalley and #CrookedLaneBooks for the ARC #YouAlwaysComeBack by #EmilySmith. This book is phenomenal. I felt like I was right along side the Weaver family and was totally shocked with the ending. I have just become an Emily Smith fan.

Thanks to Netgalley and crooked lane books for access to this Arc in exchange for my honest review.

Such family drama, so many horrible things happening to this family. And the ending, I didn't expect that twist. This book was a real slow burner but even if I don't usually enjoy slow paced. Books, the ending made me like the book.

I'm not sure exactly why I requested this book as it's a debut by an author that I never heard from. Honestly, maybe it was the cover. But that doesn't really matter. What matters is: I'm sure glad I DID request this novel and was granted an advance copy because this was GOOD. Like real good. Two timelines, gothic mystery, dysfunctional family dynamics. It's all here and it's all handled exceptionally well.

From Amazon:
Nine years ago, July Weaver’s little sister was one of the first victims of the Pacific Lake Killer, a serial killer in Georgia. When other girls began to disappear and were found dead, it was July’s testimony that put her own father into prison for the crimes. After the sentencing, she fled to Nashville to focus on her music career and to try to forget the horrible past. But when her brother tries to kill himself, July is forced to come back home and reunite with her four remaining siblings.

What she isn’t expecting is to uncover new evidence that makes her question everything that happened to her sister nine years ago. Is it possible that July blamed the wrong person? Is it possible that the Pacific Lake Killer is still out there? As the linchpin to the case against her father—and the reason the Pacific Lake Killer case is closed—July knows it isn’t long before the killer will set their eyes back on her.

If they’re really still out there.

More from me:
I love a good old family mystery and this one takes the cake. This family is the epitome of dysfunction. The plot is tight and evolves over two different timelines with the family, the present and the past. The dialogue, especially between the siblings, is extremely well done. The mystery at the heart of the book is solid. There's a lot of big emotion and a lot of heartache, especially with the character of July. Nothing feels overdone or maudlin, it all just worked for me.

I'm impressed that this is the author's debut and look forward to seeing what the future holds. I'll certainly be reading more from her.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the digital advanced reader copy in exchange for a honest review. The novel will be published October 10, 2023 and is available for pre-order now.