This was one of the best thrillers I have read in a very long time! I loved the way it was written, the multiple POV, and the way that it all came together. The twists were shocking and the story itself was completely unnerving. I truly had no idea how it would end and I was happily shooketh. I definitely recommend this one and can't wait to convince my friends to read it!

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC of this novel. That last twist was SOMETHING. I did not see that coming. This is a story of missing girls and an obsessive female cop who tries to find and help them. Chelsey Calhoun followed in her father's footsteps in choosing to be a cop. In the wake of her sister's death and her mother's departure, she idolized her father and tried to live up to his demands. This complicated legacy and unresolved trauma makes her determined to find out who took Ellie Black when she mysteriously returns to town after being missing for years. Chelsey's investigation is interspersed with flashbacks by Ellie of her abduction and subsequent captivity. The setup for this novel was far-fetched, but the Pacific Northwest setting was beautifully described and you really got to know the main character and see all her blind spots. And the author keeps the surprises coming til the last second.

The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean is a suspense filled thriller novel. The story in The Return of Ellie Black is one that is told by changing the point of view between the characters and also by going back to an earlier timeline along with the current timeline. This one also is on the dark side and not the easiest read about abuse.

Chelsey Calhoun knows what it’s like to have someone she loved go missing which has lead Chelsey to her life now as a detective. Twenty years ago Chelsey’s sister vanished and Chelsey continues to look today all the while trying to solve the cases of other missing girls that come along.

Two years ago Ellie Black was at a party when she disappeared without a trace and with little to go on was thought to be one case that would go unsolved. That is until now when Ellie has been found alive in the woods of Washington State. Detective Chelsey Calhoun is immediately on the case but finds it odd that Ellie stays silent about where she’s been and who has been keeping her.

The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean was a solid thriller novel that kept the pages turning until the very end. The author did a good job setting up a somewhat dark abduction story while weaving back and forth from the past and present. My thoughts at the end though were it all seemed to be a bit rushed in the wrap up and I wasn’t totally sold on the ending overall so this one fell in at three and a half stars for me. Although a slightly lower rating I would return to this author in the future as the story was an engaging read.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I was super impressed by this debut thriller from Emiko Jean.

The story is told through dual POV which gives us insight into both main characters. But it's the characterization of Detective Chelsey Calhoun and the girl who returns from the missing, Elizabeth, that really grabbed me. We see the determination of Chelsey to solve the missing person cases, partly for her own personal reasons, but she really cannot let go of this case, even when her marriage is threatened. Elizabeth goes through a gruesome ordeal, but it's her grit that helps in her survival. The chapters are interspersed in a timely manner in order to provide a backstory to the character's motivation.

This story with its strong plot, twists and revelations, and emotional tug, stayed with me for a long time after I read it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance reader's copy.

Ellie Black, a teenager from Washington, is discovered wandering in the woods almost exactly two years after she disappeared from a party at a motel. Detective Chelsey Caldwell worked the case went Ellie went missing and always hoped she’d be found. Chelsey’s sister went missing when she was a teenager and that case didn’t have a happy outcome, but it ultimately led to Chelsey following in her father’s footsteps onto the local police force. Unfortunately, Ellie is refusing to cooperate with the police investigation, even when it’s revealed that she might know of other missing girls. It’s up to Chelsey to figure out what Ellie’s hiding and why - before something even worse happens.

I was immediately sucked into this book! It’s not necessarily a fast-paced thriller and the writing kept me totally hooked. I stayed up way too late reading because I had to know what happened next. I didn’t have any guesses on what happened to Ellie, but the truths that come out at the end are truly shocking. This is my first read by this author and it certainly won’t be my last. Thanks to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for my e-arc in exchange for an honest review. Be sure to grab this on 5/7!

This book deserves 4.5 stars! Holy crap! Well written thriller! I was not disappointed this time. It is one of the must read if you want a fast paced, cannot put down and an intense read. I highly recommend this novel to anyone! I don’t want to give away too much because I want the other readers feel as much as I did while reading this.

I received this copy as an eARC from netgalley and Simon&Schuster. My opinion is purely my own. Thank you.

I received an advance reading copy of this book from NetGalley.com in return for a fair review. Author Emiko Jean is a very talented writer. Her style is interesting and her words always entertaining. I enjoyed this book up until the very end. I thought the 'twist' was unbelievable as well as unnecessary. The book centers on a young girl, Elizabeth 'Ellie' Black, who is kidnapped and held prisoner on a compound with several other young girls. Two years later, she manages to find her way out and is reunited with her family. Detective Chelsey Calhoun is on the case. She has her own set of issues and Ellie's silence frustrates her as she tries to unravel the truth. Calhoun is haunted by her own sister's murder and caught between her husband and her job. Overall, the book is well-written, the characters are intriguing, and the story is suspenseful. I was just disappointed in the end. It didn't seem realistic and took away from the story when everything could have been wrapped up nicely without the 'twist'.

Would recommend for fans of…
🔎 Mare of Eastown
🔎 Mary Kubica’s The Good Girl
🔎 Karin Slaughter’s Pretty Girls
🔎 Top of the Lake

WOW! I’m declaring this the best thriller of 2024!

On the surface, The Return of Ellie Black feels like a typical police procedural – a detective, Chelsey, investigates when a missing girl, Ellie Black, returns two years after her disappearance. It’s difficult to say much more without giving anything away, but this story blew me away. It’s the kind of novel that’s so good you want to savor it, but at the same time, you need to know what will happen next and you won’t be able to put it down.

The Return of Ellie Black has the perfect blend of character and plot and will satisfy fans of both character-driven and plot-driven mysteries. I loved how Emiko Jean incorporated so many POVs throughout the story. While Chelsey and Ellie were the two main POVs, other characters, including Ellie’s parents, boyfriend, and counselor are also featured. They never distract from the main characters, but they help add depth and perspective to the larger story.

While I think everyone should give this book a try, there are parts of it that can be tough to read, so don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions about the content.

The Return of Ellie Black is out May 7. Thanks to Simon & Schuster for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you @Simon.audio for the audiobook and @SimonandSchuster for the ebook. The audiobook is narrated by a full cast and it was a really great listening experience. I mostly listen during the day, in my car or while around the house. At night, I usually read on my Kindle, so having both editions of this book was really great, especially since I couldn't stop reading.
There are some heavy topics in this book, but it's a wonderful mystery/thriller without gore or explicit content. The POV rotates and the reader gets insight and peeks into the story that feel like pieces to a big puzzle. Then the twists come and omg, I just couldn't put this book down until I knew exactly what happened and who was involved.
I highly recommend checking this one out!

Ellie Black grips the reader from the first pages and doesn’t let up until the final jaw dropping twist. Twenty years ago, Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s teenage sister went missing. Since that day Chelsey is an advocate for other missing girls, hoping for her own closure along the way. When Ellie Black shows up in the woods after vanishing from a party two years prior, Chelsey is immediately all over the case, but her pushing for answers causes Ellie to shut down. When Chelsey sees a link to other missing girls, she wants answers hoping it’s not too late to save others, but Ellie is not willing to cooperate, leaving Chelsey at a dead end. Is Ellie really uncooperative or is she hiding something? Will Chelsey quietly give up as instructed or will she continue to investigate in the hopes of closure for Ellie and herself? While not super fast paced, it is a riveting story. Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster and Simon Audio for the gifted e-book and audiobook!

This one was so much more than I was expecting it to be! I've read a lot of missing girl trope thrillers lately, but this one was so unique and original!

After Ellie has been missing for 3 years, she reappears out of nowhere without the answers detectives and family members are searching for. This story is told in multiple perspectives (the audio was a phenomenal full cast) which added a lot of depth and helped keep me locked into the story the whole time!

Little by little, readers are given flashbacks of what happened during Ellie's missing years and some of it was HARD TO READ!

The ending was surprising to me and a couple twists really had me shocked!

One part of this story was especially and specifically shocking to me. It's spoilery so I won't say, but once you read it, you'll know if you know me what I'm talking about!

Read this if you've read and enjoyed:

-What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan
-That's Not my Name by Megan Lally
-The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon
-The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson

This one will be a huge hit as it was already announced to be a Book of the Month pick!

It's out on May 7th!

I absolutely loved this one! Missing girl returns and has no desire to help in the investigation? Immediately hooked! This one was twisty and I could not put it down!

Ellie Black has been missing for two years when she comes wandering out of the forest, seemingly unharmed. She is clearly very traumatized but is not talking. Cop Chelsey has her own traumatic past and is determined to unravel the mystery of where Ellie has been and how to bring her captor in.

This book was very well written, and I really enjoyed how it was not completely predictable. I thought that the characters development was well done and the storyline completely engaging. It reminded me of a slightly less literary and more action packed When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McClain. If you like mysteries with missing girls, this one is original enough that it is worth your time.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

When women between the ages of 16 to 21 go missing they do come back 81% of the time., but the odds decrease to half a percent after 24 hours. In this story, however, missing teen Ellie Black reappears years after she went missing. Detective Chelsey Calhoun is thrilled Ellie is found, but she has a lot of questions. Where has she been? What has she been through? Why won’t she talk about it? What is she hiding?

Detective Calhoun also lost her sister years ago and became a cop to protect and save young women, so she will stop at nothing to make sure she puts whoever is responsible for Ellie’s abduction behind bars.

In this edge of your seat story told in multiple POVs, we get to unravel the
mystery of the disappearance of Ellie Black, and we also get see what she went through in her own personal chapters.

As someone who struggles with content like this, I still managed to enjoy this story. This was disturbing, nauseating, and uncomfortable to read at times - but I’m glad I did because the writing and overall story was excellent. This wasn’t what I expected at all and the twists blew my mind. I didn’t predict a single thing.

I’d recommend this to people who enjoy Alex Finlay’s writing because I can see some similarities between the storytelling style. Also, if you enjoyed the books The Quiet Tenant or Dark Room Etiquette (YA but packs a punch) this should be a hit for you.

4 ⭐️ because I’m a big baby and struggled with the content. I will also say, this book isn’t as graphic as it could have been and I’m grateful that the things I struggled with were largely off-page.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s life is turned upside down when she gets a call that Ellie Black, a girl who disappeared years earlier has resurfaced. Ellie won’t say where she’s been, or who she’s protecting, and it’s up to Chelsey to find the answers. She needs to figure it out for herself, and the memory of her missing sister, and the next girl who could be taken and might never return.

I really enjoyed this slow burn suspenseful thriller. The story follows Chelsey’s character in the present and switches between moments of the past from Ellie’s POV. We get to know her and what was happening while she was missing. The timelines slowly collide in an explosive ending. This story intertwined the themes of missing girls, socioeconomic status, and examining the psychological impact of being kidnapped and trauma bonds. The girls who went missing are from lower income families who wouldn’t garner the same media attention or interest with the press. These girl’s cases are often left unsolved and they are often targeted because their searches won’t be as thorough. I appreciated how Emiko addressed these disparities and it made the story even more unsettling and made this feel like nonfiction.

Overall I enjoyed this mystery thriller and it’s always fun when an author branches out and writes in a new genre. This story does have dark elements and themes but it’s a gripping story. Full of twists and turns this is a great read for fans of mysteries, thrillers and suspense.

Published by Simon & Schuster on May 7, 2024

Like most crime novels, The Return of Ellie Black fails to live up to its marketing hype. This is nevertheless the kind of novel that certain readers seem to crave. It is the story of a serial kidnapper of teenage (or younger) girls. The villain brutalizes, brainwashes, rapes, and eventually kills his victims — apart from Ellie Black. Serial kidnappers, like serial killers, are far more prevalent in the world of crime fiction than they are in the real world, but the market for child snatching stories never seems to be saturated.

Michael and David apparently work together to kidnap teenage girls (and at least one preteen). Assisted by a woman named Serenity, they hold the girls in a buried bus for two weeks to break down their sense of identity. Some of the girls apparently starve to death before they forget who they are. The men give the survivors names like Faith and Hope. They hold the girls captive, using them as their sex slaves with the apparent aim to make them pregnant.

The story departs from the formula when a kidnap victim is found alive. Ellie Black has been missing for two years. She turns up in the woods in a shattered emotional state. Ellie is not cooperative with the police, a fact that the police attribute to her unwillingness to revisit her trauma. Yet there may be another cause of her reticence, which proves to be the only interesting aspect of a novel that is otherwise formulaic.

Most of the story is told in the third person as it follows Detective Chelsey Calhoun and her investigation of Ellie’s kidnapping. An article of clothing Ellie is wearing links her to a couple of other missing females. A few scattered chapters are told in the first person as Ellie recalls her ordeal.

Emiko Jean gives us the usual theme of a police detective who thinks “If only these [missing] girls could talk” and imagines them whispering “Find us, please.” Some readers seem to have an appetite for obvious efforts to manipulate their sympathies. Sometimes the mention of the word “victim” is enough to draw them into the story.

Fictional female detectives like Calhoun — dedicated to victims, unable to sleep because they are haunted by the victims’ voices, who “will do anything to save a life” — are ubiquitous in crime fiction. They are usually one dimensional. “Just think of the victims” becomes a substitute for a writer’s inability to think of interesting characters. Jean is no exception in that flawed approach to crime fiction writing. I usually avoid stories of that nature but the marketing hype made me think this one might be different. It isn’t.

Calhoun’s insecurity, followed by her eventual triumph, is another part of the formula. Also formulaic is Calhoun’s motivation for becoming a cop — a missing and murdered sister — and Calhoun’s self-recrimination because she didn’t prevent her sister from dating the wrong guy. Have you heard this story before? If you read enough crime fiction, you’ve encountered it over and over.

Another tired cliché of thriller writing is Calhoun’s boss, who takes credit for her successes and blames her for failures that weren’t entirely her fault. And, of course, Calhoun makes predictable decisions to defy authority and do what’s necessary because she just cares so much about victims. Victims are more important than her job or her relationships or anything else because victims.

Ellie has a dark secret that makes her feel guilty. It can’t be too dark because the reader is meant to sympathize with Ellie, even when she does something awful. The true reason for Ellie’s failure to cooperate with the investigation ties into the secret. It isn’t at all credible, but it is at least a departure from the formula.

Jean’s prose style is acceptable and she tells the story with good pace. The reveal of a kidnapper’s true identity is standard thriller fare — contrived and unsurprising. The villains are caricatures of evil men with mommy issues. The story’s positive qualities permit a tepid recommendation, but its familiarity prevents me from recommending it to anyone who doesn’t crave stories that feature detectives who can’t stop talking about how much they care about victims.

RECOMMENDED WITH RESERVATIONS

This book truly shows Emiko Jean can write different genres so well! This book is unlike others of hers I have read in that it is dark, sinister, and just a great mystery. Without giving too much away, it is about a missing girl who returns 2 years later. The detective from her original case, Chelsey, is trying to get answers without much help from Ellie. I love how the reader gets a glimpse into Ellie's point of view, to recap her whereabouts, throughout the story. The twist ending was very believable with a perfect shock factor.

Look into the triggers because there are definitely a few!

4.5 stars rounded up

Dark, intense crime fiction at its finest!

The Return of Ellie Black had me on edge from start to finish. All my emotions were tangled up, and I swear my nerve endings were on fire.

The realism made me ache. Emiko Jean doesn’t give us details for shock value. She draws us in, places us in the story, and says, here, this is what it feels like.

This is NOT a popcorn thriller. This is a visceral experience. You’ve been warned.

A wow for this one! Everything is turned upside down when Ellie stumbles out of the woods after being missing for two years- upside down for Chelsey the detective who has been on her case, upside down for her parents, upside down for her boyfriend Daniel who still feels guilty about not being with her the night she was taken. This moves back and forth between the present, as Chelsey probes Ellie for information and sets off on a desperate hunt, and Ellie, who tells what happened to her. It very much deserves to be read without hints or spoilers because there are not only twists but also a big surprise. The characters-top to bottom-are wonderfully real (Ellie's family are standout). And Jean manipulates and controls the tension well. Best of all- the storytelling. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A real page turner-great read.

This book has some difficult themes including sexual assault. Luckily it is not explicit. That said, i could not put it down. The mystery was so good and there was a jaw dropping reveal towards the end.