This is one of the best thriller books I’ve read in a long time. It’s an intense, dark, heart-stopping story that kept me hooked from beginning to end. What sets this book apart is its sensitive and empathetic approach to certain difficult topics (which I won’t reveal to avoid spoilers). Although I’m usually not a fan of multiple POV, here it was done so seamlessly that it just enhanced the story. The writing was spot-on—captivating without feeling overwhelming. This book felt like more than just a story; it was a message for so many women out there. I’m so glad I gave it a chance, and I’ll be recommending it to everyone I know.

Thank you so much Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the Arc. This Arc was provided in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. Completely exceeded my expectations! A little bit of mystery, with the elements of a great thriller. It was fast paced and compelling, the plot moving you along to the end. I highly recommend this book. I can't wait to see what else this author writes.

This was a totally wild ride. I wasn’t prepared for the first twist, and definitely wasn’t prepared for the final one.

Chelsea is such a great MC. She mirrors so much of what we hear being a woman in a small town police force can be like. Tenacious, smart, clever—but overlooked by the men around her who don’t believe her as much as they believe themselves.

This whole scenario—a missing girl returns—told in two main storylines was fantastic. I love when we discover a piece of a suspenseful story at a time, especially in tandem with the current storyline. The writing was descriptive and dark, and encompassed so many emotions as we learned what Ellie had been through.

Overall, a book I’d highly recommend if you’re looking for an atmospheric suspense that’s perfect for anytime of the year.

Ellie Black returns two years after going missing. She’s understandably apprehensive about working with the police to bring her kidnapper, and maybe murderer, to justice. She is uninterested in discussing what happened to her. The detective on the case wants to bring Ellie’s kidnapper to justice. Chelsey’s sister Lydia also went missing and was murdered when Chelsey was in high school, so she has an added layer of wanting to find the man who did this to Ellie and Lydia.

I really enjoyed this novel. I found the story to be full of twists and turns. I love reading books where j don’t see the twists coming and this one was definitely that.

I am definitely interested in reading more mysteries from this author.

IMPRESSIVE STORY! Thank you to NetGalley and Publisher.
I don't want to give it away, but this one was such a pleasant surprise. I finished it in one go.

I really enjoyed this book! At first I thought Ellie had Stockholm syndrome because of how she was acting. I’m glad that wasn’t the case! I didn’t expect the 2 twists at the end. I’m so happy that Chelsey’s sister is alive. She’s not alone anymore!

I have read the authors previous books and I am loving their genre swap. This book is eveything I want in a thriller read. I hope the author writes more in this genre. I will absolutely gobble it all down like this read.

Chelsea's sister disappeared over 20 years ago and she is still on the hunt for her. She is on the hunt for any type of closure she can get for her missing sister. Then a girl who has been missing, Ellie, returns back after two years. But she is protecting what really happened to her. Chelsea needs to uncover the truth of what happened to Ellie. Maybe if she finds the truth, she can figure out what happened to her own sister.

What I enjoyed:
- this book was full of twists! I was hooked from the moment. I had to know the truth along side Chelsea.
- AAPI representation. I always love seeing AAPI characters.
-fast paced and kept me on my toes the whole time


I seriously loved this book! This book is perfect for any fan of the thriller genre. 4 stars out of 5. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Not a forgettable read and I will be thinking about this one for a long time. Characters were engaging and plot moved along at a good pace. Will be recommending. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the copy.

This book definitely had me hooked. There were lots of twists and turns that kept me guessing, Detective Chelsey Calhoun was an amazing character. I loved how focused she was on figuring out what happened to Ellie. I had no idea what would happen and was shocked with how things unfolded. This would make a great movie.

When a missing girl returns two years later, everyone is desperate to know what happened. A determined detective unearths clues that lead to a chilling surprise that will leave readers haunted.

I'm not familiar with Emiko Jeans work but thus novel makes me want to dive deeper. She's a gifted storyteller without overdoing it. I've said it before but, I like a multiperson point of view because it lends itself to a deeper storyline. The last 85% of the book with leave you biting your nails and crossing your fingers.

Thank you #NetGalley for this ARC.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This book drew me in from the beginning and I could it hard to put down. Ellie disappeared 2 years ago and was found guilty n the woods. She had a hard time adjusting to life again. Part of the story were flashbacks of her story when she was taken. The detective that is on her case has also had her sister missing for many years , so she is determined to find out what happened.
Definitely recommend!

Detective Chelsey Calhoun has a complicated personal history. A transracial adoptee (she’s Japanese) whose father was the police chief of a small, very white Washington town, Chelsey experienced racism growing up and felt isolated from her peers. She did, though, have a close relationship with her sister Lydia; close in age, they were almost like twins.

Then, tragedy: Lydia disappeared at age 15, believed to be the victim of a secret boyfriend (he was found dead, an apparent suicide, but Lydia’s body was never found). The crime fractured Chelsey’s family – her mother left and it was just Chelsey and her father, whose pre-existing anger issues were only exacerbated by Lydia’s murder.

In the present, Chelsey is married and working for the same police force that her father, now dead, was chief of. She gets a call that a local girl who has been missing for two years has been found alive, having emerged from the woods emaciated and injured.

Ellie Black is closed mouth on where she’s been and who abducted her. Chelsey is determined to uncover the truth and begins to tie Ellie’s disappearance to other missing girls in the area.

The story is told from multiple perspectives, chiefly Chelsey’s and Ellie’s. Chelsey is in some ways a tough heroine to warm up to – emotionally closed off and stubborn. But as the story unfolds she develops into a sympathetic protagonist.

The plot is rather byzantine, but both Chelsey and Ellie held my attention. There were several twists at the end, one that I didn’t see coming (partly because I’d missed a plot point earlier, to be honest) and one that I thought was maybe unnecessary in how it tied all the characters together. I gave The Return of Ellie Black a B.

When Ellie Black, a missing girl who disappeared two years earlier, walks out of the woods one night, Detective Chelsey Calhoun picks up the case that has been alluding her. But Ellie is quiet, and after a time, uncooperative. Chelsey is determined to get answers, even if she has to treat Ellie as a hostile witness. Because underneath it all, Chelsey is still reeling from her sister's disappearance 20 years ago.

Chelsey uncovers new clues, and follows up leads, all while fighting her own demons. Dark, and sometimes disturbing, the story kept me guessing, and on the edge of my seat. The twist in the tale gave me goosebumps. For an author whose only work I've read is her YA romances, this debut adult thriller is formidable.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I went in completely blind with this book not having any idea what it was about. I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this book! The pacing wa da bit slow in the beginning but eventually started going and I was here for it! A lot of heavy topics were addressed in this book but handled so well. The twists in this book were great that I did not see coming!

I really loved this book, it kept me engaged throughout. A girl named Ellie goes missing several years prior and no one knows where she went or if she’s alive. A detective starts to notice a pattern with Ellie’s disappearance and other girls that have disappeared as well. Ellie comes back and it seems like something is off according to the detective and she’s working hard to figure out what Ellie is hiding.

I don’t read a lot of mysteries so this book was a little slow to start but once it did, it was a twisty page turner. I enjoyed the character development.

Special thanks to the author & @simonandschuster for my gifted copy!!!

Why was this book so good!!! Literally read it in a day and a half probably less because I couldn’t put it down. It’s so intense, engaging, and the twists OH THE TWISTS will have you on the edge of your seat. I just love how I didn’t see any of it coming.

You’d think Ellie disappearing then suddenly reappearing would be the highlight of the book but there is sooooo much more to it. When Detective Chelsey Calhoun took on the case Ellie wasn’t giving up any info on her whereabouts or who held her captive the past two years. I didn’t find it odd because she was still in a traumatized state and I really felt like it was the weird guy from the hotel that did it. But the way the author twisted all of this OMG it was so clever. When Ellie started talking with the therapist that’s when the truth gradually poured out.

The multiple perspectives, the manipulation and rawness of the kidnapping situation added so much depth to the story. Reliving what Ellie went through along with the other girls held captive was so sad and scary. Then the ABDUCTORS like that was such a jaw-dropping moment and Chelsey’s sister just wow.

Overall, I loved it it’s another fav of the year!!! The characters were well-developed and it’s so descriptive and well-written. If you’re looking for a page-turning thriller I highly recommend this one.

Thank you to Simon Books for the gifted copy of this engrossing thriller! Engrossing and infuriating because so much of the crime depicted was rooted in misogyny and the reality that missing girls are often not given enough police resources to be found unless they are wealthy, well-connected, and white. The lead detective on the case was a Japanese transracial adoptee, but that was just one part of her identity and not the focus of the story, which I loved.

Honestly it's a bit hard to verbalize why this book was so enjoyable for me; I think the truth is simply that I had no idea where it was going the entire time I was reading it. It was so dark and so compelling and so well-plotted. I've already told a friend to read this book and I'll be continuing to recommend it to thriller fans!

Dear Kelly, you know that if you don't write down your thoughts within 4.7 seconds of finishing a book then...oh wait, there's a puppy.

Thank you, Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC .

I know that (1) I liked this book because I gave it 4⭐, and (2) it's a mystery.

Thank you.